The Dodge Challenger has come into the world in three completely different generations. The first generation Challenger was a pony car produced from 1970-1974 and the second generation ranged from 1978-1983 and was a badge engineered Mitsubishi Galant Lambda. The third, current generation came about in 2008 and was produced to compete against the Mustang and the Camaro, two muscle cars that had outlived the pony car era.
The current generation Challenger is built on the Charger/Chrysler 300C platform and features rear-wheel drive and an independent rear suspension. It is powered by a choice of three engines: a 3.5L V6 that produces 250HP and 250 lb-ft of torque, a 5.7L V8 delivering 372HP and 400 lb-ft of torque, and the top-of-the-line 6.1L V8 producing 425HP and 420 lb-ft of torque. These engines are mated to either a 6-speed manual pr 5-speed automatic transmission.
With the Los Angeles Auto Show about a week away, it’s time to see what else will be in store for the crowds when the doors open. As is customary with these type of announcements, Chrysler is among the first to reveal their auto show lineup. One of their more impressive LA show models will be this special Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket, with an impressive Stinger Yellow exterior paint and added interior elements. The Yellow Jacket will be produced in a limited run - although no specific number was given - and will be arriving in U.S. dealer showrooms in the first quarter of 2012.
Based off the 2012 Challenger SRT8 392, the special edition Yellow Jacket pays tribute to the original Dodge "Yellow Jacket" unveiled in late 1969. The car will feature a very cool Stinger Yellow body color combined with a black grille surround and standard black body-side stripes. It will also come with a special set of 20 x 9-inch, five-spoke cast-aluminum wheels with black painted pockets.
Chrysler made sure that the interior also paid homage to the 1969 Yellow Jacket with leather seats carrying exclusive Stinger Yellow accents, embroidered Yellow Jacket logos, and silver stitching.
Under the hood, the Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket still has the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine found in the standard model, which delivers 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. The performance numbers for the Yellow Jacket are still top notch with a 0-60 mph time in the high 4-second range, a quarter mile time in the mid-12-second range with the automatic transmission (high 12-second range with the manual), and a 0-100-0 mph time in the low 15s. Top speed goes up to 182 mph with the manual transmission and 175 mph with the automatic.
"The Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket adds another piece of performance car nostalgia to our rear-drive muscle coupe lineup in 2012," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – SRT Brand and Motorsports. "The Stinger Yellow paint and interior accents speak directly to the performance enthusiast who appreciates a memorable and collectible color that helps deliver even more excitement and exclusivity."
UPDATE 11/14/2011: Dodge has unveiled new images of the special edition 2012 Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket set to be revealed in two days at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Enjoy!
Not one to be left out of the 2011 SEMA Auto Show extravaganza, Chrysler, together with its resident tuning house, Mopar Underground came with a bevy of vehicles to Las Vegas.
One of their offerings is the Dodge Challenger SRT8 ACR, a track focused, yet street-legal machine that drew its inspiration from both the Challenger SRT8 392 and the Viper SRT10 ACR. Coming with plenty of aesthetic and performance upgrades, the SRT8 ACR was no doubt one of the cars to steal the show in SEMA.
On the outside, the SR8 ACR was given a white body that comes with a charcoal painted roof and a flame red stripe running the length of the car, a design that pays homage to its departed Viper SR10 ACR counterpart. The paint finish is then complimented by a carbon fiber hood, a rear deck lid, a rear spoiler and tail lamp surrounds, red painted mirror caps, a red "ACR" fender badge, and a set of 20" black five-spoke alloy wheels with matching brake calipers.
Inside, Mopar continued the modifications on the Dodge muscle car by taking out the rear seat bench and replacing it with a roll bar and a fire extinguisher. To make the car lighter, Mopar added carbon fiber door panels to go with a new pair of bucket sport seats with openings for a racing harness, an SRT three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel, an SRT gauge cluster, a custom bright pedal kit, Mopar Drag Pack center stack, and a carbon fiber center console finish.
