2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8® 392 Yellow Jacket Creates Buzz at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

  Chrysler Media Press Release

Auburn Hills, Mich. , Nov 9, 2011 – The Chrysler Group’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) team today announced an exclusive production run of special-edition 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8® 392 Yellow Jacket models featuring Stinger Yellow exterior paint and interior appointments.

Based on the 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392, the Challenger SRT8 Yellow Jacket features a Stinger Yellow body color and black grille surround to match the standard black body-side stripes that highlight the newly developed Yellow Jacket logo on the rear fender. New 20 x 9-inch, five-spoke cast-aluminum wheels with black painted pockets provide a unique performance look.

Inside, the standard leather seats feature an exclusive Stinger Yellow accent band with embroidered Yellow Jacket logo and silver accent stitching. The driver’s seat also features a full adjustable lumbar position with seatback tilt, memory and an easy-to-reach release handle, while the front-passenger seat adds tilt and slide with memory, which makes it even easier for passengers to get in and out of the back seat.

“The Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket adds another piece of performance car nostalgia to our rear-drive muscle coupe lineup in 2012,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – SRT Brand and Motorsports. “The Stinger Yellow paint and interior accents speak directly to the performance enthusiast who appreciates a memorable and collectible color that helps deliver even more excitement and exclusivity.”

The original Dodge “Yellow Jacket” show car, which evolved from the 1970 Challenger, was shown at various auto show exhibits beginning in late 1969. Painted pearlescent Honey Gold, the roadster was powered by the 426-cubic inch HEMI V-8 and carried a number of the famous Dodge “Scat Pack” performance features, such as a unique front spoiler, wider tires, heavy-duty suspension and brakes, and manual transmission, along with the Rallye instrument cluster and shaker hood.

A limited number of 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket models will be built for the U.S. market. All Dodge Challenger models are built at the Brampton Assembly Plant in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.

The Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket will be available for ordering in December at Dodge dealerships nationwide and will be arriving in U.S. dealer showrooms in the first quarter of 2012.

About the 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8® 392
For 2012, the Dodge Challenger SRT8® 392 adds even more high-tech performance features to solidify its place as the brand’s ultimate modern American rear-wheel-drive muscle coupe. With 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque from the proven 392 cubic-inch HEMI® V-8, the balanced performance approach of the Challenger SRT8 392 provides outstanding straight-line acceleration, world-class ride and handling, high-performance braking and the most up-to-date technologies that deliver more driver excitement and control.

The standard Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual transmission and a dual-disc high-performance clutch are proven performers that were first offered on the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10®. Both automatic and manual models feature a standard limited-slip differential to maximize performance.

The optional five-speed automatic transmission features new, standard steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters that join the center console mounted Auto Stick, allowing for a choice of spirited shifting on both the road and the race track. Both methods give the driver the ability to manually select specific gears on the transmission.

Standard Fuel Saver Technology (four-cylinder mode) in automatic transmission equipped models allows the engine to operate economically on four cylinders or use the power of all eight cylinders when needed. The EPA fuel economy miles per gallon (mpg) (City/Hwy) ratings for the 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 are 14/23 for both manual and automatic transmission models.

The adaptive damping suspension (ADS) system is new for 2012 and tuned specifically for the Dodge Challenger SRT8 392. The ADS system on the Challenger SRT8 392 features the fastest turn-in and most nimble handling characteristics of any SRT product.

In the “Sport” setting, the system provides the highest damping rates allowing the driver to push the handling envelope like never before. In “Auto” mode, a wide range of on-road and driver inputs – such as vehicle speed, steering angle, steering speed, brake torque, throttle position and lateral/vertical accelerations – automatically tune the suspension for specific conditions.

Drivers can easily choose between settings to quickly change the shock damping and harshness characteristics from “Auto” for everyday commuting to “Sport” for more spirited driving situations.

The handling result is .90g capability on the skid pad – the most of any production Challenger and on par with some of the world’s best-handling performance coupes.

The standard SRT performance brake package produces world-class stopping power of 60 to 0 mph in just 117 feet from 14.2 inch (front) and 13.8 inch (rear) vented/slotted rotors with four-piston Brembo fixed calipers painted red. The three-mode electronic stability control system with knockback mitigation also includes four-wheel ABS, all-speed traction control, electronic brake-force distribution, Brake Assist and Hill-start Assist (HSA).

