Chicago Wrap: Thoughts on the Dodge Challenger Debut
Feb 8, 2008 at 3:02PMBy Mike Accavitti
Director, Dodge & SRT Global Marketing
Judging by all the conversation and activity on this and hundreds of other blogs, you’ve probably already parsed the Dodge Challenger SRT8 releases and the specs and the photos and the videos by now, but here’s a few thoughts on what this meant to me…being at the rebirth of this legend that I’ve loved since I was just a kid. (Read about Mike’s first glimpse of the Challenger back in the 70s here and see him with his classic here…)
Suffice to say, Wednesday was a big day for Dodge and MOPAR enthusiasts everywhere. The Dodge Brand officially introduced our new baby to the world today at the Chicago Auto Show. And what a b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l baby it is. With its soon-to-be iconic face, striking lines, sure footed stance and big shoulders the Hemi Orange Dodge Challenger looked ready to pounce, kick butt and take competitor names as it circled in slow motion on the turntable.
Certain to be the talk of the show, town — ahh, heck, the industry — the reveal of the production car was a simple demonstration of the passion and excitement that has surrounded the car since the concept was first shown only two short years ago. Prior to the red silk sheet being removed from the Challenger, a short video ran on the huge hi-def screen above the stage. It was a montage of some of the the Dodge employees that created it, a few customers lucky enough to order one and running footage of the car
blazing down the street, on the track and on country roads. This video, available on this site in the post a couple down from this one, gives the viewer a small taste of what this buzz is all about. Our execs then spoke to the numerous features, technology and performance capability of this car with equal enthusiasm. They painted the picture for the attending media that this baby has a lot more going for it than a pretty face. We even had a famous father and son duo (watch the launch video here) to demonstrate the multi-generational appeal…something everyone in the hall could agree with.
Reporters and camera teams surrounded the stage for 7 hours after the reveal. Say what you will…this car is a magnet. Hoards of people hung around the car and chewed the fat for long periods of time, including the Challenger in their circle, like an old friend who has returned from an extended absence.
Me, I was like any proud parent, staying around until visiting hours were over and I was told it was time to go. Chicago got hit with a heck of storm that night, which canceled flights by the hundreds and kept most people shivering indoors waiting for the weather to clear. But I can tell you…I didn’t feel even a pinch of a chill close to the one I got when that cover dropped and the Challenger…a car that has danced in my head for decades, a legend that I still celebrate each day I step into my garage…when the Challenger was reborn and I not only got to see it, but be a part of it. Man, I’m getting chills just thinking about it now.
Thanks again for all the comments. Like we’ve said…this is just the beginning. More to come…
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30 Comments
I hope they offer a badge delete for that rams head..
Fac eit the Challenger isnt for everyone and the insurence will knock all the kids out the box to get one.
Thats why they build tuners so to decieve the insurence compnay and add on mods the car cant handle and it makes it a danger on the road and to others around it when the person who owns it thinks he has a race car.
Its almost laughable to see these tin cans all modded up,and blowing oil from the driver beating it like its a viper.
I have yet to see one thats not smoking or running like crap due to some kid jacking with the cars programming.
As far as the challenger goes can you imagine all the cool after market goodies that will be out for this car asap.
It will a breeze to boost the rt to over 400 hp with a few minor changes in the air box and exhaust..
Im sold on the Challenger and have never considered the competition at all in this decision.
This is the car boys that will be eating rice on the tracks daily …….
This car is a reality the camaro is still held in the wind tunnel the design was very poor and the car is being redesinged as I type this.
They baited you with bumble turd in a movie and they will pull the ole bait and switch on you all if you want one of those cartoon cars.
The camaro will not come out in time plain and simple.
Dodge has really met the mark here offering us a car that is what we all wanted ,my hat is off to dodge and my check book is open..
As far as the mustang that is and always will be a girls car in my opinion,its too small and cramped,plus if you thought a dodge loses its value just buy a ford and see your money really disappear.Youll pay 30k for a mustang and its value after 2 years will be only 15k and youll still be paying on a note that has lost massively.
