G. Chambers Williams Iii: Redesigned Charger Ready To Rule Road

Police officers lucky enough to be assigned to one of the new Dodge Charger patrol

cars have a great ride, one that's much more comfortable than most of the cruisers of the past, including the ones I drove around in my own police days more than a few years ago.

I have a die-cast steel model of one of the recent Charger cruisers sitting on my desk, reminding me of the new police model that I tested about four years ago, just as they were coming to market. Just like my tester, it says "Dodge City Police" on the side.

But the model on my desk, as well as the restyled 2011 Charger sedan I tested for this report, are a bit fancier than most of the police cars we see out on the roads these days.

For instance, police versions don't have the fancy five-double-spoke chrome wheels of the model, or even the 20-inch aluminum wheels that were part of the Rallye Appearance Group ($1,295) on my 2011 Charger review vehicle.

The police cars, commonly in black or white (or a combination of the two), certainly don't come with the Toxic Orange Pearl Coat exterior paint of my tester. That added $295 to the entry level 2011 Charger SE's $25,170 base price ($25,495 for the 2012 model), plus $825 freight.

But like the police cars, even the base Charger is well-equipped; it's no stripped-down bargain model. It definitely is a bargain, though.

Standard SE equipment includes the same base 3.6-liter, 292-horsepower V-6 engine that comes on the 2011 police cars, connected to a five-speed automatic transmission. For 2012, there's a new eight-speed automatic installed on higher trim levels.

Other amenities on the SE out of the box include 17-inch aluminum wheels, LED taillights, dual exhaust, capless fuel filler, active front head restraints, an acoustic windshield and front side glass, a 4.3-inch touch-screen media center, keyless entry with push-button start, a power driver's seat and more.

Chrysler did a significant updating of the Charger for 2011, and that model carries over to 2012 with no major changes other than the new eight-speed transmission. That gearbox is designed to push the car's highway fuel economy estimates as high as 31 mpg, the best in the full-size sedan class.

The modern Charger was introduced for 2006, this time as a four-door sedan, rather than a two-door coupe as it was in the late 1960s and early '70s. Although Charger purists criticized its four doors, the new Charger has made a name for itself, and the 2011 updates took it to an even higher level, creating one of the best large sedans on the market at any price.

Technically a sedan, the Charger has the fastback coupe look of the earlier Chargers. It handles much better than the 2006-2010 models, even though it rides on the same basic underpinnings. There has been enough retuning of the chassis and suspension to achieve the improvements.

The new crosshair grille is just the beginning of what makes the 2011 Charger better than its immediate predecessor. The windshield is larger and the front corner pillars have been narrowed, giving the driver a much better view of the road. Each taillight has 164 LEDs to form what Chrysler calls its "signature racetrack graphic."

Perhaps the most remarkable feature is just how quiet the cabin is at highway speeds. I've never driven a high-priced luxury car that's any quieter than the newest Charger.

Overall, the LED lights are widely used most new cars such as LED Dome Lights, LED Daytime Running Lights, and will come out with even more innovation in the future.

by: kinwater

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