Re: Tom's Turbo Garage: Challenger Hellcat
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:43 am
Slightly different perspective here. Challenger SXT (V6): http://autoweek.com/article/car-reviews ... dailydrive
See, this is not a good car. This is in the same class as 3rd and 4th gen V6 F-bodies, in the context of their respective generations. The 6th gen Camaro V6, by contrast, is a very good car. And by "good car" I mean for things that aren't just the silhouette/profile/shape. The Challenger is a one trick pony. Yes, it is comfortable and has lots of gizmos. But you know what? That's not special. Everything is comfortable, refined and has lots of gizmos available. By the way, the Hellcat is refined and is not an NVH factory, smelling of raw gas. If you value those things, go buy a bone stock 68 Camaro.
Anyway, the Camaro V6 is something you actually want to DRIVE, not just be seen in and (hopefully) be mistaken for "the good one." Think about it. Without the SRT or Hellcat, a V6-only Challenger would be EXACTLY like the Prowler. All bark and no bite. Instead of saying "that thing is awesome" when people see one, they would say "that car was a huge disappointment." Again, performance impacts our perception of design.
I may like bigger, heavier cars than the next guy, but that doesn't mean I don't value the driving experience. I will remind you that I drove a brand new 2007 300C in 2007 and aside from the engine, I did not like the car, which honestly surprised me at the time. I was happy to get back into my Caprice, even though it was considerably slower.
Chrysler tends not to make things that are truly good driving cars, except for the Viper. As to why that is, I'll leave that for you to figure out.
See, this is not a good car. This is in the same class as 3rd and 4th gen V6 F-bodies, in the context of their respective generations. The 6th gen Camaro V6, by contrast, is a very good car. And by "good car" I mean for things that aren't just the silhouette/profile/shape. The Challenger is a one trick pony. Yes, it is comfortable and has lots of gizmos. But you know what? That's not special. Everything is comfortable, refined and has lots of gizmos available. By the way, the Hellcat is refined and is not an NVH factory, smelling of raw gas. If you value those things, go buy a bone stock 68 Camaro.
Anyway, the Camaro V6 is something you actually want to DRIVE, not just be seen in and (hopefully) be mistaken for "the good one." Think about it. Without the SRT or Hellcat, a V6-only Challenger would be EXACTLY like the Prowler. All bark and no bite. Instead of saying "that thing is awesome" when people see one, they would say "that car was a huge disappointment." Again, performance impacts our perception of design.
I may like bigger, heavier cars than the next guy, but that doesn't mean I don't value the driving experience. I will remind you that I drove a brand new 2007 300C in 2007 and aside from the engine, I did not like the car, which honestly surprised me at the time. I was happy to get back into my Caprice, even though it was considerably slower.
Chrysler tends not to make things that are truly good driving cars, except for the Viper. As to why that is, I'll leave that for you to figure out.