I own a magnum srt and it has lost some value but is still marketable unlike the mustangs that will become a poor mans version of the dodge.You want to cheap it out the mustang is for you or go import tuner then you can really be a poser..
The service at ford is terrible and Dodge has never let me down.
Ive owned them all and ford proved to be the biggest dissappointment Ive ever owned.
Its challenger all the way Im loading up a rt to the gills as soon as I can order one.
Yeah ok bro… whatever
IM A PERFORMANCE FAN FIRST BUDDY.
THEN A MOPAR FAN SECOND.
BUT I DO CARE ABOUT LOOKS TOO.
AS FOR THE LOOKS THE CHALLNEGER LETS SAY HAD ME AT HELLO.
I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL MAN I FEEL LIKE THAT IN MY RAM WITH A HEMI. All im saying is if dodge is trying to sell a sheep in a wolfs cloths then it better be bad A**!!!!
How can you not be excited about the the new challenger comes out no matter what it cost because if your a true fan of mopar or plymouth or dodge you will pay!!! When the magnum came out i was the first in line and that car has been the best car i ever had !!! and i will do the same when the challenger comes out all cars depreciate but i dont care if you appreciate the car enough you will pay and that goes for my magnum too yea i paid a lot but even to this day i have people ask about it and tell me what a cool car it is and its a 05!! Bottom line if you love cars and appreciate the mechanics and consider now days to pick up a1970 challenger its 20 to 30 grand in great condition or more i just love the new challenger you get a little old and little new thats freakin awesome!!!! go mopar which have always been TRUE MUSCLE CARS !!!!
SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN.
BUT
Im definatly not getting a v-6 of any kind and if that means not getting the challenger so be it.
That felt weird saying it but it’s the gods to honest truth im not buying anything with a 6 in it. Sorrry to all you folks out there that want to take me down for that one but thats me.
Plus i’ve got my ‘03 4×4 Ram HEMI with just under 70k miles on it. So ole’ black betty will def. keep me happy for the next couple years.
Im ready to spend 5-hundred a month on a car so im not that worried about that and yeah intrest rates will prolly keep dropping.
Im going to trade the Ram in when the time comes. But the way all this is going Im thinking that I might wait more than what I originally wanted to.
Plus Im just about to make the last payment on the Ram.
The longer I wait. Means and with no-disrespect I could land a drop-top C6 and that would definatly change my perception.
So the camaro will drop C6 prices for sure.
And the 6.4 liter HEMI will change all of this hoopla.
Back in ‘03 MAN I WAS NUTS OVER THE HEMI. THAT WAS 5 YEARS AGO. I WAS STILL A KID. IM WHOLE LOT SMARTER ABOUT THIS GAME NOW.
And just seeing what SRT CAHARGERS are out for under 35k makes me WANT to play the waiting game. Just like what daytona kid has been saying in the other blogs.
The CHALLENGER does have something a little more special about it. But im no fool when comes to what im getting for my money.
MY SHOT FOR THE MOON IS THE R/T SUPERCHARGED “EVENTUALLY” TAKING THE NEW 6.4 ALL THE WAY DOWN THE ROAD.
MAKING THE RICH BOYS AND THE ELDERS JUST PLAIN FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. Peace…
Mr Krispy, why stress. here’s what you do. what for the 2009, i would buy the 6 cylinder and totally deck it out. expect the v6 to run about 24 to 25k. you already have 250 hp, add a supercharger and some rear end gears and make out like a bandit. or for about 32k you should be able to get the rt with a 6speed. i think the new smaller hemi is supposed to be pushing 380 hp. interest rates are dropping hard. $190 per month will easily purchase $10k worth of car (ie $380 per month for 20k etc) time is on your side. save some money and wait. reserve a car and sell it on e-bay to make some extra cash if need be.
straight to the point i guess on this one to clarify a little.
I do agree with you a good bit but not all the way. The shelby is in almost a viper class and somewhere near the zo6 ‘vette.
