2012 Dodge Challenger: What's New

Vehicle Overview

This big, retro two-door coupe seats five. It’s offered with a choice of V-6 or V-8 power, and it is also available in high-performance SRT8 392 form with a 470-horsepower V-8 engine. Competitors include the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro.

New for 2012
The Challenger lineup sees a few changes for the 2012 model year, including an available 18-speaker Harman Kardon premium stereo. Models with the five-speed automatic transmission have new steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Exterior
Unlike the Dodge Charger sedan, which borrows primarily a name from the muscle-car era, the Challenger was designed after the 1970 model, and it’s unmistakably a Challenger from any angle. It has a broad grille and rear-end treatments. Other exterior features include:

• Standard body-colored door handles, front and rear bumpers, and mirrors
• Standard 18-inch aluminum wheels; 20-inch rims optional
• Standard chrome exhaust tips
• Optional fog lights
• Optional sunroof
• Optional high-intensity-discharge headlights

Interior
The Challenger continues its retro-themed looks on the inside with its gauge cluster and black headliner. In manual-transmission cars, the shifter features a unique pistol-grip design. Other interior features include:

• Standard cloth upholstery; optional leather
• Standard power-adjustable driver’s seat; heated front seats optional
• Standard automatic air conditioning
• Standard cruise control
• Standard remote start on automatic-transmission cars
• Standard 60/40-split folding rear bench with armrest and two cupholders
• Standard CD stereo with MP3 jack
• Optional touch-screen stereo with 30-gigabyte hard drive
• Optional navigation system

Under the Hood
The Challenger’s standard engine is a 3.6-liter V-6 that teams with a five-speed automatic transmission. The R/T has a 5.7-liter V-8 that features cylinder deactivation on versions with the five-speed automatic. The technology allows the car to operate on four cylinders when less power is needed to save fuel. A six-speed manual is also available for the R/T. Mechanical features include:

• Standard 305-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 with 268 pounds-feet of torque
• Optional 5.7-liter V-8 makes 372 hp and 400 pounds-feet of torque with the automatic transmission and 375 hp and 410 pounds-feet of torque with the manual
• Both engines can use regular gas
• Standard all-disc brakes

Safety
Standard safety features include:

• Side curtain airbags for front and rear occupants
• Front-seat side-impact airbags
• Electronic stability system
• Antilock brakes
• Driver’s knee airbag
• Active front head restraints

SRT8 392
The performance-oriented SRT8 392 is powered by a 470-hp, 6.4-liter V-8, and the coupe now comes with a new two-mode adaptive suspension system. There’s also a new SRT heated steering wheel, and on models with the five-speed automatic transmission, the steering wheel includes new shift paddles for driver-initiated gear changes. An 18-speaker Harman Kardon premium stereo is also available for 2012. Dodge says the SRT8 392 can go from zero to 60 mph in the high-4-second range and run the quarter-mile in the mid-12-second range. Other features include:

• Six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission
• Performance-tuned dual exhaust system
• 20-inch aluminum wheels
• Brembo-brand brakes
• Limited-slip differential
• Uconnect hands-free phone system
• Reconfigurable display can show zero-to-60-mph times, eighth- and quarter-mile times, braking performance and g-force readings