If we made a list of unforgettable cars of the previous decade, the first-generation Chrysler 300 SRT8 and Dodge Charger SRT8 would be on it. They were nutso full-sizers with 425-hp, 6.1-liter Hemis; aggressive looks; and chest-thumping exhausts. Those qualities earned them a pass for their shortcomings—which included occasionally crashy suspensions, plasticky interiors, turret-like outward vision, and a five-speed automatic transmission that could have used an additional ratio (or three).
We wouldn’t find ourselves smitten with the all-new 2012 300 SRT8 and Charger SRT8—each packing a larger, revised 6.4-liter Hemi with 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque—if they were to arrive with similar faults. Our first chance to be smote came on the twisty roads north of Los Angeles, and on the quick, 2.5-mile road course at Willow Springs International Raceway near Lancaster, California. (For more details on the new Hemi, check out our 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 test.)
Status Elevated: The 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8
It was at the track that we received our first opportunity to let a preproduction 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 off its leash. Barreling down the front straight, the acceleration was stupefying for a full-size sedan, but is it quicker than before? We won’t know for sure until we strap on the test gear, but we predict a 4.6-second sprint to 60. That’s 0.1 second quicker, with the 6.4’s additional 45 horses and 50 lb-ft likely able to overcome a 150-ish-pound weight gain. Figure on a quarter-mile time of around 13 flat, too, an improvement of 0.2 second. (The Dodge should return identical numbers.)
The five-speed auto carries over as the conduit for the Hemi’s fury. Acceleration could be helped later by the installation of Chrysler’s eight-speed automatic, which will occur in about a year; it also likely will reduce these beasts’ thirst. For now, any improvement in fuel economy—Chrysler says it’s 25-percent better—comes largely from the Hemi’s new cylinder-deactivation system. There’s also an active valve in the exhaust system that allows half the pots to play dead without a conspicuous change to the exhaust note.
At Willow or on the mountain roads, it was hard to forget the 300 SRT8’s mass, but it never felt unwieldy and acquitted itself fairly well on the track’s squiggles. The fully hydraulic steering delivers linear and surprisingly quick response, and its heft means the quickness just off-center doesn’t wreak havoc on straight-line stability. A bit more surface feedback would have been appreciated at the limit, but there’s enough in nearly every other situation.
Even at 130 mph along the back straight—top speed is 175, says Chrysler—the 300 SRT8 remained firmly planted, and there was virtually no wind noise. There was little drama as we approached turn eight, a wide, fast right-hander. There, the 300 SRT8 hunkered down on its suspension, which drops the body by a half inch compared to the workaday 300/300C. The majority of suspension components have been modified or replaced by SRT, with the most consequential change being the fitment of active dampers, which have distinct Automatic and Sport modes, each uniquely tuned for the Chrysler and the Dodge. In the case of the 300 SRT8, the Automatic mode more or less delivers the comfort of the 300C, while Sport is focused on mitigating body roll, locking the dampers into their firmest setting. But even in Sport, the ride quality never approaches the roughness of this car’s predecessor. Stability-control thresholds are set high enough to allow some exploration of the bounds of grip without electro-nanny intrusion.
Rounding out the SRT8’s performance enhancements are seriously beefed-up brakes. All four corners feature silver-painted, four-piston Brembo calipers; they clamp vented and slotted discs that measure 14.2 inches in front and 13.8 inches in the rear. In addition to being incredibly powerful, these are among the most communicative binders we’ve ever experienced in an American sedan.
Combine the sleeker body and faster windshield angle swiped from the regular 300 with the lowered suspension, and the SRT8 looks serious even before you get to the unique front fascia, the darkened headlamp surrounds, and the glossy black grille. Other accents, including side-sill extensions, door handles, mirrors, and the rear spoiler, are painted body color. Out back, the rear fascia contains a darkened lower section punctuated by a pair of four-inch chrome exhaust tips. For customers wanting a more sinister look, a Black Chrome package will be available later, and will bring upper and lower grille surrounds, rear trim, and seven-spoke 20-inch wheels rendered in black chrome.