And truth be told. We all agree that the interior lacks detail.
And the fact that it can barely get down the road in 5 seconds.
BUT IT IS THE SHARPEST LOOKING CAR A TOTAL STAND-OUT.
BUT THAT BEING SAID I AM GOING FOR THE R/T
So im scewed in perception for bang for buck. Because i can afford a car at just over 30 grand. so this is a harder decsion for me, being the GT is gonna really give the hemi a run for the money ’cause the challenger is so heavy.
IN THE END IM REALLY GOING FOR THE CHALLENGER BUT IM NOT WAITING IN LINE THATS ALL.
wow, i guess i kicked a hornets nest!
let me try to clarify.
the answer i gave was in response to someone claiming they would hold out for purchasing a new vehicle for sticker price.
my response was that the shelby mustang still sells for 10k over sticker. (dealer to dealer is 5k.
the shelby mustang is in at least its third year of production.
why would anyone assume that the srt challenger will not be selling new at a similar mark-up for at least 2 years?
now in regards to resale value for an 08. i would venture to say after 1 year the car should still retain it’s sticker price. that would mean no depreciation on a car that you paid sticker on. if you paid 5k over sticker, the feeling will be equal to buying any new car with average depreciation.
in no way am i saying that the challenger will hold a pricetag of 10k over sticker for 3 years. that will never happen with this car.
i think the ford gt(gt40) and the bmw z8 (not to be confused with the z3 or z4)actually defied the laws of physics on this one, but i would have to double check.
i hate to break it too you FRONTYARD but
since the challenger is coming out on the heels of the mustang and right before the camaro i really don’t think the car will carry it’s value over the sticker.
im sure it will carry the sticker value for years but to say it’s worth a 25% mark-up is nuts man!!!
SORRY but the ’stang got a lot of love cause its the first and the challenger is in the middle of the ’stang and the camaro it’s gonna be like the middle child in a family, if you ask me.
i love it though and you know it. but this could potenialy be the truth.
PLUS THE 370Z CAR IS COMING OUT IN ANOTHER YEAR AND-HALF OR SO.
That’s two very capable cars coming out in the next two years after the challenger. Not good news for re-sale prices.
To me i plan on keeping the car through its depreciation so when and if i trade it in several years from now i don’t lose it’s bang for buck.
Honestly i think im gonna plan on trying to steal the first used challenger i can find so i can skip this b.s. or buy then dodge will have put out the exact trim i want then i’ll buy that. but either way im not paying even sticker price. I’ve bought one brand new hemi in ‘03 and i love the dang thing in my single cab 4×4. so im not leaving this beast unless the right challenger is there to buy. I will find a used challenger for a steal in two years mark my words and i can wait cause then i can afford to super-charge it. Hard part for me is the convertible isn’t out yet which means i might have to wait 3 years and that is a long time.
But you get my point right??
Im gonna turn mine into a unique one, to do that a can’t afford 7 thousand in depreciation. that’s seven grand i can custom it which is exactly all i need. peace..
p.s. been thinking long and hard for the last couple days. when they hit the road i might change my mind.
To Dodge;
PLEASE give us SOME of the effort Alan Barrington put into the interior design of the conept car. Putting a new skin on a Charger interior isn’t novel or quaint. I understand the economics of “parts sharing” and the reduction of costs in doing so. BUT this is a tremendous car of which the lines of the concept were closely followed in bringing it to production phase. The exterior is gorgeous. But the interior is seriously lacking.
It reminds me of seeing a stunning woman, impeccably dressed, being awed by her beauty - only to be ruined when she opens her mouth and her voice hits your spine like the sound of fingernails being scraped over a chalkboard!
PLEASE fix the interior to compliment the exterior, not offset it.
I agree with the other posters. PLEASE offer the R/T with the same performance options/upgrades that are standard on the SRT8, only with the updated 5.7L VVT HEMI engine instead of the 6.1L ggt HEMI.
