Saleen SMS 570X Dodge Challenger

Steve Saleen has taken the wraps off his latest version of the Challenger, and it's a step above the 570 he recently introduced to the world. Dubbed the 570X, the car utilizes a 6.0L V8 tuned to a reported 700 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque.

The engine features forged internals lying underneath CNC ported aluminum heads. All that power is backed by a six speed manual. The car makes it's big power courtesy of the SMS 296 supercharger.

While the supercharger comes as part of the 570X package, it will also fit other Chrysler LX products including the Charger, Magnum, and Chrysler 300C. SMS also promises that "aftermarket fitments" are in the works for both Ford and General Motors products.

No word yet on pricing and availability, so stay tuned for more.

Consumer Reports pits modern muscle cars against each other in battle of supremacy

Consumer Reports is famous not for comparing high performance vehicles, but the reliability of say, econo boxes and mid size sedans. But the guys and gals that work at CR are true car fans, and that fact is quite evident in this video which pits the three modern muscle cars against each other.

The video previews an upcoming comparison test between the Ford Mustang GT, Chevy Camaro SS, and Dodge Challenger R/T. Watch the rubber burn.

Dodge Challenger outsells Mustang for month and YTD

Could it be, the perennial best selling pony car for many years has given up the crown to a fairly new "challenger?" All puns aside, it is a fact for the month of February and so far this year.

The Mustang was outsold for the month by 293 units, as the Challenger racked up 3,283cars sold. And the competition is only going to get stiffer, with the new Chevrolet Camaro going into production back on March 16th.

To be fair, part of the reason Mustang sales are slowing down are probably due to the fact that the new, redesigned model is bowing soon. Automakers also typically slow production before they introduce a new model as well.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this all pans out once all three cars are filling up dealer's lots and ushering in the new muscle car era.

Mr. Norm's Super Challenger in Chicago

Mr. Norm's Chicago based Grand Spaulding Dodge is the most famous Mopar dealer in the country, although he sold the dealership in the 70's. The man has made a resurgence of sorts lately, officially introducing the 1968 Dodge GSS Hemi Dart last year in Chicago as well as the Super Cuda and Challenger at SEMA just a few months ago.


The Challenger made an appearance in Chicago as well, sporting a two tone paint job and 900 horsepower. Other features include a carbon fiber front and rear spoiler, Katzkin leather interior, SSBC eight-piston front brakes, and a Hurst pistol grip shifter. Like the Hurst and its HEMI Challenger, Mr. Norm is selling a production version of the car with a a variety of styling options and performance levels ranging from 600 to 900 horsepower.

Dodge Viper ACR on the dyno

The true test for a car is on the dyno. No matter what the manufacturer says, there's some solace in seeing what kind of horsepower and torque it puts down. Not surprisingly, most muscle cars tend to put out more power than advertised.

The Dodge Viper ASC and the Corvette ZR1 are actually quite similar, according to Drag Times, with the Viper posting an impressive 546 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque compared to the supercharged ZR1's 549.9 horsepower and 500 lb-ft.

Considering that both vehicles use a six-speed stick and power the rear wheels, drivetrain losses should be similar, so these figures are relatively comparable. For what it's worth, Dodge officially (under) rates the ACR at 600 horsepower, and an estimated 15% loss through the drivetrain would put this beast at an actual 642 horses.

Dodge Challenger LeMans

Swedish design firm Vizualtech has some impressive 3D composition capabilities, as is evident in looking at Dodge Challenger. The Challenger has been transformed into a LeMans ready touring car, complete with GT-style wings, massive splitters, blistered fenders and carbon fiber diffusers.

Dodge Challenger SRT10 concept

The Challenger SRT10 concept sports not a hemi, but a V-10 sourced from the Viper. The 8.4L pumps out 600hp and 560lb-ft of torque, which is enough to forgive you from the muscle car purists, per say.

In addition to the power, the SRT10 features a carbon fiber front splitter and rear deck lid, a new rear spoiler, BILSTEIN shocks at all four corners, larger wheels, bigger brakes and quad exhaust tips out back. There's also carbon fiber trim inside the cockpit along with new sports seats and a red engine push-button start just like in the Viper.

SMS releases images and details on Challenger 570 and 570X

Steve Saleen's shiny new company, SMS, is getting ready to officially debut it's first production car and has released a few photos and and some information regarding the 570 and 570X.

According to the press release, the two models are slated to start at $60,000 and $70,000 respectively. That's quite a chunk of change, but SMS is going to make it worth it with an extensive list of upgrades.

Starting with the powertrain, the SMS 296 supercharger pushes massive amounts of air to the 5.7L HEMI, and true enthusiasts will be glad to know that a proper 6-speed manual transmission will be doing the shifting.

Both models also get a high performance suspension, exhaust, 20-inch wheels, and 14-inch front and 12-inch rear brakes. For the exterior, SMS replaces the front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and hood, and adds a rear spoiler. The 570X model also receives carbon fiber front and rear splitters, a carbon fiber diffuser, and a rear wing that replaces the spoiler.

The interior receives upgrades as well, including two-tone leather sport seats, leather door inserts, a leather grip shifter, 200-mph gauge cluster, and auxiliary gauges for the supercharger. Each vehicle will also be personally signed by Steve Saleen.

[Source: SMS Supercars]


PRESS RELEASE:

Steve Saleen and his company SMS are well on the way to production with the first vehicle in the line of Signature Series ultra-high performance vehicles. The SMS 570 Challenger will be the first vehicle with a host of aesthetic and functional innovations including the patented SMS Red Butterfly Induction™ hood and a full compliment of SMS ultra-high performance components including: drivetrain, suspension, aerodynamics, tires, wheels and interior.

The fully certified and street legal SMS 570 Challenger and SMS 570X Challenger will be based off the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T platform and will feature a SMS designed and engineered SMS 296 Supercharger atop the 5.7L Hemi, with power ratings from 500 to over 700 horsepower respectively.

The MSRP's for the 2009 SMS 570 Challenger and SMS 570X Challenger are targeted to start at $60,000 to $70,000 respectively with production commencing in 2008. Both models will carry a bumper-to-bumper factory warranty.

This is an exciting opportunity for the Mopar community to finally take part in the ultra-high performance niche production vehicle market! So act now to reserve yours.

Each of these limited edition vehicles will be personally signed by Steve Saleen as part of the Signature Series product line, complete with unique badges and graphics. Production numbers will be limited per year depending on the model, so the opportunity to be one of the few owners is limited to a first come first served basis. So act now, by placing your pre-production orders though any Dodge dealer in the US. Or call us directly for more details.

About SMS
We are a niche manufacturer of lifestyle ultra-high performance vehicles, technical performance parts, lifestyle accessories and apparel. We design, engineer, test, certify, manufacture and assemble all our own products and vehicles.