There is just something about Pony cars that is so…American. Camaro, Challenger, Mustang. Iconic symbols of Detroit musclecar greatness, both then and now. We love to look at them and we all want to drive them. As the horsepower wars continue to wage, Dodge looks once again to its heritage for inspiration on the 2015 Challenger.
Drawing styling cues from its classic 1971 Challenger, Dodge gave the new sport coupe refreshed front and rear styling, while also upgrading powertrain options and suspension, and delivering an updated interior complete with the latest technology. Our recent tester came in the form of the R/T Scat Pack that is basically a more affordable SRT.
Under the hood is the big, beefy, 6.4-liter V-8 HEMI with power now up to 485hp and 475 lb. ft. of torque. This is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox or the new TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission. Ours was the manual and we had no problem whatsoever rowing our own gears, thank you very much. For bragging rights you get to pay Uncle Sam a gas guzzler tax on this sweet ride to the tune of $1,000.
This new car features Brembo high-performance brakes all around and rides on a new Bilstein high performance suspension and this car rides on stylish 20-inch polished aluminum wheels with all season performance tires. If standard driving mode is too tame for you there is a Sport mode available along with Super Track Pak and Launch Control, the latter of which should never, EVER be used on the street (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).
Inside one can find all of the modern conveniences and amenities necessary to tolerate Point A to Point B driving such as 8.4-inch touchscreen media center with Uconnect infotainment system, 7-inch customizable center cluster display, suede/nappa leather performance bucket front seats with heat and ventilation, heated leather steering wheel, blind spot and rear cross path detection, and ParkSense rear park assist and back up camera.
Driving this car is truly what the 2015 Challenger R/T Scat Pack is all about. Just tease the accelerator pedal a bit and you will experience the new active electronically controlled exhaust system that roars to life somewhere north of 3,000 rpm. This big HEMI mated to the six-speed manual gearbox can get you into trouble in a hurry if caution is not exercised, so before dumping the clutch to “see what this baby will do” you may want to have your friends scout the area first to make sure there are no law enforcement official within eye-or-earshot.
The most common question I received during my week behind the wheel was “Is that the new Hellcat?” No, it is not. But it is also not more than 70 grand and it is available at your local dealership today and without a “premium” or waiting list involved. And unless you have unlimited access to a dragstrip you will not miss the pricey, unavailable version one iota should you opt for the Challenger Scat Pack. Plus, you still get to brag to your friends you had to pay a gas guzzler tax.
Pricing for the 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack begins at #37,495 with our tester arriving with a window sticker of $41,785. Fuel economy is rated at 14 mpg city and 23 mpg highway. How did ours compare? Fughetaboutit!
With its classic styling, modern amenities, and a hell on wheels attitude, what more could you want in your neo-retro muscle-car from Detroit than what this 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack delivers.