Up front, the blacked-out cross hair grille is all Dodge, and with the SRT plaque fitted to the Dodge Charger, it's evident that is is more than an average sedan. From nose to tail, the SRT8 runs 200.3 inches, and if you pace off that distance, you'll arrive around back to find more classic Charger DNA. With our rear gripping the seats, our hands are free wrap around the large, meaty steering wheel, which features a design unique to the SRT family of vehicles.
It's the cleanest sounding stock audio system we've heard in some time, and it's just one item that SRT8 owners can boast over standard Dodge Charger owners.
Dodge has fitted the updated sedan with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8, which produces 470 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 470 pound-feet of torque at 4,300 rpm. That miserly tech pairs perfectly with the all-new active valve exhaust system to help allow the Dodge Charger SRT8 run on four cylinders over a greater range of engine speeds. We know that Chrysler is hard at work on its next generation of transmissions. Will it wind up in the SRT8 king of the hill? In sport mode, the Dodge Charger SRT8 also firms up the suspension damping.
The 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 is equally happy to blast down canyon roads as it is to chuck its oversize body into Willow's high-speed bends. Click on the touchscreen and head over to the SRT Performance Pages. Besides displaying a variety of digital gauges and fore, aft and lateral handling figures, the system also displays a time slip for 0-60 runs, along with eight-mile, quarter-mile and 60-0 mph braking distance. The SRT8's invisible musculature and bone work keeps it stable and safe, which also helps keep us flat (and mentally calm) pushing through both slow speed switchbacks and the high-speed bends. Composure at that far end of the speedo is a result of the well thought-out aerodynamic enhancements, SRT-tuned independent front and rear suspension with active damping and rolling stock comprised of 20x9-inch forged aluminum wheels.
Slotted behind the aluminum wheels is a set of Brembo brakes, with four piston calipers squeezing 14.2-inch slotted and vented front rotors in front and joining forces with 13.8-inch, four-piston rears to haul in the any unwanted speed.
The combination of the chassis, suspension, engine, tires and braking systems are a perfect fit for the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8. That mid-$40,000 price point plants the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 in a rather unique section of the market. Powerful super sedans typically command serious coin. In truth, it seems the closest competitor to the Dodge Charger lies right in the same SRT family. The 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 starts at $47,995, has the same power output and infotainment setup, yet wears a slightly softer suit. The 300 SRT8 is the slightly introverted yin to the Charger SRT8 and its extroverted yang. In this particular instance, you can't make a wrong choice, and the Charger SRT8 is proof that Chrysler can create a modern muscle sedan properly.
Starting with the base models, the cars themselves have been improved, which makes the SRT transformation an easier feat. The brand is stable with Gilles at the helm, and the president and CEO "vows to protect SRT."
When Dodge redesigned the Dodge Charger for 2011, we knew that an SRT8 version would follow shortly. Thank a high-gloss black grille and grille surround for that, along with Hemi/SRT fender badges, the Dodge crosshair grille, and a scooped hood with a heat extractor. Interior changes consist of aluminum fiber accents, a flat-bottomed heated steering wheel with paddle shifters, SRT's Performance Pages (basically, an on-board readout that allows drivers to measure 0-60 times, g-force loads, and other data), heated and cooled bolstered seats with Nappa leather and suede, heated rear seats, and unique bolster material that matches the seats to the door trim. An adaptive-damping suspension system keeps the Charger planted at speed, especially in "Sport" mode. The Charger SRT8 rolls on 20-inch wheels, and Dodge has it pegged for a .88G skidpad result.
Braking comes from 14.2-inch vented rotors in front and 13.8-inch vented rotors in back. A Ready Alert Braking System prepares the brakes for a panic stop when the driver quickly releases the gas pedal.
The previous Dodge Charger SRT8 was fast, stable, and with the exception of a boy-racer hood scoop and spoiler, a bit of a sleeper. Muscle cars that can stop and turn?
Ralph Gilles, SRT brand president and CEO, calls the Dodge Charger SRT8 the extrovert of the 2012 SRT8 class--and with good reason. The aggressive SRT exterior treatment includes a gloss black grille, sculpted hood with black air exhauster, rear spoiler and dual four-inch exhaust tips make the car look menacing.
A new 6.4-liter Hemi V8 powers the menacing sedan, replacing the previous 6.1-liter Hemi V8. On the suspension front, 2012 marks the additional of a new adaptive damping suspension offering two modes: auto and sport. Auto monitors speed, steering angle, brake torque, throttle and acceleration and adjusts damping accordingly, while sport locks in a stiffer, track-ready setup.
Touches in the cabin included the leather-wrapped, flat-bottom SRT steering wheel with paddle shifters, aluminum interior trim and heavily bolstered SRT front bucket seats. While the Charger SRT8's suspension tuning isn't as aggressive as the Challenger's, it still helped the Dodge Charger blaze around California's Willow Springs Raceway with little trouble. On the road, the Charger SRT8 is quiet and rolls down the ride comfortably.
