All-New Dodge Challenger & Chrysler Imperial
Like Challengers past, this modern version packs more than its share of muscle under the hood in the form of the 6.1-liter, 425-hp, 420-lb-ft Hemi V8, linked to a 6-speed manual transmission. DaimlerChrysler estimates the fully functional R/T show car should clear 0-to-60-mph in 4.5 seconds, the quarter-mile ran in 13 seconds flat and attain a top speed of 174 mph. So, if that's the R/T, what's in store for the SRT-8 version, huh Chrysler?
At the opposite extreme lies the luxurious Imperial riding on a 123-inch wheelbase, a three-inch stretch over the 300C. To achieve the proper proportions for the concept, the overall length grows 17 inches to 214 inches, and the overall height is six inches taller than a 300C. The car rides on massive 22-inch turbine-finned wheels and tires, with passengers sitting nearly seven inches higher than in the 300C. The Imperial show car carries over the 5.7-liter, 345-hp, 390-lb-ft Hemi V8 from the 300C including its 5-speed automatic slushbox.
Overall, these examples demonstrate the flexibility potential of the LX platform and clearly hides the future in plain sight. You'll probably be driving these before 2009, as DCX is planning to modify the specific sheetmetal to create the "Chrysler Barracuda" and "Dodge Dynasty" versions.