Chicago Auto Show: Last Minute Prepping for Launch
Feb 5, 2008 at 5:18PM
CHICAGO — After a quick jaunt around the show floor (for those interested, check out the live cams and intern blog of the Chicago Auto Show), we thought we’d offer up a quick look at how it’s going in the hours before the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 debut. It’s a pretty incredible site. You’ve got a couple acres of vehicles getting buffed and polished, some still with coats of wax waiting to be clothed off. And a couple hundred workers are busy putting together the impressive displays we’ve all come to enjoy at these shows.
Over at the Dodge stand, the speeches are being run through and the final touches being put on the Challenger debut. If you were eagle eyed, you might have even caught a glimpse. But here’s a look at the scene now. Don’t forget to watch the debut LIVE at our video feed site which you can access starting at 11:45a EST/10:45a Central by clicking here as discussed in our previous post.
Del.icio.us
Digg
Technorati
SUBSCRIBE TO RSS FEED
23 Comments
the seats are the same as in the charger srt8. suede inserts. probably imitation suede however. collects dirt fast but cleans easy
blakcart i hope your wrong about the seats being part suede, i know how hard it is to get a suede jacket cleaned, if anyone knows about leather suede is not the best part of the hide, give me cloth not suede
A lot of you guys are complaining about something you haven’t seen yet. Of course the exterior is beautiful, but the interior isn’t so bad either. This is a retro theme car, and it shares at least a resemblance to to the original. You have to remember that the manufacturer actually has to make this stuff work, for a lot of different people of all shapes and sizes and even differnet tastes. Just compare the actual interior of the original car to this one. There is no comparison in fit and finish, quality or comfort. Sure there is a lot of plastic, but every car is this way now and it makes for a better car. It makes them lighter and even safer. Which car would you rather be in a wreck in, this one or the original? I actually have a charger, and those seats are awesome. They are very, very comfortable, keep you from sliding around, and are probably on of the best available in any car. The suede is even super easy to clean and I know it is more comfortable than leather alone. Dodge could have made an identical car in looks to the original inside and out, and everyone would have complained for not giving it modern flair and convenience. If this car is anything at all like my RT Charger, it is going to be a great ride. I have never been in a car of any kind that I enjoy driving more than my Charger. It isn’t the hands down fastest, or even prettiest - but it is damn fast, looks great, and performs flawlessly. It is quiet, comfortable, crazy fast, seats 4 easily, and for me averages 26+ miles per gallon. What the hell else could you possibly ask for? There isn’t a car of any kind or make that can be built from scratch, marketed to literally millions of people, and make everyone happy. It just isn’t possible. This car comes close, though.
LOOK AT THE FORD MUSTANG INTERIOR, BAD JOB!
I’ve just seen the interior pics of the 2008 Dodge Challenger one word ugly!!! Why go retro out side and go modern on the in side. I was looking to buy one of these but now I think I will buy an old one. Car companies are like politicians the promise you one thing then give you some thing else. At less give us a difference steering wheel. What a disappointment!!!!
I hope chevy don’t make the same mistake.
Look at the ford mustang good job!
fyi. suede is not comfortable to sit on, it sticks as you try to move. it also distorts and wrinkles. the idea of using suede is to keep you from sliding out of the seat. the other characteristic is suede breathes, and if it is perferated microsuede, that will breathe as well. this prevents sweating. suede also is a dirt collector.
Is anybody from Dodge reading these Blogs??? I thought I was lucky to get one for 5K over sticker, now I’m not so sure???? I’ll sell mine if someones intrested. THE INTERIOR IS A HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT AND THE PRICES ARE FALLING EVEN BEFORE THEY ARE PRODUCED. Dodge, are you LISTENING to us ???????
