Really, I’m not a kid anymore. I’m 50-plus, over the hill, on the downward slope and coasting,
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
but wouldn’t you know the latest Challenger Scat Pack Shaker had me feeling like a silly schoolboy.
It’s been a while since I turned back not once, not twice, but three times while walking down the path to my home, yet this ballsy all-American muscle car has an all-consuming, overpowering pull on eyeballs. When passersby first heard and then saw this big red beast rumble past they either smiled widely or sneered in disdain, the latter obviously not amused by the unrepentant attitude toward environmental issues this car’s fire-breathing V8 represents. In reality it’s a lot cleaner than the old Volvo diesel wagons that show up at save the trees rallies, but of course it’s no Prius. It harks back to the era I grew up in when people protested against “the bomb” while worrying about the coming ice age, how things have changed. The Challenger
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Scat Pack Shaker is the Classic Coke of the car world, albeit more like cola with a couple shots of 100-proof Captain Morgan added in for good measure.
New for 2015, Dodge incorporates some modern-tech with cool halo LEDs running around the circumference of each headlamp and massive black 20-inch rims on 245/45ZR20s that didn’t exist way back when, while paying homage to the past is a new take on an old split grille and classic taillight designs, plus that fabulous shaker air induction system that replaces the new functional power bulge hood, and by so doing looks as menacing as an alligator’s nose poking up from a pool of TorRed blood-stained water. Dodge completes the Scat Pack Shaker’s devilish demeanour with a matte black aero package that runs around the entire car, plus black
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Brembo brake calipers, a matte black rear spoiler that runs along the largest rear deck lid I can remember lifting in a very long time, classic matte black stripe decals that span the width of said trunk lid and down each side of the car’s rear flanks, fat dual chromed rectangular tailpipes peeking through a matte black diffuser-style rear valance, and a seriously retro “FUEL” inscribed exposed black gas cap that seals off a gas tank that doesn’t require premium. Gotta love that.
Especially considering the “392 Hemi” badge on either side of that shaker points to one of the more powerful street-prepped Chrysler group engines ever created, SRT’s 6.4-litre Hemi V8 with variable valve timing capable of 485 horsepower and 475
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
lb-ft of torque, mated up to a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic in base guise, or in the case of my tester an optional six-speed Tremec manual. Sure it doesn’t make the same kind of grunt as the SRT Hellcat, that variation on the Hemi theme pumping out an unfathomable 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, but with close to 500 ponies under-hood and enough twist at the rear wheels to cloud my street in a black haze of melted Goodyear Eagle F1s if my solar panel EV-driving neighbour’s self righteous glare gets my goat (muscle car pun intended), you can understand my unabashed teenage enthusiasm just the same.
He doesn’t realize that Dodge includes its FuelSaver cylinder-deactivation Multi-Displacement
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
System to (as the name suggests) save fuel, and while this is good I must admit to being much more interested in the Scat Pack’s severe-duty engine cooling system and a 220-amp alternator that get stuffed into the engine bay, the upgraded 3.90 rear axle ratio with anti-spin, the fully independent suspension that’s tweaked for yet higher performance than usual, and those aforementioned pipes that are actually part of an active exhaust system.
Under the hood it’s a feast for eyes that are bored of the usual plastic engine covers, the shaker scoop still in place on top and “POWERED BY SRT” V8 manifolds underneath not trying to appear like something its not. A bright blue air cleaner
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
sits within its air box up front, while a gaping hole in the hood bares a quaking “SHAKER” graphic on its lower edge. What kind of company spends money to celebrate the underside of its hood? You’ve gotta love Dodge!
Pull open what must be one of the industry’s widest doors and you’re treated to a unique variation on the 2015 Challenger’s updated interior, all of which have been revised with a “1971-inspired” design that features a new “driver-centric” instrument panel. This said I never saw big screen high-resolution infotainment or heard big sound car audio like this in ’71, let alone experiencing the former in colour (my family was slow to adopt to the “colour TV” trend despite myriad advertisements
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
from Curtis-Mathes, GE, Magnavox, RCA, Sylvania, Zenith and others), while our state-of-the-art Akai component stereo with six-way speakers featuring 15-inch woofers didn’t arrive until Christmas of ’72; you can bet I blared Zep and Bowie on that sucker.
