Challenger R/T on Bainbridge Island

For Veterans Day I took the Challenger out for for a little family jaunt around Bainbridge Island. Man, the ferry ain’t cheap—$18 to get there and $11 to get back. And I think Bainbridge Island drivers are even slower than Seattle drivers.

First of all, you can’t go anywhere in the Challenger without being mobbed. In the ferry line. On the ferry. Off the ferry. Mopar guys. Regular guys. People who think it’s the new Camaro. People who don’t know what it is but like it anyway. Basically, everyone wants to stop and talk about this car. Continue reading...

But the fanfare will wear off in a few months, and I’m sure you’re more interested in what it’s like to drive this beast. I’m a Mopar guy through and through, but honestly, the Bullitt we had last month set the bar pretty high. At first, I was a bit disappointed by the Challenger’s weight. Not that I didn’t expect it—I’ve driven the new Charger, and this is basically a two door Charger with a 6 speed. But I’m really loving this R/T. It is truly a great car. And I think we’re even talking daily driver material here.

The clutch is almost Honda light. And the car has hill assist, which makes starting on steep hills a breeze. I’m not sure I like the whole 6 speed thing, though. I preferred the gear spacing on the 5 speed Bullitt. And the steering doesn’t feel quite as connected as the Mustang’s. But then there’s the Hemi, which is monster. The roads were wet the whole day, and the car can be downright unruly if you’re not conservative with the throttle. Later, with no kid in the car, I stomped on it a bit, and it takes no effort to get it sideways. You can see the little traction control light flicking like mad at WOT. Oh, and did I mention the exhaust note? It’s pitch perfect.

The car is very comfy. The gauges and whatnot are more upscale than the Mustang, but lack character. Honestly, it’s kind of generic. Visibility is decent. Front seats are good but not great—they seem a bit narrow, and I’m a skinny guy. The back seat is roomy, but it’s a real pain in the ass to get back there—almost worse than with the Mustang. My daughter was pretty happy in back in her car seat, though. And the trunk is quite massive—much bigger than the Mustang’s.

So would I take this over the Bullitt? If you’ve got a family and it’s gonna be your only car, I’d go with Challenger—it’s roomier, and the lighter clutch makes it easier to drive in traffic. And believe it or not, the gas mileage is better with the big Mopar. If you’re single and want something to take to the track, I’d go Mustang, even with the live rear axle. It’s just a smaller, better handling car. And of course it’s cheaper and there are more aftermarket goodies. I think the best combo would be a Charger for family hauling duties and a Mustang for the track.

And that’s the funny thing—driving this car made me even more interested in a Charger, which, sadly, is not available with a 6 speed. I still think Chrysler should have offered a two door Charger three years ago. The timing would have been much better, and they wouldn’t have pissed everyone off. And imagine if they had offered a real Superbee package—like a stripped-down cop car.

Ultimately, I’m a Mopar guy, but I’ve never really been an E-body guy. Give me a Road Runner or a Dart. To me the Challenger and ‘Cuda never knew whether they were muscle cars or a pony cars. Do they provide the best of both worlds, or the worst of both worlds? That’s up for you to decide.

Stay tuned for Jen and John’s take on this awesome Mopar.