I want an R/T with the Brembo brakes, telemetry, SRT seats, MagnaFlow exhaust, and a “flip spoiler delete” option so I can put a wing spoiler on the back like the Charger Daytona/SRT8 has on it.
Some ‘graphics” options would be nice too - something that didn’t require a “premium package” as in the past with the “SuperBee”.
Thanks for listening!
I dont think you understand. i wasn’t talking about an 8 year old vehicle. we all know a car is a depreciating asset.
but lets talk the cobra r now that you have brought it up. an 8 year old, low production, high performance vehicle hits its resale bottom at the 8 year to 10 year age. this is the point where most of the original owners think that the car has reached the end of its usefull life cycle. they bail on the car or just trade it in. its at this point, a real value can be had, as the vehicle will barely depreciate. some other cars to consider would be the acura nsx and the dodge viper. i don’t think you could find one of either in decent shape for under 30K.
the point of my last e-mail is simply this, if the shelby mustang is any indication, you will see mark-ups on the srt challenger for at least the next 3 years. unless you think the shelby mustang is a better car or holds more cache. are you a ford guy?
Front,
If you really believe your over sticker investment is safe, I have some swamp land we need to discuss. In ‘00 Ford built only 300 Cobra R’s, sellers have been lucky to get
half of the sticker price. Dodge will saturate the market with ‘09 SRT’s and the ’08’s will be another car with a dash plate, just like the Daytona.LOL
waiting out a price mark-up can take a lot of time. the shelby mustang was still getting $5000 to $10000 over sticker on dec 3rd. The shelby was introduced in 2005, thats 3 years and running, with no end in sight. daytona kid, would you be willing to wait another 3 years to gamble on a price break? Does anyone believe the camaro will not have a mark-up? to the people out there that paid sticker, you did well. to those of us that paid 5k to 10k more, don’t sweat it, the car will hold its value, as if that WAS the sticker.
Who gives a rip about some limited production nissan….
has nothing to do with the new challenger prospective customer….patience is the key…in any market place its a about supply and demand…thats waht doctates price…its great to see the demand…and now simply wait for your price!
Now someone tell me why Chrysler can not do this..
Nissan attempting to reduce markups on GT-R orders
Pre-orders for the 2009 Nissan GT-R have already begun, with 691 certified dealers across the US ready to service the new offering. The expected sales volume is in the range of 2,500 vehicles for the first year and 1,500 anually after that. Do the math and you’ll see the equation adds up to limited consumer availability. Mix that with high demand and you know that markups follow. Eager enthusiasts are up in arms over the possibility that their greatest desire might he priced out of reach as a result. Even Nissan expects to see its dealers make an attempt to cash in.
Hoping to alleviate fears of $60,000 fees tacked onto the $70,000 GT-R, Nissan North America spokesman Darryll Harrison spoke with Inside Line about the automaker’s actions aimed at curtailing dealer markup. After all, Nissan worked hard to create a high performance machine that sits in a more affordable price range and it wants it to reach its originally intended consumers. Harrison revealed that not only is Nissan requiring all GT-R sales to go through dealership management staff, but paperwork must also be filed with Nissan North America’s regional sales offices. The term “counsel” was used to describe the interaction between the dealership and regional sales office. What this “counseling” entails is unknown, but sounds like it involves discouraging dealerships from engaging in egregious rip-off artistry. How successful this approach will be remains to be seen.
I hear that NASCAR and Dodge are looking into running the Challenger in the 2009 Nationwide Series. Ford to use the Mustang and GM the Camaro.
This would awesome!
In the end it will all boil down to this. If you like the car you will buy it and if you don’t you won’t. I understand that the new Charger will have more of a retro look to it. Hope they make it with 2 doors!
I have to agree with mopar north about his idea of his dream car. Too bad we will have twins. The difference is that I have the license plate. My 68 car has a 3 spoke steering wheel, but then it never knew what an airbag was except in the passenger seat. The prospect of owning one of these cars still gives me a chill of anticipation. I hope that seeing it in person will not change the feeling I have for this one like the time I saw the brochure picture of my 68 R/T.