The 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 accelerates from 0-60 mph in the high 4-second range; runs the quarter mile in mid-12-second range with the automatic transmission (high 12-second range with the manual); goes from 0-100-0 mph in the low 15s, reaches a top speed of 182 mph with the manual transmission (175 mph with the automatic).

The large front splitter and integrated front fender spats and body-color rear decklid spoiler provide stable high-speed aerodynamic balance while the front fascia chin spoiler also improves aerodynamic drag and is accented in black for a more aggressive look.

Unique “392 HEMI” badges flank both fenders touting the historically significant V-8 engine that remains true to its high-performance roots and powers the highest rated Challenger in terms of horsepower and torque ratings. From the rear, the 4-inch rectangular exhaust tips deliver the 392’s performance exhaust note while adding the styling cue of a serious muscle car.

The race inspired and high-performance interior begins with the new, exclusive SRT® heated steering wheel that features mounted paddle shifters for hands on the wheel shifting both on road and at the race track. All audio and Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) controls are accessible from the horizontal spokes on the steering wheel.

The trapezoidal instrument panel features a four-bomb gauge cluster with chromed accent rings and unique SRT graphics. Inside the cluster, the SRT-exclusive Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) with performance pages gives the driver trip information, multimedia information from the Media Center radio, along with instant feedback on 0-60 mph acceleration, 60-0 mph braking, G-forces, one-eighth mile and quarter-mile times.

The 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 features more than 35 advanced safety and security features, including standard Keyless Enter-N-Go and three-mode electronic stability control (ESC) with segment-exclusive Ready Alert Braking and Rain Brake Support safety features to improve overall vehicle handling and performance.

For maximum convenience and to keep passengers connected, a wide array of connectivity, infotainment and mobile multimedia options are available on the 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8.

New for 2012, the Dodge Challenger SRT8 features an available 900-watt, 18-speaker premium SRT performance audio surround-sound system from Harman Kardon. The system offers world premier innovation, featuring a 32-volt TPS (Tracking Power Supply) 12-channel Class D amplifier that delivers outstanding acoustics and brings multi-dimensional, quality sound for all interior occupants.

The new system uses GreenEdge® speaker and amplifier technology to offer superior sound quality and high Sound Pressure Level outputs with minimum energy consumption. GreenEdge amplifiers alone outperform traditional amplifier efficiency by up to 55 percent, representing a net efficiency of more than 90 percent in some cases. The speakers are tuned for maximum efficiency and perfectly matched to the amplifier output.

The innovative Uconnect® Media Center 430, 430N and 730N radios integrate a 6.5-inch touchscreen display with a hard drive where more than 150 hours of music and photos can be stored. Uconnect Media Center radios also offer two navigation options, including segment-leading Garmin® Navigation guidance and mapping (Uconnect Media Center 430N), or premium GPS Navigation with SIRIUS Traffic (Uconnect Media Center 730N). Both navigation solutions feature SIRIUS Travel Link, providing real-time weather, fuel prices and more while on the go.

SRT Track Experience
Owners of any Chrysler Group SRT vehicle receive one day of professional driving instruction as part of the SRT Track Experience, designed to maximize their driving knowledge and skills on the street or track. Sessions are held throughout the year at selected tracks.

Mopar Press Conference at SEMA 2011





Dodge Gets Revved Up for SEMA 2011

Chrysler Group LLC will have a major presence at next week’s 2011 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas.
This year, the 28,400-square-foot exhibit will include more than 30 Mopar®-modified vehicles from the company’s Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep ®, SRT and Fiat brands. More than 500 Mopar accessories will be showcased in the exhibit.

“The aftermarket is a $34 billion-a-year industry and SEMA is the perfect place to showcase everything that Mopar has to offer,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service parts and customer-care brand. “At Mopar, we believe in giving our customers a lot of
choices when they go to personalize their vehicles. And that is why we offer extreme personalization for every single car in our showrooms. In addition to head-turning image vehicles at the SEMA show, we also will introduce new must-see product and technology.”

