Dodge Charger

by Pankaj Dev

Fast forward to present times and the Charger name has resurfaced in a form that is not only far spirited from its original but has also sprouted two additional doors. Yes, the new Dodge Charger R/T (for Road/Track) is now a 4-door sedan with a chopped top look reminiscent of a 1950s California custom car. The underlining fact is that the Charger is the cat amongst pigeons today.

The new Charger is 'Big'- nearly 200 inches long. This puts it in the league of BMW 7-Series or a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. That it looks totally at odds with the two is what really marks this American muscle car apart. It does not pretend to be a luxury sedan although there are many bells and whistles to suggest otherwise. I would prefer calling it a sporty sedan which is not out of place on fast sweeping bends or as a carriage for fashionable dos. Luxury has different connotations for different people and it is the same in the Charger. It just depends on how one looks at it.

Thanks to its sheer big size, there is enough place inside for five; bucket seats in front and a long bench at the rear, all swathed in premium leather (in our test car). Before pessimists start on as to why not a split rear seat, let us tell you that the boot is really capacious. The interior is clean and elemental with a massive dashboard that justifies the hugeness of the car. Our test car came with the optional rear-seat DVD player that pops up behind the centre console. Nice.

DaimlerChrysler has engineered a renaissance of sorts with its Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep divisions and at the heart of this resurgence lays yet another iconic name - HEMI. The HEMI is the unseen wonder of the Charger R/T. Boasting a swept volume of 5.7-litres, this electronically fuel-injected OHV V8 belts out 340 bhp and 528Nm of torque propelling this two-ton behemoth from 0-100 kph in just 5.9 secs. (A smaller 250 bhp, 3.5-litre V6 is also available for those who do not have the need for speed.) It is based on a rear-wheel drive architecture shared with other products in DaimlerChrysler's portfolio, and sports independent suspension, huge disc brakes all around and massive 18' aluminium alloys.

When the colossal 5.7-litre is not being flogged, it presents 20 per cent better fuel economy, thanks to Chrysler's Multi-Displacement System (MDS) which deactivates four cylinders when full grunt is not the need of the hour. The 5-speed automatic with an 'overdrive' top gear further adds in the fuel economy stakes.

For such a big car - it's around 4150 lb. - the handling and ride is pretty good. It is firm, yet not jarring and quite controlled. It starts fading a bit when hard on the throttle and through some interesting twisties that the car starts feeling its bulk. And as any motoring geek would tell you, weight is the enemy of handling and performance with the Charger exhibiting understeer at higher speeds through turns.

Finally, it all sums up to one question, why buy a Charger? Well, it's different! And definitely daring! If you want a car with an attitude - charge forward!