#4 of 10 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Kowalski Edition 392 HEM

The movie, “Vanishing Point” is the Mopar lover’s equivalent of “Gone in 60 Seconds.” A guy, a fast car, and a long drive at high speeds—what else do you need? The guy was named simply Kowalski, and his car was an unmarked white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T. The drive was a bet that he couldn’t get from Colorado to San Francisco in 15 hours. We don’t need to go into a lot of details about the plot (there isn’t much to discuss) to get the gist of it: a cool white Challenger spends almost two hours of screen time running flat-out—what else do you really need from your car guy movie?

The film is a cult hit, and if you haven’t seen it, you’re kind of going to miss the point of this Kowalski Edition 2011 Challenger. But for you guys who do get it, this car is going to bring a big smile to your face and the urge to head west and hammer across some empty landscape. And there’s just no better way to do that than in a brand-new Hemi-powered SRT8.

Special edition cars are nothing new, but this one is, indeed, something special. It owes its existence to a very motivated guy named Bob Frederick of New Wilmington Dodge in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. Growing up in his family dealership, he quickly became known as the guy to see for your Mopar muscle fix. So when he decided to create a modern day Vanishing Point Challenger, he simply picked up the phone and called Chrysler.

Initial thoughts revolved around using a regular Challenger, because white was added to the color palette in 2009. But Bob figured that any kind of Vanishing Point tribute car had to be the top-of-the-line SRT8 model packing massive firepower and a 6-speed manual transmission. The only problem? White was not on the menu for the SRT8. Then in 2011, Chrysler announced the 392 Inaugural Edition Challenger SRT8, and finally listed white among its available colors.

Bob called Auburn Hills and told them his plan: A white, stripe-delete SRT8 392, 6-speed manual transmission, Dark Slate SRT seats, 20-inch SRT aluminum wheels, a navigation system and SRT Option Group II. Technically, it was possible, but he threw in one other caveat for the guys at Dodge: he wanted sequential VINs.

Ultimately, Bob Frederick made it work: ten white, stripe-delete, 6-speed SRT8 Challengers were delivered to New Wilmington Dodge for the full Kowalski: unique “Kowalski Edition” decals on the rear spoiler and under the hood along with a special numbered dash plaque and a custom fender tag mounted in the engine bay, plus a pair of Scat Pack bee decals for the quarter windows, reminiscent of the ones used on Dodge’s 1970 performance models. Inside, the Kowalski cars get 1970-style Hurst Pistol Grip shift handles with wood grain grips and a six-speed shift-pattern insert; out back are Mopar chrome quad exhaust tips. The cars come with a unique broadcast sheet as well, and as a tribute to the movie that will get fans excited, there’s a reproduction Colorado license plate that matches that used on the movie car.

Of course, all ten Kowalski Edition Challengers were snapped up before the broadcast sheets even hit the assembly line printer, and this one, number 4 of 10, was ordered new by RK Motors Charlotte and we took delivery of it directly from New Wilmington Dodge. It has nothing more than delivery and test mileage, and is factory new in every way. This is the ONLY Kowalski Challenger available anywhere, at any price.

They really pulled out all the stops on this one, and if this were a 1970 Challenger, this is where we would include the fender tag decode. And seeing as though The Kowalski Edition Challenger now carries a special fender tag, here’s the information:

21X 392 cubic inch Hemi, 6-speed, Track PakPW7 Monotone White exterior with white SRT spoilerULDV Dark Slate Gray leather/suede interiorMMS Stripe deleteRHR Super Soul Guidance System (Media Center 730N Navigation)AY2 SRT Option Group II (Kicker sound system)WP3 SRT 20x9 aluminum wheels

A19 Frederic Scat Pack Kowalski EditionJ42 Hurst Pistol Grip shifter handleD23 Hurst short-throw shifterN42 Chrome quad exhaust tipsV25 Numbered dash plaqueV27 Scat Pack window decalN92 High flow filter elementY21 Additional build sheet and fender tag57X Special Kowalski Edition factory build

Pretty cool, huh?

So this is, in essence a new car in every way. The plain white body actually looks amazing if you’re a Vanishing Point fan, and super stealthy even if you’re not. The lack of stripes or exterior markings helps the car keep a low profile yet definitely makes the Kowalski Edition cars stand out in a crowd of other SRT8s. These cars will be mobbed at the next Mopar Nationals show, guaranteed.

Dodge did some upgrades to the SRT8 for 2011, and the most noticeable external upgrade are new 392 Hemi badges on the front fenders. The Kowalski Edition cars also get Scat Pack style decals on the rear spoiler, under the hood, and rear quarter windows.

Power comes from a 392 cubic inch Hemi V8, which now makes 470 horsepower and 470 pounds of torque. With the Kowalski Edition, there’s a high-flow air filter which may free up a few horsepower and gives the intake a definite big block sound that’s strangely absent on the stock car. Otherwise, the engine bay is in untouched factory condition, with all the original markings, labels, and components 100% intact. Remember, this is a brand-new car that was delivered to guys who understand the value of not altering ANYTHING on a special edition piece.

The transmission is a 6-speed Tremec TR-6060with a dual disc clutch, and it’s more than up to the beating it’s sure to receive at the hands of the big Hemi, and the rear differential internals are now shot-peened for extra strength. The exhaust system has been reworked, and according to Chrysler engineers, it just barely passes drive-by sound requirements for production cars. Other changes for 2011 include new hydroelastic engine mounts—they suppress idle shake and better control the engine’s mass during cornering—stiffer suspension bushings complemented by larger front and rear anti-roll bars, a steering ratio quickened from 16.1:1 to 14.4:1, and an increase in the front negative camber from 0.8 degree to 1.4 degrees. Together, these changes make the SRT8 a lively handler that belies its size. Wheels are those gorgeous 20-inchers wearing 245/45/20 Goodyear Eagle RS-A radials.

Inside, it’s 100% stock Challenger SRT8, which includes leather and suede buckets with SRT logos embroidered on the seatbacks. The dash has silver-faced gauges that comprehensively monitor the engine, and the navigation and entertainment system is easy to use and powerful. The wood grained pistol-grip shifter looks right at home in the brushed aluminum console, and the steering wheel is one inch smaller in diameter than last year’s car. As with the rest of the car, it is in absolutely pristine as-delivered condition throughout.

Documentation is an important part of any special edition car, and this car is no exception. In addition to the aforementioned fender tag under the hood, this one carries a Kowalski Edition build sheet, as well as the original build sheets that come with any new 2011 Challenger. We also have the window sticker, special owner’s manual, envelope, and other books, all with that new Scat Pack logo, as well as all the original paperwork from Chrysler. And, of course, there’s that custom 1970 Colorado license plate from the original Vanishing Point Challenger.

If you’re a fan of the movie or simply love the unique opportunity that this car represents, you cannot afford to wait. Rarely does the factory cooperate with to create something like this, and it’s highly unlikely that they’ll do it again. Nine of the Kowalski Edition Challengers have vanished into prominent Mopar collections, leaving only number 4 here looking for a new home. There’s no doubt this is a special car. Move fast—I’m guessing you have only about 15 hours before this one is gone. Call now!