ok guy's...what about the new Daytona R/T anyone test drive it yet?

[moparnutswife]

Has anyone seen or test drove the new one yet?  I see all the comments on the R/T but not the Daytona.
I have test drove it and all I can say is WOW!!
I tested the R/T and the Daytona R/T.  Daytona won.  We took the R/T out and thought we were impressed but discouraged at the fact that you can not break the tires free even turning off the rear end protection.  I even tried line-locking it.....didn't work.
We took the Daytona out and had to take a salesman with us because it was limited and numbered.....blah blah.
Let's just say we made him a little nervous when I punched it at 75 and hit passing gear without down shifting to pass a semi trailer on the highway.  It literally puts you down further into the seats as it takes off.
Ok the color was orange and black--Go Man Go!!!  Not the mopar nut's favorite.....He is waiting for the Top Banana-Yellow and black.
Now before you all go nuts on me I just want to say that no car is ever going to replace the true classic charger.  I have loved the most famous of them all....the General Lee!!!!  But due to the recent release of the Duke's movie....finding one and being able to purchase a charger of that vintage is next to impossible.  My mopar-nut hubby has health problems and is no longer able to restore/work on cars, so we are left to find ones that do not require work.  Good luck finding one that doesn't require a little TLC.
We decided to check out the new 06's and see what was there.
I was just wondering if any of you had an opinion on the new ones?  Go easy on me......lol

[Troy]

I don't think too many people are disappointed in the performance of them - it's the appearance that most people aren't thrilled with. I cringe whenever I see one but that doesn't mean I wouldn't have a blast driving it. The new Charger isn't alone though. I can't stand the looks of most new cars - especially anything made by DCX. They try to take cookie cutter cars and add "distinctive" features like square fenders and big, gaudy, truck grills (which barely look right on the trucks). I swear they hired Pontiacs entire design team from a few years back...

Troy

[Chris G.]

Now before you all go nuts on me I just want to say that no car is ever going to replace the true classic charger.  

Exactly   , which is why I'm glad that DCX doesn't want to make a copycat of the original like Ford did. Let the legend stay a legend. No need for some new copycat car to steal your thunder at a car show or cruise like what's happening to the old Mustang crowd.  

[Headrope]

I've driven both. They had more than plenty to give to me on the highways through Montana. The altitude where I drove the Daytona was nearly 3200 feet and the outside temperature ranged from 90-103 degrees. Inside was a cozy (I'm guessing) 67 degrees - modern interior climate control systems: yet another benefit of the new cars.

I didn't drive the Daytona over the Great Divide (roughly 6000 feet) but the R/T was plenty capable going uphill, and loved taking 50 MPH sweeping, downhill turns between 60 and 75 MPH. I'm sure I could of done much better, with something other than factory cut tires (and without a nervous back seat driver suggesting I "really should slow down.").

Overall I found both to have adequate acceleration, corner like a new car - unlike the originals - and, most importantly, could come to a controlled stop quick, making the fear of rounding a turn at 75+ MPH and encountering livestock on the road much easier to deal with.

The new Chargers will never replace the originals when it comes to cool factor and nostalgic warm-and-fuzzies. But when it comes to actually driving the cars they win hands down, in my opinion. I'd have no qualms driving a new Charger from Washington state (where I live) to New York. I'd actually welcome the chance.

It would cost much more than $27000, roughy the price of an adequately optioned R/T, to make the drivability factor in my '66 (that was the year of the original Charger, sorry second Gen. folks) equal to what the experience in the '06 Chargers were like.