Puck Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 The Camaro ZL1 is definitely a jaw dropper But at the same price point I'd be inclined to grab a Charger R/T AWD with a self installed super charger, giving me close to the same power, with an albeit crappy fuel economy rating. Us Canadian's really do love our AWD, and getting a sedan with comparable power at the same price point at the ZL1 coupe, but with more interior space, and AWD is hard not to like. Although the transmission in the Charger could definitely use a rehaul, I'd love to see a 6-speed manual, or 8-speed auto in it. The AWD Chargers are like 500lbs heavier then the already hefty ZL1 . I'm sure AWD would be awesome in the snow, but even supercharged it still won't be anywhere near as quick as even a mild bolt-on ZL1 in the dry. How much boost can they safely take stock, ~8lbs? That won't make up the HP deficit plus weight disadvantage... If you want a roomy AWD performance car without spending 6 figures, the CTS-V is where its at! AWD, supercharged V8 with tons of TQ, and still a few hundred lbs lighter then the AWD Chargers. Fastest 4-door in the world . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoDG Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 Yes, but the CTS-V costs about $80K, compared to the Charger which would cost $50K with a self installed turbocharger/supercharger. Heck if I wanted to spend more I could modify the engine with a custom long block up to 6.7L (4.000 bore x 4.080 stroke), then add in a performance transmission, a performance exhaust system and only end up paying $65K. Besides, you gotta love the heavy rear wheel bias, how it only activates true AWD when you really need it. My only real complaint about the Charger is that dinosaur of a transmission, seriously a 5 speed automatic, I'm pretty sure the Chevrolet Cruze does better. Apparently the 5.7L Hemi will get an 8 speed automatic the next model year, so if that's true that should definitely make things better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waco Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 Yes, but the CTS-V costs about $80K, compared to the Charger which would cost $50K with a self installed turbocharger/supercharger. Say goodbye to that warranty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoDG Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 Say goodbye to that warranty. I'm not saying I will do it, but I definitely could Honestly no one really needs any more power than the stock 5.7L engine offers in my opinion, but after 5 years/100,000 km when the warranty is over, maybe doing some modifications could be a little fun Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercuryDoun Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 I've been looking on their Canadian website and the V-6 Chargers come standard with an 8-speed automatic, but the V-8's only come with a 5-speed automatic, no option for an 8-speed Even on the US website there is no option for an 8-speed on the V8 charger. What I've learned in the last year now is that online = half right at best in what you can get from the dealer. I can tell you for a 100% fact, in the US you can get the 8-speed in the v8 AWD Charger, can't say for sure in canada, but i dont see why not. Heck you could just goto the US and buy it here if you had too. Goto a Dodge dealer and ask about the 8-speed v8, if they say no, goto a different dealer. But again, nothing online says the 8-speed is even an option for the v8's. Exactly, you can't compare a $150k car to a $35 car, might as well start comparing a Cadillac CTS-V to a GEO Metro. The AWD Chargers are like 500lbs heavier then the already hefty ZL1 . I'm sure AWD would be awesome in the snow, but even supercharged it still won't be anywhere near as quick as even a mild bolt-on ZL1 in the dry. How much boost can they safely take stock, ~8lbs? That won't make up the HP deficit plus weight disadvantage... If you want a roomy AWD performance car without spending 6 figures, the CTS-V is where its at! AWD, supercharged V8 with tons of TQ, and still a few hundred lbs lighter then the AWD Chargers. Fastest 4-door in the world . At least in the US, the CTS-V is no AWD at all... its 100% RWD, where are you getting this AWD CTS-V thing at? I'd really like to see this because(even though I've sat down in a CTS-V and dont fit because im so tall, its still one of my dream cars) an AWD CTS-V would just blow my mind, and might make me reconsider the problem of no head room as a inconvenience rather than a show stopper, I'd be willing to deal with my head hitting the sun roof and possibly shattering my spine upon a major bump just to own a CTS-V Coupe... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoDG Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 I'm pretty sure they took the AWD option out of the CTS-V, and I can try contacting a dealer, but driving all the way to the US for a car... I live about 20 hours from the border, and I have to drive through the Rockies which are deadly in the winter. If it's not available here now I'm sure it will be next year Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wevsspot Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 No way I could afford the CTS-V Caddy, but heck I'd even settle for the ho-hum CTS with 318Hp V6. They are wonderful looking cars for a more "mature" set of folk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puck Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 I'm pretty sure they took the AWD option out of the CTS-V, and I can try contacting a dealer, but driving all the way to the US for a car... I live about 20 hours from the border, and I have to drive through the Rockies which are deadly in the winter. If it's not available here now I'm sure it will be next year The AWD was recalled in 2009, but came back in 11 I think. I know its an option again for 2012 models. The price argument is very true, I expected the AWD Charger to cost a lot more...the performance dodge vehicles have never had stellar bang-for-buck. Living far away from any chances of snow though, I'll stick to my FE/RWD cars . OT since Its not a pony car, but I'm planning to stick my old 460hp LT1 into a gutted 80's RX7 sometime next year after the new stroker is dialed in on the Camaro. ~2200lbs and over 450hp should make for a pretty crazy ride! FWIW it ran 11.7s NA in the Camaro that weighs ~1,000lbs more . