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View GarageI am sure some of this is a repost, but thought I would share.
http://www.hotrod.co...ger_first_look/
The Dodge Challenger ranks third in U.S. ponycar sales (behind Camaro and Mustang), yet Tim Kuniskis, president and CEO of Dodge, reports those numbers continue to climb year over year. That’s not a statistic you typically see from a vehicle that’s been on the market for five years—and Dodge is proud of that.
The Dodge team is also quick to point out the Challenger has a higher conquest rate (buyers who come to the brand after owning a competitors’ car), a higher loyalty rate, and younger average buyer than the average Camaro or Mustang customer. These younger customers are reportedly purchasing the Challenger not just for its style and performance (which they are) but because the Challenger is larger, more comfortable, and more of a grand-touring vehicle than the Mustang or Camaro. Of course, there are still HOT ROD readers amongst the buyers—those who want power and performance—so Dodge improved the ’15 Challenger with an optional 392 Hemi Scat Pack package that promises more than 470 hp. This is the first time the 6.4L Hemi has been offered in a non-SRT-branded car.
1971 All Over AgainWhen the Challenger was relaunched for ’09, the car was clearly an homage to the ’70 model. It had the grille, the lights, and obviously the sheetmetal. For ’11, Dodge refreshed the Challenger by changing the lower grille opening, giving it the “frown” seen in the grille of the ’72–’74 Challenger. For ’15, the third-generation Challenger gets its most significant styling refresh, with changes inside and out that reflect the ’71 Challenger.
The shape of the next Challenger’s twin grille inserts are mimicked by the shape of the plastic grille in the 392 Hemi’s Shaker scoop, as well as the texture of the upper and lower grilles. The Shaker decal is also back, in the same location you’d fnd it on a ’70-’71 Challenger: at the back edge of the hood opening. Dodge isn’t calling the Shaker a performance enhancement (the engine calibration on the Shaker-equipped Hemis hasn’t changed), but it sure can’t hurt.Although most of the sheetmetal and chassis stays the same, all Challengers get a new front and rear fascia. The front end still uses the characteristic quad headlights with halos, but they’re new for ’15 with a shorter main grille opening for a wider look. The new grille now has twin elements like the ’71 Challenger, and there’s more depth to the sculpting. The lower grille opening is also larger with a plastic mesh that uses the same texture as the upper grille.
The hood is also new for ’15, with the familiar twin scoops now moved much farther forward. The scoops are functional, adding airflow through the engine bay, but aren’t plumbed into the airbox. If functional hoodscoops are your thing, the Shaker option we saw at the SEMA show in 2013 will be an option on all ’15 Hemi models.
The ’71 Challenger- inspired center console uses real stamped aluminum for the shifter bezel.In the rear, the ’71 styling cues consist of split taillights rather than a full-width panel. Challengers with V6 engines feature a diffuser with built-in chrome exhaust tips, while all V8 models will use a rear diffuser that has separate tips to facilitate Mopar or other aftermarket exhaust. Both diffusers are taller than before, so all of the painted details of the car’s rear are compressed, which does help to remove some of the car’s visual mass. All Challenger models use rear LED lighting exclusively, including the license-plate lamp. There are 168 individual LEDs to give a seamless glow around each of the two taillamps.
Inside the Challenger is where you’ll fnd the most dramatic changes for ’15. There’s a lot more ’71-inspired design going on, from the driver-focused center console to the foating hub gauges. The center stack uses a 5-inch or optional 8.4-inch Uconnect touch screen that includes Performance Pages: the performance app that allows drivers to adjust steering feel, traction control, shift modes, and launch control. In addition to the numerous options for black upholstery textures, door panels and seats can be trimmed in Pearl White or Ruby Red leather or Alcantara.The Charger is also getting a thorough redesign for ’15. It too gets a new instrument panel and center console along with the eight-speed transmission. The exterior of the ’15 Charger receives a near total re-skin. The roof, windshield, and rear doors carry over from the ’14 models, but every other exterior panel is new.
