Dodge charges forward with 2012 Charger SRT8

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Updated: February 8, 2012 12:19PM

When Dodge reintroduced the Charger in 2006, there were loud groans because the car was only available as a sedan.

Unlike General Motors and Ford, which offered sedan versions (even wagons) of iconic intermediates like the Chevelle, Cutlass, LeMans, Torino and Montego, Dodge didn’t offer a sedan or wagon version in its early heydays.

In the past five years, Dodge has remade the Charger into a capable performance sedan that the single guy (or gal) and family man (or woman) can enjoy and even race.

Last year Charger received a curvaceous makeover with a lower roofline, side coves and aggressive nose and bright LED full-width taillamp. The SRT8 amplifies Charger’s aggressive lines with a high-gloss black front grille, a Dodge crosshair next to the signature SRT badge, a performance-sculpted hood featuring a black air exhauster for engine cooling, new rear spoiler, large 4-inch tailpipes, body-color side-sill cladding and 6.4-liter HEMI badges.

The 2012 Charger SRT8 packs some serious engine muscle. The new 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 cranks out 45 more horsepower and 50 more pound-feet of torque than the previous 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 top engine. For 2012 power is up 11 percent to a raucous 470 horsepower with a matching 470 pound-feet of torque. A few years ago these power levels were only found in high-end or exotic sports cars. The Charger’s 6.4-liter HEMI surpasses all but the very limited or ultra low-production big V-8 muscle cars from the late 1960s and early ’70s.

When you don’t need scenery-blurring power, a cylinder cutoff feature allows you to cruise on four cylinders for a 25 percent increase in fuel economy. A new standard active valve exhaust system (fuel saver technology) allows the engine to make use of a broader rpm range using half the cylinders. This system also lets exhaust gases bypass the middle and rear mufflers, allowing Charger SRT8 to belt out an authoritative exhaust note at full throttle.

Like its 300 SRT8 cousin, the Charger SRT8 comes with a five-speed automatic auto stick – the only transmission offered. It was smooth but the squeaks I heard from the shifter/console while selecting gears in the 300 also were present in the Charger SRT8. I switched to the column shift paddles for shifting chores while under way.

The Environmental Protection Agency lists Charger SRT8’s fuel economy ratings at 14 mpg city and 23 mpg highway. You might achieve those numbers, but I did not as my right foot was inexplicably glued to the big pedal on the right.

Braking is anchorlike. Dodge indicates a 60-0 mph stopping distance of 120 feet via beefy 14.2-inch (front) and 13.8-inch (rear) vented/slotted rotors with four-piston red Brembo calipers. The ready alert braking system anticipates when you quickly release the accelerator pedal and is ready to initiate an emergency stop. The electronic stability control pump then engages to set the brake pads against the rotors if a full brake application is needed. A new underbody belly pan with integrated brake ducting helps keep things cool.

When you’re not setting new lap times, the Charger SRT8’s ride (standard mode) is family friendly and dampened to provide a comfortable ride, but performance is just a flick away.

In the business center it’s a whole new look with a more aggressive design and reduction of the hard plastic that plagued the previous generation. I like the new instrument panel with its large 8.4-inch color touch-screen display. The new full-color graphic electronic vehicle information center came with performance pages to allow you to play with/monitor 0-60 mph, one-eighth mile and quarter-mile times, 60-0 braking distance, along with lateral and longitudinal G-forces within the touch-screen display.

Overall, I had a great experience with this car and would not mind parking it in the driveway. It provides the right blend of performance with everyday drivability. It also poses a starting price of $45,795.

To that lofty figure my test car included a driver confidence package that added blind spot/cross pass recognition, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control, speed control, sunroof, upgraded tires and the $1,000 gas guzzler tax to reach $50,290. You’re talking Corvette money here, but at least you get seating for five and a trunk with the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8.