An American muscle-car icon returns (again)

Once again, Dodge has brought back a famous name from the muscle-car era. The Charger debuted in 1966 as a fastback model with four bucket seats, concealed headlamps and a choice of V8 engines, including a 425-horsepower, 426-cubic inch Hemi (named for the hemispherical shape of its internal combustion chamber). The last hemi Charger was sold in 1971. Charger remained until 1978, when ever-demanding exhaust emission requirements and a bloated profile killed sales.

Fast forward a few years and things began to go horribly wrong. Few, if any, remember when Dodge revived the Charger by bolting the once-proud moniker to the trunk lid of the pitiful front-wheel-drive Omni Horizon in 1981. Thankfully

it was put out of its misery in 1987. Now, some 19 years later, the Charger is back for 2006 and – top Dodge executives insist – is more authentic, with a hemi under the hood of the more performance-oriented versions.

The new Dodge Charger looks nothing like the sweeping ’66 fastback, the ’69 “General Lee” of The Dukes of Hazzard TV fame or the bad-guy black Charger in Steve McQueen’s Bullitt. Visually muscular with an aggressive nose and dual headlights, the hood angles out over the trademark Dodge crosshairs grille, recalling the muscle-car era street machines. Yet nothing suggests “retro” styling like the new Mustang, Thunderbird or Chevy HHR with its ‘46 Suburban theme. Nor is the Charger a Magnum with a trunk.

From the side, the four-door sedan fastback roofline and arching belt line that rises midway to the rear-side window suggests the powerful look of a thoroughbred in full stride.

If Charger designers were trying to make the four-door look like a coupe, mission accomplished. If the Charger does have a weakness, it’s the rear design that seems plain and is often likened to a wider Mitsubishi Galant in appearance by some observers.

The Charger’s interior resembles that of its Chrysler 300 Sedan sibling and duplicates the Magnum’s dash with minor rim exceptions. The white-faced gauges, accented with faux aluminum, are large and easy to read.

Our tester, the hemi-equipped Charger R/T (for Road and Track), featured high-back bolstered leather bucket seats with suede seat inserts that help keep you from sliding around while testing its handling ability. Head, leg and rear seat room are especially generous, although the sloping roofline presents some headroom challenges for taller passengers in the backseat. Our two-tone charcoal and gray interior color scheme was attractive with good fit and finish.

Mechanically similar to Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum, Charger is offered in three models with three limited production variants. All Chargers are rear-wheel-drive four-door sedans. The base SE ($22,995) and mid-level SXT ($25,995) are fitted with a 3.5-liter 250-horsepower V6 engine. A five-speed automatic transmission is standard on all Charger models. Manual shifter is not available.

As expected, you’ll have to pay extra for the bragging rights to a hemi-powered Charger. The R/T has a starting price of $29,995. The 5.7-liter V8 hemi produces 340 horsepower. Add the bargain-priced Road/Track performance group option ($1,600) and horsepower is upped to 350, but you also get the leather/suede seats, performance steering and suspension, larger performance tires and wheels, power and heated front seats, adjustable pedals, load-leveling suspension and dual-zone climate control.

Charger is also adding an R/T Daytona package available in a choice of two exterior colors, GoManGo orange and Top Banana yellow, with a flat black hood, body colored deck-lid spoiler, tuned exhaust, a deep-set black mesh grille, and interior trim upgrades, including a sequentially numbered limited-edition plate on the dash. Only 4,000 of each color will be produced.

This fall, Dodge has promised to add the ultra-high performance SRT8 edition with a 6.1-liter, 425-horsepower “big hemi” edition.

Pedal to the metal and our test R/T hemi response is vigorous, sudden and satisfying. The added enhanced exhaust growl courtesy of the Performance Group option is an ever reminder that 350 horses can be called into action at will.

But does the hemi drain the gas tank faster than the pump can replace it? Not really. Mpg ratings of 17 city / 25 highway give thanks to the multi-displacement system that allows the hemi engine to cut four of the eight cylinders when engine loads are less demanding.

When it comes to ride and drive, the Charger is no BMW. However, it handles, steers, brakes and corners effortlessly and is easy to drive. The ride in our R/T was on the firm side, but you certainly won’t take a pounding. This is a big, nearly two-ton sedan, but overall, our complaints are minor.

All Chargers come safety-equipped with anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic stability control and brake assist. Full-length side-curtain head protection airbags are optional. Seat-mounted side-impact torso airbags are not available. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded Charger its highest “good” rating and a “best pick” in frontal crash test results.

Overall, we gave high marks to the new Dodge Charger. For about the same price as a Ford Five Hundred, Chevy Impala, Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, we’ll pick the Charger. And, that’s right, it’ll have a hemi.

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