"dr861" (dr861)
09/23/2013 at 15:54 • Filed to: Reviews, Dodge Charger, Muscle Cars, Classic Car Club Manhattan
2
0|
"dr861" (dr861)
09/23/2013 at 15:54 • Filed to: Reviews, Dodge Charger, Muscle Cars, Classic Car Club Manhattan | 2
| 0 |
Driving this car was like driving nothing else. I have never driven a true to era muscle car in my life, so this was the first. That being said, let’s get the disappointments out of the way first.
I had some expectation of the car being fast, and that was completely and utterly incorrect. The car weighs in at about 4000 lb’s and this model was the 383, pumping out about 340 horses; however, I expect that over the years, many of these horses have passed on, resulting in half assed pulls. The transmission is a 3 speed auto and shifts far too soon, and the tachometer is dead so I dare not shift it myself. It handles like a truck and overheats heavily in traffic, but that was expected. Now onto the good stuff. Update: (I changed my mind about the power when I got a second opportunity to drive this beast, 2nd review to come)
In terms of car shapes, I’m not sure there are many better than the 68 charger. It just looks menacing. The slope of the back end, the lack of a B pillar, it all adds up to an absolutely stunning result, and people notice. On learning that this car was not going to necessarily be any more fun on the highway than just cruising around town, I decided to just drive around Manhattan.
Driving through SOHO, this car is a star. People notice the car more than anything else, and people you wouldn’t expect. I cannot tell you how many fashion minded people, models, designer types, fashionista’s in general, would stop and take a picture and shout “Awesome car!” This was the response I went everywhere in the city. Our first stop on Central Park South and the car was swarmed by people. People who knew about it, people who didn’t, the thing stuck out like a tattooed murderer at a book club. Surrounded by S550’s and A8’s, the car did not fit in, it stood out.
I could tell you that the steering was horrible, that black stuff rubbed all over my pants from the steering wheel, that it over heated in traffic and was leaking coolant by the end of the day, but that’s not the point of this car. This car is to be driven so it can be admired by others, not as a toy of the uber wealthy, but as a trophy of the blue collar worker. People who own muscle cars are likeable, because they are relatable. No one can really relate to a Ferrari.
The mayor should drive a car like this, I bet his approval ratings would go way up.
Overall it was an incredible experience and confirmed my love of everything muscle. I would take this charger over a new srt8 any day of the week.