2008 SEMA - Dodge Challenger – Belle of the hall

Every year at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show there seems to be one car that you just can’t avoid. While the official car may be the Chevrolet Camaro, the car that is around every corner in the main halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center is the all-new Dodge Challenger.

A limited number of these two-door rear-wheel-drive muscle cars were released in 2008, and they became an instant cult hit with enthusiasts who fondly recall the legendary original. The initial models were the top-dog SRT8 that boasted a ferocious 425-horsepower, 6.1-liter V-8 Hemi engine, along with a fortified suspension and upgraded brakes. It was priced at $39,995, plus gas-guzzler tax.

For 2009, Dodge now offers Challenger with a six-cylinder base model SE that can be had for less than under $23,000, as well as a $30,000 mid-level R/T with a 372-horsepower V-8. Notably, the base model should be within the reach of many more Mopar fanatics. (However, based on EPA estimates, the 250-horsepower V-6 is only slightly less thirsty than the R/T’s V-8.)

If a six-cylinder retro-styled muscle car is too tame for your taste, and an R/T out of reach, you can always dream of building your own SEMA-grade, modified car. As evidenced by the inspiring project cars seen here in Vegas, you can have it supercharged, lowered, or even modified to look like an original "Cuda." That is, unless you prefer to start with a new Chevrolet Camaro or Ford Mustang.

--John Galeotafiore

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