Dodge Challenger Sizzle Fizzles. Discounts Deepen.
Well that didn’t take long. From stupid-ass dealer mark-ups to employee pricing discounts and/or zero percent financing in just over a year. Those fire-sale prices include the Dodge Challenger SRT8, despite the website’s fine print. In fact, the word on the street says you can get $4k off said top-of-the-line pavement smoker without much haggling. More if you’ve got a hard nose and cold cash (preferably financing, but beggars can be choosers these days). If you were waiting for the Challenger SRT8 to get some much-needed handling updates (e.g., a real limited slip diff), let it go. Saying that, who gives a NSFW about corners? I want me one of them 1000 NHRA Drag Race package Challengers, with added lightness, a shortened wheelbase and, uh, stuff. The livery’s not the worst I’ve ever seen. Okay, it is. But. I mean. Well. Anyway, it’s time for those TIWWRS (this is what we’ll really sell) six-cylinder Challengers to see if they can play Hertz. Only, the Challenger makes a lousy rental car with its challenged packaging and not-so-hot fuel economy. Oh, and the reason I’m blogging this now? A friend tried to sell me an immaculate a 10k mile Challenger SRT8 for $25 grand. Ouch. Quick aside. Is it me, or do all these guy vs. guy, middle-of-the-night drag race ads have a homosexual subtext?
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To those of you who think that GM, Ford, and Chrysler should go back to the glory days. Times are different. The world is a different place. Fuel is more expensive, the global automobile markets are far more dynamic and competitive. The domestic companies have had...errrr...how long to play catch up? Since the late 1970's? Jeez. I would love to see my old El Camino resurrected, but it ain't happening and I am not longing for those days. Today is a different time and I would think the domestic car companies would have caught onto to this fact in the last 25 years...
In a related topic, I have a family member who is an original owner of a completely original '69 HEMI Charger Daytona (with the nose and wing). Back in the day, dealers also had a hard time selling them and some resorted to removing the nose and the wing. I'm not saying the Challenger is the same, but with the future mpg standards and environmentalists running things, we may never see a car like the current Challenger again. May not be a bad time to pick up an SRT and baby it for 20 years. Personally, I'm already thinking that I'll regret the fact that I didn't buy one.
If they put the needle nose and the wing on the SRT, heck, I might be interested- even with 4 doors! THAT was a great American car - along with the Mustang 3/4 Fastback and the suicide door Conti.