Dodge Challenger SRT8 ACR

For the 2011 SEMA show, the Chrysler Group’s Mopar Underground team created a Challenger image vehicle with some cool ties to modern history. Influenced by the success of the Mopar Drag Pak Challenger and more recently, the Dodge Viper SRT10® ACR resetting the production car lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife track in Germany, Mopar Underground created the Dodge Challenger ACR based on the stellar Challenger SRT8 392. Some of Dodge’s and SRT’s best handling vehicles of all-time come with the ACR acronym attached to them, and the Challenger ACR is no different. The Challenger ACR is a no-frills homage to the original option-delete cars of the 1960s and 70s.
Equipped with Mopar parts, such as a coil-over suspension, front-and rear-strut tower braces, shortthrow shifter, front splitter, cat-back exhaust, custom exhaust headers and a set of Goodyear F1 Supercar performance tires, the Challenger ACR is an animal that has as much bark as its cornering bite. Performance enhancements in the interior include carbon fiber door panels, front race bucket seats with openings for a racing harness and the rear seat is removed and replaced by a roll bar and fire extinguisher. An SRT three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel, SRT gauge cluster, custom bright pedal kit, Mopar Drag Pack center stack and a carbon fiber center console finish off the interior modifications.
The exterior has design cues similar to those found on the Viper SRT10 ACR, including a white body, charcoal painted roof, carbon fiber hood, rear deck lid, rear spoiler and tail lamp surround and an offset flame red stripe that runs the length of the car. Red painted mirror caps and brake calipers, unique black painted five-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels and red “ACR” fender badging finish off the exterior design details. The white and red theme carries over to the interior with white accents on the carbon fiber door panels, red armrest bars with white foam padding, red door latch release tethers, red painted roll bars and red accents on the carbon fiber racing seats covered in black Katzkin leather.

Ram 392 Quick Silver

The Ram 392 Quick Silver began life as a 2011 Ram R/T. A 470 horsepower, 392 HEMI V-8 from the SRT lineup was dropped in and mated to the R/T’s 4.10 gear set and a high-stall converter. For additional performance, the Ram 392 is equipped with a cold-air intake kit and headers featuring an electronic exhaust cutout for maximum power and sound at the track. For normal driving, a cat-back dual exhaust system intensifies the HEMI rumble. To improve braking performance, discs and calipers are replaced with a Brembo big brake kit, featuring 15-inch vented rotors and bright silver six-piston calipers in the front and rear. With the exception of a gloss black roof, the body is finished in a three-stage bright silver while the wheels, grille inserts, mirrors and select interior trim components are coated in anodized red paint.
A Mopar Underground, reverse deep-cowl aluminum hood design with functional heat extractors is inspired by the new Dodge Charger SRT8 and smoked lenses cover all exterior lighting. The Ram 392 Quick Silver is lowered 2 inches with the help of a custom suspension kit. The “slammed” look is
made more evident by a Mopar body kit, consisting of sill and box pieces, finished up with a chin spoiler.
Mopar Underground added their 22-inch wheels wrapped in 275/45R22 tires up front and 305/40R22 tires in the rear. A Mopar hard tonneau cover with a unique integrated spoiler redirects the air for additional down force at high speeds and Mopar’s Bed Rug protects the paint. The interior features
high-bolster SRT seats covered in Katzkin leather with red stitching and accents to match the steering wheel, instrument panel and Laramie Longhorn inspired leather shift knob, door panels and center console trim.
A set of Mopar Pedals and door sills are installed giving the interior an additional splash of functional aesthetics. Music is blasted through Kicker speakers, including tweeters in the instrument panel, mids in the doors and in the back, and woofers in the doors leaving plenty of room for gear behind the seats. Simply put, the Ram 392 Quick Silver is designed to be a truck that would appropriately share a
garage with a Dodge Viper.

Coffee and Rides – 10-29-2011 – San Antonio, TX.

Today was yet another adventure here in San Antonio to search out the hotspots for the local car scene. I hit pay dirt on the north side of town this morning by attending the monthly Coffee and Rides cruise in. There was literally something here for everyone, from musclecars to exotics and everything in between. People were great too. Big shout out to the local AlamocityLX.org attendees representing the Challenger proudly. Check out the slideshow below for all the pics.

Mopar Muscle Club of San Antonio 2011 Annual Show @ Ancira Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Every year, the local Mopar Muscle Club of San Antonio, TX. throws an annual show at Ancira Chrysler Jeep, Dodge Ram. This year just so happened to fall on the date I was moving in so I decided to take a break and check the show out. Lots of great Mopars and great people. I’m really looking forward to joining the local car scene down here. Check out the pics from this year’s show below.

Finally Moved to San Antonio, Tx.!

