2009 Dodge Challenger

Our Full Review

By  Paul Eisenstein, Executive Editor

Muscle for the masses. That’s what Chrysler hopes to deliver with two new versions of the 2009 Dodge Challenger coupe. The pony car made a tire-squealing debut, barely a month ago, at the Chicago Auto Show , in the form of the top-line Dodge Challenger SRT8. With its 6.1-liter, 425-horsepower Hemi V-8, the $37,995 SRT8 is definitely not for everyone, not at a time of $110-a-barrel oil and a weak economy. But with the SE and R/T editions, Chrysler puts the reborn muscle car much closer to the reach of a sizable portion of the market. The SE is the base model, with prices starting in the low-$20,000 range. For the money, one gets the same basic body – including hood scoops – as the SRT edition, but with a 3.5-liter V-6 under the hood. The downsized powertrain still makes a solid 250 horsepower and 250 foot-pounds of torque, enough to challenge a V-6 Mustang – which puts out significantly less pony power. Better yet, the Dodge offering delivers a healthy 25 mpg ... Read full review

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