5,500 Actual Mile Challenger SRT8 6.1 HEMI 6 Speed

Enjoy it now, torque fans, because these are truly the golden days of horsepower. When you can buy a 425 horsepower Challenger SRT8 with a 6-speed manual transmission right off the showroom floor, take it to the track and run low 13s on street tires, then drive it home in air-conditioned comfort, life is truly good. With gas prices inching up, cars like these will soon end up on the endangered species list, so picking one up now while the getting is good is probably a smart move.

This 2009 Challenger SRT8 is loaded with just about every option you can get on one of these, including the Track Pak, which includes the 6-speed transmission from the Viper. From the collection of a fastidious Mopar collector, it shows just 5500 well-maintained miles from new, and is in stunning condition throughout. The Challenger's classic rear drive muscle car looks are sure to stand the test of time, and it does an awfully good impersonation of the 1970 model, yet Dodge designers managed to give the new model a truly modern flair. The long front hood, short rear end and wide stance brings a smile to our faces and thumbs-up from ogling onlookers. The hood looks menacing in appearance, and the absolute best view of the expansive metal comes from the driver's seat. The Tor-Red paint on this one is near flawless, and that's a word I don't use very often. Faux carbon fiber stripes are a hallmark of the SRT8 models, and this one also features satin black side stripes with SRT callouts at the base of the rear quarter windows. This car has likely never seen rain, and has always been stored indoors, and thanks to many wax and polish sessions, the finish is absolutely first rate in every way.

If you're a fan of whiplash-inducing torque and smoky burnouts, the SRT8 is the perfect tool for the job. The 6.1 liter Hemi produces a towering 425 horsepower, equal to the legendary 426 Hemi of yore. The engine bay is spotless, no doubt wiped down regularly and detailed for show every few weeks. A K&N cold air intake may add a few horsepower, and it definitely creates a noteworthy intake WOOSH at wide-open throttle, something you'll experience more than once in a while when you're driving this car. The Chrysler engineers gave you a great-looking engine, as well, with a big aluminum intake up top and blacked-out coil covers with Hemi 6.1L spelled out in silver and red.

While the earliest Challengers were automatic-only, this one packs the same slick-shifting 6-speed from the Viper, and it really transforms the car. Combined with the 3.70 gears out back, the list of cars with more straight-line punch than the Challenger is awfully short. And in the turns, the modern Challenger is vastly superior to its vintage namesake, with a fully independent suspension, massive Brembo disc brakes, and sophisticated traction control systems all working to extract every bit of performance from the tires. As with the rest of this car, the chassis is in factory fresh condition, with the exception of an expensive stainless steel Borla exhaust system that upgrades the Challengers exhaust note from a buzz to a roar that would be right at home on the front stretch at LeMans. And you can't overlook those massive 20-inch wheels wearing 245/45/20 front and 255/45/20 rear Goodyear performance radials.

Inside, the styling is a mix of old and new, remarkable for keeping everything in roughly the same place as the Dodge Charger while adding a unique personality and looking more upscale, and it even manages to carry off faux carbon fiber, partly by using a finer pattern, and partly by avoiding large swaths of the stuff. Thin chrome bands highlight the four big gauges. As an SRT8, this car includes a “performance pages” feature which provides the driver with performance data, including zero to sixty times, quarter and eighth mile times, g-forces (both peak and instant), gas mileage, and braking distance. The SRT8 naturally comes with a top of the line music system complete with a navigation system with soft-touch (on-screen) controls. Overhead, there's a power glass sunroof, a bin that holds sunglasses, and two dome lights; the day/night mirror is automatic, and a universal garage door opener is built in. With this car, in case you haven't guessed, everything is in new condition, from the seats to the carpets, and everything functions like new.

Documentation, since this car comes from a fellow enthusiast, is complete. Not only does it have the usual booklets and manuals that you get with an SRT8, this one also comes with the original window sticker, manifest, broadcast sheets, and even all the original tags and warning labels that were typically removed during the dealer prep process.

These cars are already hot collectables, and they don't last very long on our showroom floor here at RK Motors Charlotte. This one, loaded with options and in absolutely spectacular condition, is as good as new in every way, without the new car sticker shock. With performance that will humble a vintage Hemi Challenger, and luxury that was almost unimaginable in 1970, it's a great example of how far our performance cars have come. And with dark days looming on the horizon, it's not a question of if, but when cars like this will no longer be built. If you love tail-out, tire-smoking, brute rear-wheel-drive horsepower muscle, the Challenger SRT8 is probably the best of the breed. Call today.