Daytona,
I have sat in the Charger and the interior is the same as what they are putting in the Challanger. It is simple they have a beautiful concept that they worked hard on to get it right and then when they got to the interior they quit and just through in what they had available. Again the interior looks good for their Charger and their 300’s. but those cars were designed differntly then how they designed the Challenger. Lets face it, Microfiber suede is something you wear on the golf course, it doesn’t belong in a muscle car, The orange stripe is there but the way they did it makes it look like an after thought instead of the concept piece that looked like it could jump off the seat and Kick your A** just cause it could. I am going out of my way cause I care about what they are trying to do, and I am hoping I find the site that they may be actually reading. I believe they missed, and so do many many many more people, which equates to lost sales for Dodge. If you read any other blogs on the web, and not just red letter you will see the number of long time mopar fans,saying they will now wait for the Camaro, or talking about going elsewhere. The Chevy and Ford fans who finally started lining up to buy a dodge are already starting to move away. (These are not nay sayers but real people who wanted the car) Like it or not the Interior is a very important part of a car, People may not buy a car because of the interior but they will not buy a car because of it. This is to much luxery and not enough muscle. yes the Gauges look good I don’t have a problem with thir gauges, I have problem in what they are mounted in. A chrome ring around a charger gauge set doesnt’ make it unique, it makes it look cheep. It’s like trying to make a Datson looking cool by putting K-mart wire hub caps on it. Ribbed stitching ripped in the 70’s due to poor quality, that is not the case today, and it fits the exterior of the Challenger as Dodge designed it.
Hey vonnumber
You seem to be going out of your way on, all the blogs to bash the interior of the car.
Perhaps you should wait and see it in person, sit in it, experience it, then comment.
If you look closer you will see many similarities to the concept…with real-world changes…the cool guage cluster on the concept is not practical because you wouldnt be able to read them properly. Trust me the present SRT gauges are also cool AND easy to see while driving.
They kept the colour coded seat stripe accent, and did away with the ribbed face (which again is not practical, the stitching can tear easier and the present suede is much more comfortable to actually sit on)
The dashboard design is simple, just like the original. Muscle cars are about exterior looks and performance NOT trendy interiors.
Also the challenger is lighter then my charger, in spite of what you have read…a loaded HEMI chager/300 weighs over 4200 lbs.
And remember…this car is NOT a pony car,and was never touted as one, even the new Camero will be bigger than its predesesor , since GM (like chrysler) will be using that new new platform for other 4 door cars….ie…the nexr generation Impala.
So perhaps you should move on to more realistic comments.
My first car was a 1968 Dodge Coronet, which unfortunately I had to sell to get through school, a 1966 dodge coronet, 1973 dodge challenger and a 1972 dodge charger. I currently own a 1972 mustang fastback sprint Q code and a 1971 El Camino which I rebuilt for fun with my sons, holding out for a 1968 Dodge coronet for myself when I could find the right car. I am a mopar fan and always have been, I Wanted to re build a 68 dodge as that has always been my favorite car, but opted for this car instead. Yes I figured out how to get one by being 1st in line on December 3rd. So no baby here and not a Chevy or Ford Fan. I am just stating the facts as I see them.
The outside of the car is Awesome; the inside is average at best especially for a new special addition. Dodge had the chance do it right 100%, they opted for 80%. I guess if their bench mark is Chevy and Ford it is 100% better than them and we can all high five and belly bump. Unfortunately grading yourself on a curve has been the down fall of America; a curve only means you have to be the smartest Tard of all the Tards on the Farm. I am sure the Bean counters had something to do with the changes, but the fact is if the interior is nothing special compared to the Charger or the 300, and the 4 door Charger with the same engine is lighter than the Challenger, then top it off with the fact that the 2009 models have more options and the same interior then the only thing special about the 2008 is the numbered dash placard. So now people who really wanted this car start to look around more than they were planning to and that means less sales for dodge which they need to help them stay solvent. If Dodge is lucky They will buy the lighter charger for less money or some other Dodge product, unfortunately some will opt for another brand of car and some of those faithful Chevy and Ford Atheists who made it all the way to the front door of the Church of Dodge will turn back and not become a true believer. That is truly how important it is to do it right based on what is right not on what the curve is.
Dodge limited the impact of the cars influence with its interior changes. Yes it makes an impact but it is not as big as it could have been and we may have damned our Brethrens! Mercy!