Sorry everyone for being absent for these past few weeks, but I’ve had a lot on my plate lately.  I relocated my family and I from Indiana to San Antonio, Texas for my work.  So, far I’ve really enjoyed it and the car scene down here is unbelievable.  Thus far, I’ve only shipped the 2011 Challenger SRT8 392 and our daily drivers.  This is the first time I ever shipped a car long distance so I decided to go with Reliable Carriers.  They did a great job and it only took two days and the car was delivered as promised and in perfect condition.  Thanks to all of you for staying patient with me.  I will be getting back to posting more content now that I’m getting settled in so check back often.

Also, here are a few pics of my Challenger being loaded and heading for Texas!

                        

Teuton Makes History, Takes Mopar Challenger Drag Pak to First Stock Eliminator NHRA National Event Win

Source: Chrysler Media
September 5, 2011 , Clermont, Ind. – Jeff Teuton of Houma, La., captured a historic victory for Mopar® at the most historic race on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing schedule, driving his 2009 Mopar Challenger Drag Pak to the overall win today in Stock Eliminator at the 57th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway. The victory was the first overall Stock Eliminator NHRA National event win for Mopar’s modern-day package car.

“What a great weekend for Mopar and Jeff Teuton,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “Everyone at Mopar congratulates Jeff and his team on their great performance. Reaching the finals and winning is a true testament to our Mopar Challenger Drag Pak.”

Teuton faced the 2002 Camaro of Sam Pourciau in the final round, taking the victory easily with an 11.055-second elapsed time at 107.71 mph after Pourciau’s engine exploded shortly after launch. Teuton also captured his individual class win (F/SA) in Stock Eliminator at the event.

“It’s really amazing to capture this historic win in the Mopar Challenger Drag Pak during the 60th Anniversary of the NHRA, at their biggest event,” said Teuton, owner of the Southland Chrysler Group dealership in his hometown of Houma. “I’ve always competed in Mopar and Chrysler products, and I’m just having a ball. I’m proud of my car. I’ve sold Mopar Drag Paks, and I’ve been a dealer for 44 years. I’ve been racing since 1958 and this is a pretty good milestone.”

The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals hosted a fleet of Mopar Challenger Drag Paks, with more than 20 entered in the Stock and Super Stock fields. The Drag Paks dominated the qualifying charts in Stock, with David Barton of Robesonia, Pa. qualifying No. 1 overall with a 9.676-elapsed time. Barton also triumphed in the A/SA class eliminations, defeating fellow Drag Pak racer Doug Duell in the class final. A total of six Mopar Challenger Drag Paks qualified in the Top 10 in Stock at the U.S. Nationals, including Charlie Fitzsimmons, who started No. 5 and fell to Teuton in the fifth round of Stock eliminations.

 

Herb McCandless – Mopar Racing Legend

I recently found a really cool video featuring one of my idols, Mr. Herb McCandless. If yo haven’t heard of Herb, you are really missing out. He is a true legend of the sport of drag racing and specifically raing Mopar alongside Ronnie Sox on the Sox and Martin Team. Check out the video below to learn more about the man behind the legend.

SRT Brand Kicks Off ‘SRT High Performance Tour’ at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum


 

Chrysler Group LLC’s newly formed Street and Racing Technology (SRT) Brand is hitting the road with its first-ever, “SRT High Performance Tour,” featuring four drivers, four vehicles – the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8®, Dodge Challenger SRT8, Jeep® Grand Cherokee SRT8 and Chrysler 300 SRT8 – and visiting more than 40 clubs and events over the next four months.

An exclusive media preview and the first stop of the SRT High Performance Tour will take place in Auburn Hills, Mich., at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum on Friday, Aug. 12 at 2 p.m.

The preview will include a walk-around of the new 2012 SRT lineup with Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – SRT Brand, Chrysler Group LLC, and Joe Grace, Vehicle Line Executive A/B Segment & SRT, Chrysler Group LLC.

Where:
Walter P. Chrysler Museum – Back Patio
One Chrysler Drive
Auburn Hills, MI 48326

When:
Friday, Aug. 12
2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Photo and Interview Opportunities:
Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – SRT Brand, Chrysler Group LLC
Joe Grace, Vehicle Line Executive A/B Segment & SRT, Chrysler Group LLC
Members of the SRT Engineering, Design and Marketing Team

*Ride-and-drive opportunities available with the 2012 SRT vehicle lineup

Source: Chrysler Media

6.4L HEMI Technical Review With SRT Chief Engineer


Today I’ve got something special for all the Challenger enthusiasts out there – a full technical review of the new 6.4L HEMI V8 with the Chief Engineer, Gary Rogers.  Special thanks go out to the Fast Lane Car for the video.  Enjoy!