The first SRT8’s interior utterly failed to deliver on the expectations that come with a near-$50K price, but the new model’s leather-wrapped dashboard, elegant primary gauges, high-res touch screen, and genuine carbon-fiber trim on the center console, dash, and doors should beat back any complaints. Deeply bolstered, high-back sport seats return for duty and are comfortable, although they would benefit from adjustable bolsters to help accommodate narrower bodies. Our favorite new piece is the thick-rimmed, SRT-specific steering wheel that incorporates, at long last, shift paddles behind the nine and three posts.
The SRT8 includes most every 300/300C option as standard. Besides two-tone, red-and-black leather and suede upholstery, the only add-ons are a dual-panel sunroof, the Leather Premium Interior package (leather-covered armrests, door tops, console lid, and dash), a 19-speaker (!) Harman/Kardon audio system, and the Safety Tec package (collision warning, radar-based cruise control, rear cross-path detection, LED rear fog lamps, and exterior mirrors with supplemental turn signals and puddle lamps).
Now for Something Completely, Uh, Similar: The 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8
If for all of its dash the 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 seems low on flash, behold “the outspoken one,” according to SRT CEO Ralph Gilles. Indeed, the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 couldn’t be more outspoken if Ann Coulter, Keith Olbermann, Rush Limbaugh, and Bill Maher were piled inside. The 2011 Dodge Charger is rather bold to begin with; the SRT adds side skirts, a rear spoiler, a diffuser-style rear bumper, fat chrome exhaust tips, and a gorgeous new hood with a pair of integrated—and functional—vents near its leading edge. The Dodge offers only one wheel design, a split five-spoke forged aluminum 20-incher with black painted pockets.
But the Charger SRT8’s single greatest point of distinction from its Chrysler sibling is the controversial front end. The grille incorporates matte-black upper and lower honeycomb-style air intakes in a single, blacked-out frame, and it’s flanked by smaller intakes. (Of course, if you hate it, you could always just get your Charger SRT8 in black.) It represents a stark contrast to the 300 SRT8’s reserved looks.
Like the 300 SRT8, the Charger SRT8 offers the option of red-and-black seat hides, and likewise gets most of its lesser siblings’ available features as standard, although the equipment list itself varies slightly from that of the Chrysler. A conventional sunroof, for example, is offered instead of a panoramic one, and certain features like rain-sensing wipers are offered a la carte. The 19-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system is on the list, however, and we recommend it for the times you’re not conducting your own concert with the gas pedal.
The Charger SRT8 is mechanically identical to the 300 SRT8 in every respect save the tuning of the active shocks, which are, not surprisingly, stiffer in the Dodge. The Charger shares the 300’s impressive dynamics in every area but one: Driving the cars back-to-back showed that the Dodge better communicates road surfaces to the driver, most noticeably through the wheel.
Vehicle Performance Data the Driver Can Actually See
Both SRT8 sedans feature an 8.4-inch touch-screen display that includes a “Performance Pages” function that displays vehicle performance data, including instantaneous g forces; lap times; eighth-mile, quarter-mile, 0-to-60, and 0-to-60-to-0 figures; braking distances and more. Compared with the small readout of similar data found in the previous sedans and the Challenger SRT8, the large pictogram-style g-force display is far easier to reference at speed. And for the folks who are actually inclined to peruse the data, Chrysler includes a one-day SRT driving school with the purchase of either model. Speaking of purchasing, the Charger SRT8 will start at $46,620 and the 300 SRT8 at $47,995 when they arrive in showrooms this fall.
We’re looking forward to performing full instrumented tests on Chrysler’s fleetest four-doors. But even without the numbers, it’s clear that in most every other aspect—refinement, user-friendliness, handling, and in the engine room—both the 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 and the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 are improved by measures, and they’re much more suitable now to tackle the dual roles of weekday commuter and weekend thrill ride. It’s too soon to put the pair on the unforgettable list for this decade, but we’d call this a good start.