Yup, the fact that I even know these bands and brands is a sure sign that I was around when the original Challenger was in its heyday, but I must say that Dodge’s nod to the early ’70s is certainly more marketing than reality as this car is a lot more posh than any pony car from that era. The cooled and comfortable red perforated suede-like cloth and black leather-bolstered bucket seats are a step up
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
from the vinyl perches you sat on top of rather than in while strong-arming the massive diameter thin-rimmed plastic steering wheel with the left hand and gripping the adjacent seatback for life with the other hand in order to stay planted during fast corners, one of the chief reasons we only raced these things in a straight line. The Scat Pack Shaker’s rear buckets are bolstered better than anything we had up front back in the day, and they’re really comfortable too, with plenty of leg and headroom to boot, while those racy red inserts are grippy. The heavily bolstered front seats were easily up to the task of keeping backside immovable and therefore hands free to apply steering input to the meaty leather-wrapped wheel, plus legs and feet available for throttle, clutch and brake pedal, whereas those front cushions can get nice and toasty if set to one of two
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
heatable positions, or alternatively kept wonderfully cool via forced ventilation. Yah, the ’15 Scat Pack is no ’71 experience.
The padded door inserts get the same red treatment, as do the harder plastic lower door panels that are creatively sculpted, while red stitching is used for the comfortable side and centre armrests plus each seat’s bolsters, but not on the leather-clad steering wheel, shift knob or boot, which use black thread. Making up for that, the classic ’71-era primary gauges get a little red to go along with their wonderfully simple backlit design, the large seven-inch customizable TFT multi-information display that spans the two getting yet more splashes of crimson, ditto for
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
the super-sized 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment touchscreen at dash central, and of course the Dodge logo on the hub of the steering wheel. It’s a refined interior too, with a soft-touch dash top that flows over the front of the instrument panel and down each side of the centre console, while the door uppers are made from a nice pliable synthetic too.
Back to that infotainment system for a moment, along with the usual features including in-depth HVAC and audio functions, phone connectivity and use, vehicle settings and more, the Scat Pack Shaker gets “Dodge performance pages”, which include some pretty detailed info and useful settings.
There’s
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
also a Sport mode and Super Track Pack button on the centre console, not to mention a button for turning off the traction control (I warn you, proceed with extreme caution), but somehow the audible parking sonar button seems out of place on the same performance-oriented panel, albeit welcome while backing up such a long car with limited rear visibility. It includes a reverse camera in that big centre touchscreen, of course, but every little bit helps.
All this noted switchgear as well as the buttons, knobs and toggles placed elsewhere throughout the cabin is very well made, by the way, with good quality plastics, minimal gaps and mostly premium-level damping, while having a sunglasses
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
holder in the overhead console that ideally fit my era-appropriate Ray-Bans was an appreciated extra. My only retro complaint was its throwback foot-operated parking brake, although I was happy that it had a hand release which made it easy to keep one foot on the clutch and the other on the brake (this was my number one gripe when testing the six-speed manual shifting 2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS, which ironically wasn’t as well thought out).
Strapped in to my office chair, intense rumble from the active exhaust, performance pages set to “Engine” to maximize launch control while keeping track on exactly how much real-time power was to be released, the Scat Pack Shaker makes
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
a wicked roar at full throttle, the rear wheels locking up easier than I expected and resulting shove in the backside so forceful, response off the line so immediate, escalating speed so ridiculous that even Dark Helmet would’ve been overwhelmed. This car has big schwartz and therefore demands your full attention, but supply its desire for lots of smooth throttle, smooth steering input and (repeat after me) smooth braking and it rewards with breathtaking performance. Sure, you can tug on the steering wheel amid a tight corner if you want to break rear traction, kick out the rear end and opposite lock your way to handling heaven, but like I said earlier do so with extreme caution. It’s not as tail happy as a first-generation Viper (nothing is), but just the same there’s more power going down to those rear wheels than their rubber can handle.
