In the Challenger vs Bullitt test, the Challenger was a bit faster (in spite of the Bullitt having a manual (5 SPEED) to the Challenger's auto(5 SPED)) (and a 110 Horsepower advantage over the mustang), and the test mileage was 19 for the Challenger versus 21 MPG for the Mustang.

 

To bad the Mustang was shod with all-season tires as well, it would have faired better in comparitive(damn is that even a word - screw it, its one now!) handling tests.

Come on 5.0!

 

Isn't the SRT8 quite a bit more $ then the Bullitt?

 

yeah, about $18k more, not including the dealer markup on the challenger.

 

Yes. Base prices below. About a $9k (30%) difference which is pretty significant. The SRT8 is much closer to the GT500 in terms of pricing.
SRT8: $40k
Bullitt: $31k

I love the looks of the charger, but the SRT8 is a bit too rich for my wallet & the weight figures are unacceptable for a coupe large or small. The performance is great though considering it's a pig in the size and weight department. Hopefully the 5.7L R/T version comes in under $30k and offers a 6spd manual, but they need to find a way to at least shed a few hundred lbs.

Seems like Ford is the only one that can build an under 3,500lb v8 pony car. Now if they can just get around to building a 400+hp v8 engine that didn't weigh 600+lbs. I believe the GT500's iron-blocked 5.4 is nearing in on 700lbs which is not a good thing since all of that is over the front wheels.

Challengers muscular good looks + mustangs lightweight platform and size + camaro's lightweight and efficient powertrain = damn near perfect sports coupe/pony car.

 

So why didn't magazines compare the Bullitt to the R/T considering that would be a more realistic comparison?

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R/T has the 375 horse version of the 5.7 Hemi.. and a 6 speed manual with a modern pistol grip shifter.

Indications are it will come in under the Charger R/T in price. My guess is about 30 grand.

The R/T Challenger is 150 pounds lighter than the SRT. Chrysler's Hemi engine is built as if it wanted to be bombproof. It uses an iron block, it's essentially overengineered, weighs about 590 pounds (an LS1 weighs about 460#). The LX cars are also seemingly engineered for truck duty. The Mercedes-Benz W210 E-Class the suspension came from weighed 3700 pounds itself... starting. Also, over engineered in typical Mercedes fashion.

Biggest item is the size. Any V8 powered, RWD, IRS car that size is going to weight close to 4000 pounds.

The 3500 pound V8 pony car has a live rear axle.

The iron block GT500 also has at least 200 pounds worth of supercharger & intercooler and heavier duty (and heavier) connecting rods and engine internals. The 6 speed tranny also weighs more than the 5 speed in the Mustang GT then add heavy duty internals and that adds a few more pounds. The Brembo brakes also add up significant weight over the standard stoppers. Larger cooling systems (more hp=more heat) add weight.

 

Challenger R/T is only now going into production and wasn't available. Expect it to be in a test that involves the Camaro and the 2010 Mustang GT about this time next year.

Motor Trend has a more equal SRT vs GT500 test.

The Challenger won.

Challenger had the better chassis, more balenced handling, was $4000 cheaper, and was more comfortable to drive. Although it was half second slower in the quarter, it also stopped quicker, did their course at a higher speed, and was far easier to launch and more consistent.

 

Impressive for a car of this size and weight. Maybe the 4,000LB mark isn't the horrible thing we think it will be?

 

I had a Charger RT with the perfromance package. Fantastic car that did not feel anything like 4000lbs.

 

Right.

The original Miata weighed 2000 pounds, and the current one is 2400, in spite of lots of work to keep it light. And yet you don't read Miata tests with constant whining about how the car was ruined with a 20% weight gain.

Between 3500 and 4000 pounds, the gain is less than 15%.

 

Most retarded comparison I've ever seen pulled from Car & Driver.



Even if you could prevent the automatic from downshifting that's still a retarded comparison. It would mean an LS1 Camaro with a TH400 would slaughter a T56.

 

They've been doing that test for years.... probally at least 20 years!

Don't read that magazine much, do we?

 

4,000lbs is 4,000lbs & the miata even with its 20% weight gain is still relatively lightweight @ 2,400lbs (400+lbs lighter than its closest competitors the sky/solstice). So while the miata gains a larger percentage, it's still at a very respectable figure. It went from being an extremely lightweight car to a moderately lightweight car. Imo, the jump from 3,500lbs to 4,000lbs is more drastic because you go from borderline heavy to over the top.

The SRT8 still puts up impressive numbers but you have to wonder what kind of numbers it'd put up if it were 200-500lbs lighter. In that test vs the Bullitt, it was only 3tenths quicker through the 1/4 mile despite having a 110hp/95lb-ft tq advantage.

I'm also somewhat unimpressed with the new 500hp GT500's performance #'s compared to the less powerful but 255lbs lighter 03/04 Cobra.

 

Guy's right. And yes, T56 cars always get murdered in that comparison, even compared to many other sticks. For example go look at a porsche vs. corvette comparison.