The Auto Blog

The next muscle car era begins in spring 2008, when the first Challenger SRT8s reach dealerships. The current-generation Ford Mustang has benefited from being without its traditional marketplace, and drag strip, rivals since the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird were retired after the 2002 model year. However, with clear visual links to their potent progenitors, the Dodge and Ford coupes will face the reborn Camaro about a year later.

Official Challenger SRT8 specs and other model line details are a closely guarded secret until the Chicago Auto Show in February. We do know that the SRT8 will feature a 6.1-liter V8 engine; that powertrain produces 425-horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque in the comparably priced Dodge Charger SRT8 sedan. It is expected that the high-performance Challenger SRT8 will be joined by V6 and less-powerful V8 models, bringing it in line with the Mustang. Currently, the Charger offers a 250-hp, 3.5L V6 and 335-hp, 5.7-liter V8.

The countdown is on…

—Jeff Bartlett

Times have changed. Nowadays, we tend to drive for necessity and are usually under “pressure” to get to a destination or are stuck sitting in traffic. We also have to keep fuel economy in mind especially with rising gas prices.

I recently took a three-hour drive to our auto test facility in Connecticut. It was a perfect fall day—sun shining, bright blue skies, and brilliant hues on the trees. I brought along some driving tunes, water, and snacks. (It’s amazing how much stuff we take for even a relatively short trip.) During the ride, I remembered the times when I would drive for fun, just to get out of the house or if I had nothing else to do. Those days are long gone for me now that I have a family, but on this particular journey I had time to reminiscence. The road trip was therapy. I was able to gather my thoughts, reflect on life, and sing at the top of my lungs to my favorite tunes. The best roads, I found, were winding country roads. Not much traffic, just lots of nature and scenery surrounding me.

A road trip is also fun when shared with others, not to mention more economical and potentially better for the environment. My husband took a cross-country trip with three of his friends right after college. He notes that his favorite road was Route 128 in Utah. The glow of the red rock at sunrise was reportedly breathtaking and it created a memory he and his friends will have forever. One of my favorite road recollections is a stretch of the Northway (Route 87) in New York on my way back to college during the winter months. The scene was postcard-perfect, with the sun glistening off the snow and ice dripping down from the frozen trees.

What are your best driving memories? Don’t be a “stranger”: Feel free to share your best road trip, favorite roads, driving tunes, and other sights and scenes from your travels in the Comments below. You can also include what type of car you were driving. After all, the right car can make the experience.

—Liza Barth