Just
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
the same the Challenger’s fully independent suspension is more advanced than some of its muscle car rivals with a sophisticated five-link rear setup, while those aforementioned Brembo brakes are easily up to bringing all its hurtling mass to a sudden controlled stop time and time again with very little fade. The Challenger’s got serious chops, a good thing considering its go-power.
I averaged 24.7 L/100km combined, by the way, or at least that’s what the display set between the twin primary gauges told me. And no, I didn’t drive it like I stole it the entire time it was at my disposal, in fact most of the time nursing it around town like the proverbial little old lady because there’s no way to enjoy even partial capability amid city traffic so why waste the fuel? The crazed average fuel economy readout is just another example of why automakers should never include
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
such detail in a performance car (or any car for that matter), as it’s usually far from accurate. The real five-cycle EnerGuide rating is a much more palatable 16.8 L/100km city and 10.4 highway with the as-tested manual or 15.7 city and 9.5 highway with the auto, something even my budget could live with. This said if you’re worried about fuel economy, there’s a Leaf with your name on it.
Those who know me realize I’m joking about the Leaf and other plug-ins. I’m actually a big time electric fan (loads of instant torque, near-zero fuel cost plus unparalleled nerdy fun factor), but at the same time I’m easily turned to the dark side by gobs of torque-rich power, and the Challenger Scat Pack delivers the latter in mega doses.
It’s not the most opulently outfitted car, mind you, Dodge de-contenting it from SXT and R/T trims below, and therefore requiring option packages to increase its luxury. Standard kit does include some of the earlier mentioned items along with LED-enhanced automatic headlights, LED fog lamps, power heatable side mirrors, passive keyless entry with pushbutton ignition, bright metal pedals, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, power windows with one-touch down, dual-zone automatic climate control, a powered driver’s seat, Bluetooth hands-free with streaming audio, a USB port and SD card slot, tire pressure monitoring, and a 60/40 split folding rear seat that adds versatility to an already sizable 459-litre (16.2 cubic-foot) trunk, all pulled up from lower trims.
Some options packages that made time spent with my tester more comfortable included a $250 Technology group that adds auto high beams and rain-sensing wipers; a $995 Driver Convenience group that adds HID headlamps, remote start, multi-function side mirrors, a universal garage door opener, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection; a $495 Sound group that upgrades the audio system
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
with a 506-watt amp and nine amplified speakers plus a sub; a $695 Scat Pack Appearance group that adds the aforementioned black grille and bezel, Scat Pack stripe (while deleting the shaker stripe), black fuel filler door, Hectic Mesh interior accents, satin-silver instrument panel bezel, leather-wrapped steering wheel, unique cloth performance seats with the famed Bee logo, Scat Pack premium floor mats, and HID headlamps; whereas my tester was upgraded further with a $1,795 Leather Appearance group that adds the same Hectic Mesh detailing and silver IP bezel, plus a heatable powered tilt and telescopic steering wheel, the aforementioned heated and cooled front seats, and the Nappa leather and suede performance R/T seats (mine upgraded further to include the Bee logo).
Standalone items featured in my tester included $700 for navigation and $800 for those gorgeous black brass-monkey forged wheels noted before, while three-season performance tires can be had for $50, a modern hood stripe for $200, and a powered sunroof for $1,395. Dodge also makes 11 colours and shades available, some like my TorRed paint at no-charge, others adding $195 to $300 extra, while my tester’s red interior was a no-cost option.
The price for all this Canadian-made goodness is $49,995 plus $1,695 for freight and pre-delivery prep sans options, a reasonable window sticker for such an outrageously powerful and sensationally styled super coupe. The Challenger Scat Pack Shaker is everything a modern-day muscle car should be and then some. If you’re seriously considering this Challenger or for that matter any of Chryco’s SRT-powered cars, don’t hesitate. You won’t regret a single moment behind the wheel.
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