Kowalski Approved: Dodge Dealer Creates Nouveau Vanishing Point Challenger Based On 392 Inaugural Editions

The 1970s spawned some pretty cool car movies. Gone in 60 Seconds, Two-Lane Blacktop and Vanishing Point were all born in the decade of big collars, flared trousers and microwave dinners. The last of these three movies is considered to be somewhat of a classic. In it, a man named Kowalski (Barry Newman) makes a bet that he can drive a white 1970 Dodge Challenger from the dealership in Colorado to a customer in San Francisco in just 15 hours. The inevitable series of street races and confrontations with The Man ensue. Now, forty years after the film premiered, New Wilmington Dodge dealer and long-time fan Bob Frederick has unveiled a special edition model to celebrate this genre classic. All of the “Kowalski Edition” cars are based on the 2011 392 Inaugural Edition Challenger SRT8, as white was not available for standard SRT8s.
Frederick explains: “I met with the team and told them what I wanted: 2011 Challenger SRT8 392, six-speed manual, Bright White, stripe delete, Dark Slate SRT seats, WP3 Alcoa SRT aluminum [sic] 20-inch wheels, 730 Nav and SRT Option Group II…. I reminded them that the paint was already in the plant and that the unique SRT8 parts were already there in white as well, so it seemed logical that it could be done.”
Along with the usual assortment of custom stickers and a uniquely numbered interior plaque, the Kowalski cars come with a wood grain Hurst Pistol Grip shifter that this writer thinks should be standard equipment. Sadly, just ten of these cars are planned to be built, and all have already been spoken for. At least you have our gallery to check out.
By Tristan Hankins

Sources: Hemmings & RedletterDodge

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Geiger Cars Brings Limited Edition 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 to Germany

Geiger Car’s love affair with Detroit muscle continues with the German market launch of the limited run 2011 Dodge Challenger ST8 392 Inaugural Edition, of which only 1,492 examples are to be built. There is no word on how many cars Geiger Car’s managed to secure for the German market, but the starting price has been set at €55,000, which comes to around US$77,800 at the current exchange rates.

Under the hood of the latest Challenger SRT8 392 lies a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 delivering 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque, matched to either a standard five-speed automatic transmission with Auto Stick or an available Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual gearbox. Dodge says the most powerful version of the Challenger series has an estimated top speed of 282 km/h (175 mph) and can complete the 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in the high 4-second range, and quarter mile in the high 12-second range.

On top of the standard SRT8’s features, the ‘392’ gains exclusive exterior and interior content including 20-inch wheels, Mopar quad exhaust tips, aero parts and a two-tone leather interior. Buyers will have the choice of two colors -Deep Water Blue with Stone White stripes or Bright White Clear Coat with Viper Blue stripes.

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Dodge Unveils Sporty R/T Versions of Charger, Challenger, Journey, Durango and Grand Caravan

The Chicago Auto Show is the stage for the world premiere of an entire lineup of new R/T performance models from Dodge. The brand's performance moniker, which stands for Road & Track and has been in use since the 1960s, has now been applied on the latest iterations of the Charger saloon, Challenger Coupe, Journey crossover, Durango SUV and the Dodge Caravan minivan. Every R/T model receives exclusive exterior and interior design cues plus performance enhancements including special exhaust tuning and a sport suspension.

“Our Dodge R/T models give buyers the chance to stoke their love of driving while still taking care of their families and responsibilities. Driving these R/T models will absolutely leave a smile on their face,” said Dodge CEO Ralph Gilles.

Beginning with the 2011 Charger R/T, the sports sedan comes with a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine with four-cylinder mode Fuel Saver Technology returning 370 horsepower and a 0-60 mph (96 km/h) performance in less than 6 seconds. It is available in both rear- and all-wheel drive configurations. The MSRP for the 2011 Charger R/T is $30,170 (excluding an $825 destination charge).

The new Durango SUV in R/T trim is powered by a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 producing 360 horses and 390 lb.-ft. of torque allowing for a 7,400 lb. towing capability. Exterior appointments include a color-matched body kit, wheel lips, light bar and rear fascia with integrated dual chrome exhaust outlets. The 7-passenger interior is spruced up with sport seats featuring red stitching accents. It will go on sale this Spring with a starting U.S. MSRP of $35,465 (excluding $850 destination).

Next up on our list is the Grand Caravan R/T with a 3.6-liter V6 delivering 283-ponnies and 260 lb.-ft of peak torque, matched to six-speed auto. Unique features include a “dipped” body-color grille, body-color side moldings and exclusive 17-inch wheels plus a performance-tuned suspension. Inside, the all-black interior features exclusive perforated black leather seats with red stitching, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and a premium sound system with nine-speakers, a subwoofer and 506-watt amplifier. Prices start from $30,595 (excluding $835 destination).

The recently facelifted Journey, which will be available in Europe as the Fiat Freemont, is also getting the Dodge R/T badge for 2011. Like the Grand Caravan R/T, the Journey R/T is powered by the new 283-horse 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

It is available with front- or all-wheel drive and can seat five or seven passengers. The FWD model starts at $28,995 (including $750 destination) while the AWD iteration of the Journey R/T at $30,695 (including $750 destination).

The fifth and final R/T model is the 2011 Challenger. It gets a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 which delivers 372HP and 410 lb-ft of torque when paired to the refined Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission for a 0-60 mph sprint in less than 6 seconds, and 372 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque when mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.

Chassis upgrades include a more aggressive front- and rear-camber geometry plus new larger diameter front- and rear-stabilizer bars. A restyled and larger front air dam, a “duck bill” front spoiler and an all-new leather-wrapped thick-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel are also part of the package. On sale now, the MSRP for the 2011 Challenger R/T is $29,670 (excluding an $825 destination charge).

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