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December 6, 2007
We are a bit backwoodsy here in New England when it comes to auto shows.
We may give them hifalutin names - the New England International Auto Show (Boston), the Connecticut International Auto Show (Hartford) and the Northeast International Auto Show (Providence) - but when it comes to auto shows, the top ones are ranked by the number of concept cars which are unveiled.
And while a number of concept are unveiled at the New York International Auto Show, most New England shows have to put up with concepts that are long out of the bag.
(I guess all these shows are "international" because they have foreign marques like Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Nissan; the glossier marques like BMW and Mercedes-Benz don't even make an appearance at the Providence show.)
So it was at the recent Boston Auto Show where such "concepts" as the 2010 Chevy Camaro Z28, the Jeep Trailhawk and the Chrysler Imperial were a treat to see but not exactly new.
At the same time, the Dodge Challenger SRT8 concept, which was first shown at last year's Detroit Auto Show - excuse me, the North American International Auto Show - is just gorgeous and a treat to see however late.
Indeed, not only is the production model due to be displayed at the Chicago Auto Show - it's actual name! - in early February, but Dodge dealers started to take orders last Monday and its selling like hotcakes.
Chrysler is only making 10,000 of the 2008 Challengers,which are priced at $38,000, and dealers have already taken over 6,000 deposits for the vehicles.
Listen, I am no muscle car man - I drive an old granola crunchy Volvo wagon - but I can recognize beauty when I see it. This car certainly has a juicy powertrain - a 6.1-liter V8 - to give it the raw oomph of the old Challenger, but it also has the lines refined to New VW Beetle level of sophistication.
It is smoothed out with just the right touches of power trim - the pipes, the stripes, the tires - to echo not only the car itself but an entire era as well.
I fell in love with this car and can readily understand why it is roaring out of the showrooms before it has even arrived!
Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth 
at 2:20 PM to Chrysler
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