Has anyone else noticed that the “working butterfly valves” seem to haev now changed into mesh screen covered hood scoops?
That sucks, I really liked it the other way.
Oh well, I’ve decided that even though this car is great, I’ll continue to badger dodge untilt eh do this the to charger, which they should have done in the first place.
Retro, two door, rear wheel drive, real hemi motor, charger. I’ll keep waiting.
David, seriously, whats your deal. I heard you are a salesman for a struggling chevy dealership. Is this true?
NO, I JUST TALK LOUD.
I think your caps may be locked on.
Shake, rattle and rattle some more! Hey, that auto stick looks like my 05 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/ the Mercedes transmission!
brian, why would you dose a car, and what would you dose it with? and whats a mine van? is that the new humvee with armor plating being used in iraq?
Brian i have a great IDLER for you, why don’t you spend the money you have for your new car on some spelling lessons.
Dodge, please tell us now before it is too late. Tell us before you ship the 08’s that the 09’s will have an option for the Concept car interior, and I will gladly give up my 08 to someone who wants that interior on a special edition car and I will order the 09 with the correct interior and have a real special edition. If you came out with it after the 08 was shipped it would be a slap in the face to those of us who stepped up and paid full price+ for what would become a pseudo special edition compared to the car with the right interior. Give us the choice to decide what special edition we want and then you make everyone would be happy. Win Win Baby! Isn’t that what Sales and Marketing is all About?
To Dodge ceo. I’m 46 I have had many sport cars in my life. I was looking forward to buy a challenger. ( NOT NOW! ) Can you tell me why dose a car company spend millions of dollars making a concept car ( challenger ) that every one likes wants to buy then after all that the car company ( dodge ) totally changes the interior. The funny thing is the first pic on the dodge site never had the inters pic on it I wondered why ?
Maybe they know there would be an up roar over this.
PS: Dodge you screwed up the charger now the challenger forget the past apparently you have no idler what your doing just keep making your mine vans.
I have to agree with the many other comments out there that the interior is the low point of the car and I too hope that steering wheel never sees production HOWEVER I want to pat the Dodge boys on the back for getting this car to production at all. This is definitley a tough time to bring a car like this to market with the price of gas and the whole green movement picking up speed. That said I think they did a great job on the exterior with the mix of old pieces and new technology. I personally will wait for a plum crazy 6.4 with 500 horsepower, the manual transmission and the Shaker hood. Its fantastic to see Dodge back in the 2 door muscle car segment after all these years. Hopefully the addition of smaller motors next year will push the sales numbers high enough for the new management to keep this car around for a while. It will probably be impossible to do but I am going to wait a couple years to buy the biggest baddest one you guys produce, way to go Dodge!
I rented a dodge charger a week a go not a bad car , the interior is the same in the challenger what a disappointed. If they fix the interior on the 2009 model I will buy it if not I will wait for the Camaro.
Well put Madcapp: That steering wheel is truck like and the consol should have a tee handle slapstick with a forward ratchet. I hope the 2009 model will have SRT options with other engine choices. So drop out and join cause Dodge.
Here’s my thoughts on the debut. Chrysler did an excellent job overall, but the interior is not distinct enough from the 300C and Charger. A priority needs to be put on getting a proper 3 spoke steering wheel for the Challenger, beacuse the one shown looks like it belongs on a truck. Change that steering wheel, change it now!!! And while you’re at it, the steering wheel controls are cheap looking/feeling, work on that too.
The other key problem is getting all the high end features without the SRT gas guzzler engine. Because gasoline is expensive and could easily be $4 (or more) a gallon at any time, we need to be able to buy an R/T with all the same sport suspension, forged wheels, racing stripes, Brembo brakes, performance calculator, and ESPECIALLY the tire pressure display that the SRT version has. The only difference between the SRT and a fully optioned R/T should be the engine only (meaning that I should be able to order (and pay for) options on the R/T equal to all the top spec features in the SRT, just without the gas guzzler engine.
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