SRT8 4dr Rear-Wheel Drive Sedan
2008 Dodge Charger
2008 Dodge Charger cop car – Click above for high-res image gallery To paraphrase the words of the immortal Elwood Blues to his recently emancipated brother, Jake; "It's got a cop motor, cop tires, cop suspension, and cop shocks." There was a time when Dodge was a major player in the field of supplying vehicles to the police agencies of America. In the early '70s, the black and white Dodge Monaco as exemplified in the Blues Brothers film was a common sight patrolling the streets of this country. As the '80s faded into the '90s, Chrysler dropped out of the cop car market as its entire lineup went front-wheel drive. Earlier this decade, rear-wheel-drive cars returned to the PentaStar range and the Ford Crown Victoria faced a new competitor in the form of the Dodge Magnum and Charger. When Autoblog asked Chrysler for a chance to spend some time behind the wheel of a Charger police special, the car-maker turned over a demo unit in black and white regalia complete with a full light kit and "Dodge City" police markings all over the sides. In spite of the prominent "Out of Service" markings across the windshield and trunk, the look proved to be a little too authentic for some. In true Autoblog fashion, however, we were "On a mission" of some kind and went the extra mile for you our loyal readers. Read all about our little adventure with the Charger cop car after the jump. %Gallery-15642% Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. When the Charger was dropped off in the driveway, it was immediately apparent what our first destination had to be. My son and I made a bee-line down the road to Tim Hortons to grab some donuts. It's a cliche, but like every legend, there lies a nugget of truth within. After hopping out just long enough to snap some pics, we did park this decidedly indiscrete car in a more discrete location. Getting into the cop Charger, it was instantly apparent why Chrysler interiors are the way they are. The company has clearly been preparing to re-enter the police car market for some time and the Charger's materials reflect the durability needs of these special purpose vehicles. Unlike the normal retail versions of Chrysler's big sedans, the transmission selector has been moved from the console to the more traditional steering column location. There's actually a functional reason for this. If you've ever peeked inside an on-duty patrol car in recent years, you'll see they are equipped with an array of high-tech gear ranging from laptop computers to radios and more. Police specials get equipped with a cover over the normal center console to which these various pieces of hardware can be mounted. The forward end of the test unit had a row of switches for operating the various modes of the fully functional light bar, including the alley lights that let an officer pull up to the end of an alley and light …
Full Review
2008 Dodge Charger cop car – Click above for high-res image gallery To paraphrase the words of the immortal Elwood Blues to his recently emancipated brother, Jake; "It's got a cop motor, cop tires, cop suspension, and cop shocks." There was a time when Dodge was a major player in the field of supplying vehicles to the police agencies of America. In the early '70s, the black and white Dodge Monaco as exemplified in the Blues Brothers film was a common sight patrolling the streets of this country. As the '80s faded into the '90s, Chrysler dropped out of the cop car market as its entire lineup went front-wheel drive. Earlier this decade, rear-wheel-drive cars returned to the PentaStar range and the Ford Crown Victoria faced a new competitor in the form of the Dodge Magnum and Charger. When Autoblog asked Chrysler for a chance to spend some time behind the wheel of a Charger police special, the car-maker turned over a demo unit in black and white regalia complete with a full light kit and "Dodge City" police markings all over the sides. In spite of the prominent "Out of Service" markings across the windshield and trunk, the look proved to be a little too authentic for some. In true Autoblog fashion, however, we were "On a mission" of some kind and went the extra mile for you our loyal readers. Read all about our little adventure with the Charger cop car after the jump. %Gallery-15642% Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. When the Charger was dropped off in the driveway, it was immediately apparent what our first destination had to be. My son and I made a bee-line down the road to Tim Hortons to grab some donuts. It's a cliche, but like every legend, there lies a nugget of truth within. After hopping out just long enough to snap some pics, we did park this decidedly indiscrete car in a more discrete location. Getting into the cop Charger, it was instantly apparent why Chrysler interiors are the way they are. The company has clearly been preparing to re-enter the police car market for some time and the Charger's materials reflect the durability needs of these special purpose vehicles. Unlike the normal retail versions of Chrysler's big sedans, the transmission selector has been moved from the console to the more traditional steering column location. There's actually a functional reason for this. If you've ever peeked inside an on-duty patrol car in recent years, you'll see they are equipped with an array of high-tech gear ranging from laptop computers to radios and more. Police specials get equipped with a cover over the normal center console to which these various pieces of hardware can be mounted. The forward end of the test unit had a row of switches for operating the various modes of the fully functional light bar, including the alley lights that let an officer pull up to the end of an alley and light …
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Retail Price
$37,215
MSRP / Window Sticker Price
| Engine | 6.1L V-8 |
| MPG | 13 City / 18 Hwy |
| Seating | 5 Passengers |
| Transmission | 5-spd w/OD |
| Power | 425 @ 6000 rpm |
| Drivetrain | rear-wheel |
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