by Frank de Leeuw van Weenen May 9, 2008 10:30 AM
Filed Under: American, Dodge
The all new 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is maybe one of the most anticipated new cars for this year and production of it has finally started at Chrysler's Brampton Assembly Plant in Canada where the American car maker also builds the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300C. Almost 1,000 workers and Chrysler executive VP Frank Ewasyshyn attended the celebration.
"Even though the development time for this Dodge Challenger SRT8 is one of the shortest in Chrysler's history, the wait for this exciting car has been too long, and as of today, the wait is finally over!" said Frank Ewasyshyn, Executive Vice President – Manufacturing.
Only 7,000 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 models will be build and all are already spoken for at a retail price of USD 37,995, including job #1 which sold for USD 400,000 and job number 43, a B5 Blue Challenger dedicated to racing legend Richard Petty, which raised USD 228,143 for charity causes. The 2008 Challenger SRT8 will be followed by a full Challenger range in 2009 consisting of the Challenger SE, R/T and SRT8.
Chrysler Celebrates Production of All-New 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8
Highly anticipated 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8® production begins at Brampton Assembly Plant
Employees, guests join Chrysler executive Vice President Frank Ewasyshyn for festivities
Manufacturing expertise contributes to product quality
Modern muscle car offers best of past, present
Chrysler LLC today celebrated the production launch of one of the industry's most highly anticipated vehicles—the all-new 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8®. Dodge Challenger is back in Chrysler's line-up as a modern muscle car with a new SRT8 model. A full line-up will follow in the 2009 model-year. Consumer interest in the Dodge Challenger has been some of the highest seen at Chrysler.
The all-new Dodge Challenger is built at Chrysler's Brampton Assembly Plant on the same assembly line as the Dodge Charger and the award-winning Chrysler 300.
"Even though the development time for this Dodge Challenger SRT8 is one of the shortest in Chrysler's history, the wait for this exciting car has been too long, and as of today, the wait is finally over!" said Frank Ewasyshyn, Executive Vice President – Manufacturing. "Dodge Challenger represents the best of Chrysler's past and future. The teams that worked to bring this vehicle to market with quality and speed have done an excellent job."
Nearly 1,000 employees and invited guests joined Mr. Ewasyshyn for the celebration.
Quality Manufacturing
To ensure quality targets were met and to foster a smooth manufacturing launch, a team of Brampton employees spent months helping to build pilot vehicles at Chrysler's Auburn Hills Technology Center. Then, early pre-production models were built on the Brampton assembly line—rather than a pilot facility—which allowed engineers to more realistically test the production process.
"The vision of rolling launches on lines that build multiple and variant models is becoming a reality as demonstrated with the Dodge Challenger at the Brampton Assembly Plant," said Fred Godetel, Vice President – Car and Minivan Manufacturing. "Chrysler's Flexible Manufacturing Strategy, little more than a theory a few years ago, is being proved out at plants across North America."
The Brampton Assembly Plant features Chrysler's Flexible Manufacturing Strategy which provides for the production of higher quality products at lower cost. This unique system combines off-the-shelf robotics with customized and interchangeable tooling to build a variety of products on a single assembly line. This manufacturing expertise also allows the Company to more quickly and easily balance vehicle production with customer demand.
Dodge Challenger
The return of the iconic Dodge Challenger combines unmistakable design cues reminiscent of the original Challenger with world-class performance. Approximately 7,000 2008 model-year vehicles for North American markets will be produced before 2009 model-year vehicles begin production in August. For 2009, the Company will offer three models: Dodge Challenger SE, Dodge Challenger R/T and Dodge Challenger SRT8.
Dodge dealers have seen a tremendous interest in the Dodge Challenger and 2008 models are already sold out.
Although the original Dodge Challenger muscle car lasted only five model years, the Dodge Challenger became one of the most storied muscle car nameplates in automotive history, with meticulously restored and rare examples today selling for six-figure prices.
The U.S. MSRP for the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 starts at $37,995, including the $675 destination charge.
Development is the shortest??? This is supposed to be a good thing?...All i get out of this car is a cool looking exterior and nothing else but chrysler parts bin looks. The inside is low grade and i almost guarantee the "normal" challenger will be garbage, i still have faith in the ST8 version tho.
The car did not even spend time to have a manual gearbox.. Thats really ashaming.. I think for Chrysler, its just like a passenger who fell down to the ground using an umbrella coz the parachut was not openning.. The only ready thing that can be considered worthy is the exterior.
YOU need to get a grip.. its an open forum and people can comment on whatever they please.. what are you, the WCF nazi? Get a life with your lackluster umbrella parachute analogy.
GM is far from broke, remember Ford had to put itself up as collateral...not GM. GM made a profit outside of their North American operations but unfortunately the losses at GMAC, Delphi cash infusions etc marred the bottom line. They have made great strides in improving quality and reducing costs and the increasing profit will begin to prove this over the next several years
ford... ohh ford the overpriced cars they sell true benzian, GM is making improvements, but they haven't made enough. They really need to think. Get rid of their American cars and bring their European spec cars to north America. They will actually become closer of a threat to Japanese makes if they do that. Actually if you think about it, ford should also do that with their mondeo. That car is MUCH more attractive than the fords we see here today. Its a ford with "European class". Yea i said it, ford has "class" lol
i saw a really unfair test with this car today. This vs the bullit mustang (315 or so hp compared to the 6.1L hemi 425 hp lol). even with 300 pounds extra on the challenger, thats pretty unfair. The testers even said it themselves (youtube). This car handles better, brakes better, and even goes in a straight line better. pretty impressive. But PLEASE why don't they spend a little more time in the interior?? pathetic i must say. I'd say the new chevy malibu has a better interior lol
what r u guys expecting for less than 40 k ??? That money would get u a Audi A3 2.0 T decked out, with arguably the best interior in that pricerange sold in the us today - but then it only has 200 ponnies and is a commodity hatchback, you have to choose wisely...
I just saw a story on motor week TV the challenger is hot looking car especially the Hemi RT, but heres the nail in the coffin, it runs on premium only and gets 13 mpg in the city never mind,My car has over 200 hp more and gets 12mpg so sad, I bought my SL63 as my dream car and now, its relagated to only special occassions driving!~!