The front doors still have the trademark scoop, this time with a less abrupt leading edge. The front of the hood has been dropped, and all four corners of the car have been trimmed for an overall appearance that’s much slimmer, while the wheelbase and overall length remain unchanged. The fascia and headlights are less angular and show some family resemblance with the Dart, although the Charger’s headlights are much more horizontal. Like the Dart, the Charger is available with a piano black “mask” that ties the lights into the grille. As we went to press, there was no official word on a 392 Hemi (6.4L) making its way into the four-door Dodge.
Scat Pack is BackThe Scat Packs that Mopar teased at the SEMA show will be available beginning in the spring of 2014 and can be added to ’14 Dodge Challenger and Charger equipped with the 5.7L Hemi. The parts are 50-state emissions legal, they’ll add noticeable levels of power, and they don’t void the factory warranty.
Scat Pack 1: For the ’14 Dodge Challenger and Charger, it adds up to 18 hp and 18 lb-ft of torque by adding a Mopar cold-air intake and cat-back exhaust along with a new performance calibration. MSRP
is $2,195.
Scat Pack 2: Builds on the parts from Scat Pack 1 and includes a new Mopar camshaft, pushrods, and engine tune. MSRP is $1,895, in addition to the Scat Pack 1.
Scat Pack 3: Adds Mopar high-flow cats, headers, and a CNC-ported cylinder head package, adding up to 58 hp and 47 lb-ft of torque over the base 5.7L. MSRP is $4,995 on top of the Scat Pack 1 and 2.
Smart money says the next SRT powerplant is a supercharged Hemi V8 codenamed “Hellcat” that’s more powerful than the Viper’s V10. As SRT CEO Ralph Gilles told HOTROD in an interview late last year, “We have a situation where, you know—we may have a situation—where the flagship car [Viper] is not the most powerful car in our arsenal.” With The Viper currently at 640 hp and the Shelby GT500’s supercharged 5.8L at 662 hp, we’re betting the new engine will aim to upset Mustang and be the most powerful production V8 with nearly 700 hp.
Return of The TorqueFliteThe TorqueFlite name was first used on the pushbutton-actuated, three-speed, cast-iron automatic transmissions used in ’57 Chrysler products. Aluminum TorqueFlite cases debuted for ’60, the heavy-duty 727 version came out for ’63, and by ’64 a shift lever was offered to replace the pushbuttons.
The TorqueFlite name was dropped altogether from Chrysler automatics in the ’90s but returned for ’13 with the introduction of a ZF Friedrichshafen AG–designed 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission (built under license by Chrysler in its Kokomo, Indiana, transmission plant) used in the Ram 1500 pickup. For ’15, the TorqueFlight name returns with the 8HPs used in the Challenger and Charger.
Torqueflite Specs:
- Gear ratios: First: 4.71; Second: 3.14; Third: 2.10; Fourth: 1.67; Fifth: 1.29; Sixth: 1.00; Seventh: 0.84; Eight: 0.67; Reverse: 2.65
- 200-millisecond upshifts, 100-millisecond downshifts
- Four gearsets, which require only five shift elements
- Chaindriven vane pump
- Torque capacity: Up to 738 lb-ft
- Weight: 192–209 pounds (depending on torque capacity)
- First debuted in ’08 BMW 760 V12 car
All Challengers now have electric power steering with adjustable steering feel.
The eight-speed TorqueFlite transmission is available behind every engine. Dodge claims the addition of the trans helped the 3.6L Challenger shave half a second off its 0–60 time.
The Super Track Pak can be had with any trim level. It incudes a performance suspension that reduces the car’s ride height by half an inch, Bilstein shocks, Goodyear Eagle F-1 tires, and performance brakes.
Aluminum rearend with 9-inch ring gear.
ZF Friedrichshafen: The German Gear FactoryWhen ZF was originally founded in 1915, it was dubbed Zahnradfabrik, the German word for gear factory. The company was born out of a need for precision transmission parts for German airships.
Read more: http://www.hotrod.co.../#ixzz35Krqg6iI
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