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DEPARTMENTS
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2006 Dodge Charger – Performance! Performance! Performance!
by Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist
AboutThatCar.com
DURHAM, N.C. – The 2006 Dodge Charger takes some getting used to because it is not your average sedan. Nor is it your average coupe. It’s a full-size hybrid of the two, thus, it looks like nothing else on the road.
That’s the good news. It can also be the bad news, if consumers don’t warm to it. But Dodge told us that dealers have already ordered 21,000 Chargers and another 100,000 consumers have expressed interest in the car. That’s a better rate than Chrysler’s now fabled 300 had at a similar stage of production.
The new Charger, after a 27-year absence from the market, has a two-door silhouette but it is a four-door sedan. The car has a swept forward look as though it is cutting into the wind and this innovative design will determine whether it’s an overwhelming hit or an underachieving dud.
Response to the Charger here would suggest that Dodge has a winner on its hands.
This is an awfully important car for Dodge. Not that it left but the Charger marks the brands reassertion into the car market. In effect, the Charger is now Dodge’s flagship model. As such, it carries the reputation of the brand.
If it’s successful, the Charger will strengthen Dodge’s formidable position in the market. Dodge is the fourth best selling brand in the US, the eighth best-selling brand in the world and that obviously makes it the Chrysler Group’s best selling nameplate. In a sense, as Dodge goes so goes the Chrysler Group.
Performance! Performance! Performance!
That’s what Dodge stands for and that’s what the focus of the new Charger is all about so much so that the Charger will not be equipped with the company’s small V6 for retail sells.
There are three engine options:
The Charger SE has a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 250 horsepower and 250 pounds-feet of torque. It starts at $22,995. There’s also an SXT package. It has the same power train but extras include satellite radio, hands free communication and a rear-seat DVD-based entertainment system. It starts at $25,995.
The Charger R/T is powered by the 340 horsepower HEMI V8 that makes 390 pounds-feet of torque. It starts at $29,995 You can order this model with the Road/Track performance package which includes wider tires, load leveling shock absorbers and a tauter suspension. Oh, the HEMI is bumped up to 350 horsepower.
Dodge Charger with Daytona R/T package starts with 350 horsepower and 390 pounds-feet of torque. It adds a high performance exhaust system, high impact colors with flat black decals and specific models will be offered in limited runs of 4,000. It starts at $32,495.
All of the models will be mated to five-speed automatic transmissions. A DVD-based navigation system and MP3 capability are also available.
The rear-wheel-drive Charger uses the same chassis and architecture as the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Magnum, so there was plenty of head, hip and legroom for front seat passengers. After all, the Charger is a full-size car.
Rear seat legroom was ample and headroom was sufficient. However, because of the sloping roofline, the rear window is overhead as is the case with a lot of coupes.
The Charger had a discernibly firmer ride than either the Chrysler 300 or the Dodge Magnum. And tipping the scales at 3,820 lbs, it was bit lighter than its siblings. That can lead to trouble because the car is bigger than it drives.
I found myself adjusting driver input in curves here several times because the Charger felt like it could take them at speed when it actually couldn’t. It’s nimble and drives like a sports car but it is a full-size car and turns must be approached with that respect.
I also felt the Charger’s steering could have been a bit tighter so that I could have had a better feel for the road. My driving partner and I drove the 250 horsepower V6 SXT to the Virginia International Speedway. The engine’s power spooled up nicely during light acceleration, step on that pedal and the exhaust note was great. But the problem was the car wasn’t responding anywhere near as quickly as it sounded. There’s definitely room for improvement in low-end torque.
Still, Dodge will have an impact with the Charger. Starting at $23,000, it represents mid-to-high performance at an amazing value. And that’s hard for its competitors to match. Sales began June 1st.
Frank S. Washington, a former correspondent for Newsweek magazine, has covered the automobile industry for such publications as Automotive News, Advertising Age and the Detroit News Online. Your comments are welcomed. Washington can be reached at P.O. Box 23167, Detroit, Michigan 48223 or by e-mail at frank@aboutthatcar.com. You can also visit his Web site, aboutthatcar.com.
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