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercuryDoun Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 I'm pretty sure they took the AWD option out of the CTS-V, and I can try contacting a dealer, but driving all the way to the US for a car... I live about 20 hours from the border, and I have to drive through the Rockies which are deadly in the winter. If it's not available here now I'm sure it will be next year Ok, so you can't goto US to buy one, but yeah, you should still try and contact a dealer about the 8-speed. At least in 2011 and the 2012 models, there is no AWD on the CTS-V in the US. That would be awesome if it had AWD in Canada... I'd goto Canada to buy one lol! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoDG Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 Yeah, the R/T Charger price isn't all that bad in my opinion, you can get the R/T AWD 5.7L Hemi (370hp and 395 torque) with all the added options (upgraded 506W sound system, rear-view camera, collision prevention, built in navigation, etc) for $45,670 after taxes and destination. Whereas I could get a CTS 3.6L AWD (304hp and 273 torque), with around the same options, maybe a more luxurious interior for $59,960. In my opinion that's pretty much a no brainer, the Cadillac will win when it comes to refinement of course, and it does have a 6-speed transmission compared to the 5-speed on the Charger. But in the Charger's favor you have a V8 Hemi, that puts out about 70hp more and a massive 120ft-lbs more, and it costs an insane amount less. I'm sure the Charger will be a little more costly if they get a proper 8-speed transmission in it, but still nowhere near the CTS's price. Oh and the CTS's 3.6L V6 engine only gets 29mpg to the R/T's 5.7L V8 Hemi 27mpg, that just doesn't seem right PS: @ Mercury I will definitely contact my Dodge dealer to see if it available, if not I have no problem waiting a year cause I'm currently living with my parents taking some classes at the local college, so I have access to their vehicles. As for the CTS being AWD it's not available on the CTS-V, only the CTS 3.0L and 3.6L options. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercuryDoun Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 Yeah, the R/T Charger price isn't all that bad in my opinion, you can get the R/T AWD 5.7L Hemi (370hp and 395 torque) with all the added options (upgraded 506W sound system, rear-view camera, collision prevention, built in navigation, etc) for $45,670 after taxes and destination. Whereas I could get a CTS 3.6L AWD (304hp and 273 torque), with around the same options, maybe a more luxurious interior for $59,960. In my opinion that's pretty much a no brainer, the Cadillac will win when it comes to refinement of course, and it does have a 6-speed transmission compared to the 5-speed on the Charger. But in the Charger's favor you have a V8 Hemi, that puts out about 70hp more and a massive 120ft-lbs more, and it costs an insane amount less. I'm sure the Charger will be a little more costly if they get a proper 8-speed transmission in it, but still nowhere near the CTS's price. Oh and the CTS's 3.6L V6 engine only gets 29mpg to the R/T's 5.7L V8 Hemi 27mpg, that just doesn't seem right PS: @ Mercury I will definitely contact my Dodge dealer to see if it available, if not I have no problem waiting a year cause I'm currently living with my parents taking some classes at the local college, so I have access to their vehicles. As for the CTS being AWD it's not available on the CTS-V, only the CTS 3.0L and 3.6L options. Yeah i knew it was AWD on the v6's. But someone earlier was saying the CTS-V was AWD, which it's not. I personally am looking into the Charger R/T AWD with all the bells and whistles with the 8-speed as well. My current lease on my Fusion isn't up until towards the end of this year though, so I'm in no real hurry, but am already starting to check things out. I'm 6'6" so i dont have a lot of options of AWD cars that i fit in. But another car i was looking at was a Volvo S60 T6 or perhaps the T6 R-Design... Its technically a mid size but seems to have enough room to fit me, and has a powerful Turbo charged i6 engine! Has AWD and alot of other great features. The R-Design will do 0-60 in 5.2 seconds apparently with the T6 doing it in 5.5 seconds. Which is faster than both the Charger R/T AWD and CTS AWD, while still maintaining a extremely nice luxury interior and all that. I think the T6 starts at $38k and the R-Design T6 starts at $42k. Always still i think its hard to find a car out there that matches the power size and style of the Charger R/T AWD. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoDG Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 Yeah, the Charger is a real beauty, one problem with it though, aside from the transmission, is that it's insanely cramped under the hood, installing a turbo on it is supposed to be nearly impossible. Though I did find this STS Remote Turbo for it, that actually hooks into the exhaust behind the muffler. So as you can imagine it's very loud, kinda reminds me of the dual turbos on the Peterbuilt I drive at work, so I'm actually not to bothered by it, but a lot of people are. So your two main options if you want to boost the air intake is a remote turbo or a supercharger. If I did get the R/T after the warranty ran out I'd probably get a Arrington custom long block installed, then dual remote turbos, a performance exhaust system, and a much heavier duty transmission. Give me a fun little project and take my R/T AWD above the SRT8 in terms of power. Something about modifying a 5.7L engine to a 6.7L engine, then adding a 12LB boosted air intake just gets me all hot and bothered Either that or I could go with a single supercharger, save me a little money, save a lot of people's hearing, and make installation quite a bit easier. It all depends if I really want to make my Charger that much more of a pig, though at that point I doubt I'll care. Hopefully it will still have better fuel economy than a Ram 3500 PS: I contacted my local Dodge dealer, and I was right, there is no 8-speed option on the 5.7L Charger. But they were very polite and said they'd contact me if they heard anything about the 2013 model year, so fingers crossed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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