The 2015 Dodge Challenger has received a minor facelift for the new model year, but the biggest story is the drivetrain lineup. In addition to the 3.6L Pentastar in the Challenger SXT that delivers 305 horsepower and the 5.7L Hemi in the Challenger R/T with 375 horsepower, there is also a new Scat Pack model that puts the 6.4L SRT Hemi under the hood of the Challenger R/T with 485 horsepower and 475lb-ft of torque. Of course, there is also the 2015 Challenger SRT 392 with the same 6.4L Hemi as the Scat Pack and the mighty SRT Hellcat model with the supercharged 6.2L Hemi with 707 horsepower and 650lb-ft of torque.
While it is easy for everyone to say “I would buy the Hellcat”, the fact of the matter is that at $61k, it is far too expensive to both buy and insure for most people reading this. Also, the Hellcat is a brutally powerful machine that is going to quickly prove to be too much for the average driver. Realistically, the liklelihood of buying a Hellcat Challenger is only slightly better than buying a new Viper.
Fortunately, there is the 305hp SXT package (shown above in blue) option for those folks who are more interested in fuel economy and affordability with a price starting at $27,990 with destination while the 2015 Challenger R/T brings Hemi power to the masses with the lowest price in the V8 muscle car segment – starting at just $32,490 (shown below with the optional Shaker hood).
Finally, there is the Challenger Scat Pack and the Challenger SRT 392 – both of which come with the 485 horsepower and the buyer’s choice of either a 6-speed manual transmission or an 8-speed automatic transmission. The key difference between the Scat Pack (shown below in silver with the optional Shaker hood) and the SRT 392 which share the same drivetrains is that the SRT 392 comes with a monster SRT braking package and a dual mode adaptive suspension system while the Scat Pack Challenger comes with a slightly smaller Brembo brake package and a sport tuned suspension setup. Oh, the Scat Pack is also $7,500 less than the SRT 392. The SRT model also has a slightly different exterior design and unique interior appointments, but the biggest real differences are the suspension and brakes.
With all of this in mind, click here to head into the forum to tell us which 2015 Dodge Challenger you would buy if you were looking to take out financing and spend your own hard earned cash for your ideal Mopar muscle car.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