On top of all of that, Mopar also gave the SRT8 ACR some performance enhancements in the form of a new coil-over suspension, front-and rear-strut tower braces, short-throw shifter, front splitter, cat-back exhaust, and custom exhaust headers.
UPDATE 11/07/2011: We have added live images from the SEMA Show. Find them all in the picture gallery!
SEMA is different from just about every other major auto show on the planet. Its purpose is to shift focus from the automakers to the aftermarket companies that have become popular because of their custom works on some of the world’s most popular vehicles. Sure, some brands will be at the 2011 SEMA Auto Show showing off their works too, but for the most part, they share equal billing with the tuning companies.
Many vehicles had their time to shine in the SEMA spotlight, but none more so than the plethora of Camaros and Mustangs - and even the Mopar-tuned Challenger. Every year, there’s a number of muscle cars that are given the royal treatment in terms of tuning, and this year has been no different. Maybe it’s the Americans’ obsession with good ol’ fashioned muscle, or maybe it’s the fact that all of the major muscle car makers are US born and bred. Either way, it was muscle car mania in Vegas, and we were there to take them all in.
Check out our list of SEMA muscle cars after the jump!
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After months of teasing, Chip Foose and WD-40 have finally unveiled their 2011 SEMA Cares charity car. After the Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang each had their turns in 2009 and 2010, the 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 gets its turn.
The vehicle, which was designed by legendary hot rod designer and TV star Chip Foose, comes with a distinctive look that pays tribute to the style of both Foose and WD-40. It comes with a custom two-tone, yellow-and-black BASF paint mixed by Chip Foose himself. It also has a Street Scene/Foose Design body kit, a Hotchkis suspension system, a Magnaflow exhaust, a new set of one-off MHT/Foose wheels, high-performance Brembo brakes, and WD-40-branded Katkzin upholstery, among other upgrades.
Under the hood of the Challenger is a 392-cubic-inch Hemi V8 engine that produces 470 horsepower and mated to a Tremec six-speed manual transmission.
“The WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Challenger pays tribute to the technicians, aftermarket professionals and auto enthusiasts like Chip Foose who have trusted WD-40 Multi-Use Product to get the job done in their shops and garages,“ said Tim Lesmeister, vice president of marketing at WD-40 Company.
After it wows the crowd at the 2011 SEMA Auto Show, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Challenger will be auctioned off at the Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction from January 15-22, 2012 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Proceeds of the sale will go to Childhelp, an organization that provides services to abused and neglected children, and The Victory Junction Gang Camp, which provides life-changing camping experiences to special needs and chronically ill children.
"You’ve seen the Camaro and the Mustang with those beautiful WD-40 brand colors, and this year we’re going to build something that will turn even more heads," Foose said. "I can’t wait to build it, drive it and then auction it off for a great cause at Barrett-Jackson."
Do you want to win a Penske Racing-inspired 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392? If you think that lady luck is on your side, then don’t hesitate in joining Pennzoil’s "Join the Pursuit" sweepstakes for the chance to win a special edition Challenger.
The car is a complete one-off that was custom-built by Chrysler’s own Street and Racing Technology Group. It comes with the standard 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 engine that delivers 470 horsepower and 470 lb/ft of torque, but we’ll let the standard horsepower fly since it comes with its own unique dual-finish black paint scheme, a new custom cat-back exhaust system, a new set of 20" alloy wheels, leather seats with accent stitching, and a plethora of Pennzoil and Penske Racing badges.
To enter the sweepstakes, you have to head to your nearest Pennzoil oil change location or Pennzoil.com to get a ticket or a code. Enter that code online and you’re in. Of course, you can get a second ticket if you get a Pennzoil synthetic oil change.
Entries will be accepted until 11:59 CT on October 31, 2011. So if you’re feeling the itch to play and confident that good fortune will come your way, head over to Pennzoil’s website and enter the contest for the chance to win this one-off Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 "Penske Racing Edition."
