Camaro VS Challenger Smackdown! SEMA Edition
by Frank Filipponio on Nov 5th 2008 at 1:22PM 
Click above for the Camaro vs Challenger Smackdown
Earlier this week we published live shots of four Camaro Concepts that Chevy had brought to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. As the Official Car of the show this year, the Camaro was expected to be present in full force. What we didn't expect were all the great Dodge Challengers that we've found. We've shared some of our favorites with you already, but the official Challengers from Mopar alone are pretty spectacular. Today we went back and took another look at the Challengers in Mopar Alley and realized something: Black is to Blacktop as LS7 is to SRT10 as GS is to Targa. The Camaro and Challenger concepts at SEMA match up pretty well. Coincidence? We think not. So, building on our recent GM/Chrysler Battle Royale, we decided to find out which muscle car concepts were king at the 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Torrent 1:25PM (11/05/2008)
I like the Camaro in general better, but the Challenger takes the cake with the V10.
Reply
Torrent 1:57PM (11/05/2008)
as for the others...... camaro all the way....
Soccer Mom 1:27PM (11/05/2008)
Don't know about that - Camaro looks to me like a winner in every department apart from turning liquid fossil-derived fuel into a greenhouse gas (Challenger will do it quicker and more efficiently).
Reply
TwinTurbo3000GT 1:44PM (11/05/2008)
if you care about that, why are you looking at V8 muscle? go buy a prius
Assass1n 1:52PM (11/05/2008)
@ 3000gt
I don't think you get what she was saying. She means if your goal is to turn fossil fuel into CO2, then the challenger will do it much quicker. Oh and I think the Camaro wins on all levels, V-10 or not. The challenger is too big and too retro- not a pony car.
Tristan 2:25PM (11/05/2008)
u r crazy if you think that a challenger is going to get better MPG!!! And HP ratings dont mean anything. for example. c6 corvette and mustang gt500. magnum and g8 gt. o and by the way the corvette and g8 get better MPG.
GM builds quite efficient cars when we step back with out just saying its an american car
Mike S., 1:33PM (11/05/2008)
I'd take the Challenger SRT10, and the Targa over their Camaro counterparts. But I'd have the Camaro Black over the Blacktop.
Reply
JDMlover 1:34PM (11/05/2008)
I don't like either cause they are not my style but....
The Camaro look like it can out handle the Challenger...but the challenger will destroy it in HP
V10 Viper Challenger!!! +D
CHALLENGER ALL THE WAY!!!!!
Reply
BoxerFanatic 1:35PM (11/05/2008)
The question is...
What is GM going to do, once they own both?
But the Trans Am series looking Camaro is probably the most impressive "Pony/Muscle car" variants in the whole Mustang/Camaro/Challenger triumvirate.
A seam-welded body, and real chassis-work done to a car with real independent suspension to make the car actually work as a cohesive system, instead of just using a bigger hammer, or a flashier paint job. (although the blue paint is pretty good looking)
Still not seeing anything in the SEMA coverage that is making me say... "I REALLY WANT THAT ONE!"
Nope. Lots of superficial glitz and glamour. The efforts at performance seem limited to adding boost, or putting an overkill-engine in whatever car. Very little about stiff chassis, good handling, lighter weight approaches. Maybe that is why I actually like the blue Camaro.
Reply
Adam Marcello 1:40PM (11/05/2008)
I agree on the black versions. The challenger seems to be better thought out. I would take the LS7 camaro over the viper challenger though.
Reply
James 1:40PM (11/05/2008)
At first I thought the Camaro looked disjointed. Too many sharp angles coupled with a way too rounded rump. Now I think it looks pretty good!
Reply
TwinTurbo3000GT 1:46PM (11/05/2008)
That camaro with yellow wheels induces a gag reflex. Other than that, all those cars are absolutely gorgeous!
Reply
Assass1n 2:43PM (11/05/2008)
Umm... those specific colors were chosen for a reason. Mark Donohue, Trans Am; ring a bell?
eb110americana 11:45PM (11/05/2008)
@Assass1n: Just because they're historical throwbacks doesn't make them any less retina-searing. I think we've all seen one too many aftermarket bodykits, wings, and mirrors in contrasting bright yellow on far lesser cars for the relevance to prevail. The wheels pay homage to historical greats of the Trans Am racing series, but they're still tacky looking. Then again, this is SEMA, so those easily offended...
geo.stewart 1:47PM (11/05/2008)
no way, no how. Camaro wins across the board. The SRT10 is intriguing but i'm betting the gains in performance do not match the gains in hp and $$.
Reply
Menice 2:01PM (11/05/2008)
Camaro all the way.
you can keep your v10.
Reply
Jay 3:07PM (11/05/2008)
call me biased but I like all the Camaros more. I [particularly don't like the SRT10, the chin spoiler ruins the look of the whole front clip, and I've never liked the way that V10 sounds, but thats just me.
Reply
Jeremy B 4:51PM (11/05/2008)
Go Camaro!!!
Reply
Hey you behind the bushes 5:10PM (11/05/2008)
Can't we just have both?
Reply
RLQ 8:20PM (11/05/2008)
Camaro hands down.
Reply