I bought a 1968 Coronet R/T and a 1971 GTX new. I still have both and now I want a car that looks like a car, but has all of the new technology. This car certainly fills the bill. I am a little disappointed that the dash is not like the concept, but that will not dull my enthusiaism.
i meant say get rid of that stupid navigation radio… maybe we should just wait for the super stock.
aaah.. I guess I can gut it, put in some recarro seats, a tuff wheel, and that stupid navigation radio and have fun but i won’t be paying sticker to do all this work to a new car
claymore your right these people complaining are a bunch of babies. In my life time I have owned two 70 challengers, one 70 charger, one 71 cuda, one 71 charger, one 74 charger and one 85 charger 2.2. and I cant wait to get my hands on this car. It looks great, it will run great, it will stop great, it will sound great, the a/c will keep me cool, and it will handle better then any muscle car I have ever owned thats important to me because I like to drive hard. After owning the cars I mentioned
above I have every right to say that this new
challenger is the best thing to come out of detroit in a long time. So all you babies crying around figure out how to get yourself one of these new challengers and shut up or go back to the ford and chevy pages and leave
us true MOPAR fans alone.
My first car at 16, was a 1973 Dodge Challenger, after that I owned a 1969 Dodge Charger and after that a 1969 Plymoth Road Runner. Currently I drive a 2005 Mustang GT. Sissy…..I don’t think so. Currently awaiting a 2008 Challenger SRT.
Claymore,
If Dodge had stuck with the original concept interior, then it would be right on the money. And yes on the outside the Challenger was designed better than the Charger, Unfortunately inside they are the same. Also keep in mind that as the Charger weighs less than the New Challenger (Based on their numbers” means that the Charger is more muscle than the Challenger. I don’t know if you were around in the 70’s but if you were, then you would remember that people often made changes to their interiors to make them hot. Whether it was Diamond Tuck Upolstery, or Flash on the dash. Back then the sissies were driving around with interior like this.
Chrysler has done a wonderful job with the Challenger, but in a time of high and unstable gas prices, it isn’t fair to limit high end features such as Brembo brakes and the reconfigurable display with Performances Pages to the SRT version. Those features need to be available on the R/T version as well.
I’ve never seen so many cry babies. No one has come close to replicating an original muscle car until now. The Charger was a disappointment, but the Challenger is right on the money. This thing is running 425hp and people are complaining about the interior….sissies!
I agree - the production team really let us down on the interior. In the concept interior, I was driving a muscle performance machine. In the production Challenger interior, I’m now driving a family sedan. C’mon Dodge - know your target market! Do you even know who we are and what we want? I don’t know which would be worse: 1) you don’t know the desires of your target market or 2) you know and just don’t care to act on it.
I have to say the new interior Sucks! They took a classic looking muscle car and put a Chrysler Newport interior in it, complete With saddle stitch leather seats. Woooooo. The concept interior had Muscle written all over it! Too prove my point just read what is written on some of the blogs by people who like the interior, who probably work for the dodge marketing team. They say things like “the ergonomics are very clean”, “oh it’s so much cleaner than the concept car” and “I like how the accent of the stitching is so masculine” OH MY GOD! Muscle is not about ergonomics, or Clean and You never had to talk about how masculine the seats were. You knew they were because it was basic or Bold! It was Ego not Ergo! People were excited about a car that was hot inside and out. Who ever made the changes should be fired and sent packing in the AMC Pacer they drove to work. On top of that their new retro Pony car comes out weighing more than their currently manufactured Charger WTF!?!?!??? Dodge had the opportunity to really make a statement here and they blew it! If any of you who believe they really like this interior I am betting you are not loving it enough to pay 10 k over sticker for it, if you are, you can purchase mine. Unfortunately I am betting several others will be for sale shortly. Why pay more for an average overwight pony. Went form Awesome to indifferent.
So did they give the designers a materials budget of $50.00 for the interior, or was it as much as $60.00? It’s hard to tell. I guess all of the interior budget money went to the Ram this year, you know how badly truck owners need and want those plush interiors!
no thanks for ruining the interior
You guys are awesome - thanks for keeping us informed!