New look Challenger with a twist

Chrysler lifted the covers on the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 for its first official public outing, after releasing images and pricing towards the end of last year.

Powering the Challenger is a 6.1-litre Hemi V8 engine, producing 317kW and 569Nm. The two-door, rear-wheel-drive coupe races from 0-100km/h in the low five second mark.

Chrysler Group Australia spokesman Jerry Stamoulis says there will be other engine variants in the future, but the complete line-up hasn't been announced. But there are still no foreseeable plans to bring the muscle car here.

“At this stage it's for North America only,” Stamoulis says.

And it's already proven to be popular, with 4300 people putting their name down on the first day of orders in December.

When it came to designing the new Challenger, design executive Trevor Creed says the aim was to portray the emotion of the original model.

“Our designers wanted to capture the minds' eye view of what people remember about the Challenger from 35 years ago,” Creed says.

The result is an unmistakably Dodge product, drawing inspiration from its heritage. Among the traits adapted from the original Challenger are a full-width grille and fog lamps, a hood with a raised centre, stripes and functional dual scoops, and the A-line and beltline.

The rear spoiler also draws on the previous character, but serves as a functional feature as well, generating significant rear-down force.

And it's not just the exterior that used the old-school inspiration, with the trapezoidal theme of the door and gauge cluster, the dark headliner and the slanted shifter console on the interior all based directly on the original Dodge Challenger. The original model was launched in 1970 and was phased out five years later.