2006 Dodge Charger SRT-8 First Drive

Written By: MyRide.com
Reprinted under license.

A muscle car for grown-ups

Introduction

Dodge Charger SRT-8 - 2006 First Drive: Through the late '60s and early '70s, the words "Dodge" and "Charger" became synonymous with a blend of don't-mess-with-me swagger and blow-the-doors-off-the-competition performance. Fast forward a few decades, and the 2006 Dodge Charger includes two more doors and a surprisingly roomy interior, leading purists to decry the loss of the coupe body style and assume that today's Charger has matured right along with all the teenage boys who lusted after the original.

Just because the Charger is all grown up, don't infer that unmitigated muscle has been traded for daily-driving practicality. The standard V6 is a strong motor, and the Charger R/T includes a 340-horsepower Hemi V8 engine that successfully delivers on the muscle-car promise. But Dodge hasn't stopped there. The mad scientists at DaimlerChrysler's Street and Racing Technology division (SRT) have cooked up another version of the Charger, one for consumers who think there's never enough power under the hood. Their latest creation is the 2006 Dodge Charger SRT-8.

With 425-horsepower on tap, Charger SRT-8 isn't for everyone - it's simply way too much car for the masses. But if you think you can handle it and you're in the market for a car that's equally adept at hauling both passengers and, ahem,booty, you'll find this to be a package that's hard to beat.

Model Mix

In its sporty-looking but mild-mannered versions - namely the SE and SXT with the standard V6 - the Dodge Charger is a likeable car with decent power, above-average ride and handling, and one of the most spacious back seats in the business. Step up to the Hemi-powered R/T and Daytona R/T models and you have a car with all the chutzpah any ordinary driver could ever want or need.

With this new version, however, the full SRT treatment takes the Charger into a whole new category, making it a true high-performance automobile capable of turning in acceleration and braking numbers on par with some pretty pricey European nameplates. Which, when combined with a relatively modest $36,000 price tag, makes it look like a deal. Just remember to add the $2,100 gas guzzler tax, because 6.1-liters of displacement is simply not going to use fuel efficiently.

The 2006 Dodge Charger SRT-8's upgrades are mainly under the sheetmetal. Outside, there's a giant hood scoop and huge 20-inch wheels to announce the Charger SRT-8's additional firepower. Inside, special seats and trim accompany a fully-decked out cabin. Even when optioned up with side airbags, automatic climate control, a power sunroof, navigation radio, Sirius satellite radio, Bluetooth wireless communications hardware, and SRT Kicker speakers, the Charger SRT-8 comes in around $45,000 - including the gas guzzler tax. Compared to, say, a Cadillac CTS V-Series, that's a screaming bargain.

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