Is This All-Wheel Drive Dodge Challenger Concept Amazing Or Completely Unnecessary?

[RS12]

Could Dodge be on the heels of an amazingly hoontastic winter car or are they just wasting our time? I can’t tell. But they made a Dodge Challenger with all-wheel drive, and I’m still trying to figure it out.

I get it. SEMA is about showing off crazy unthinkable designs and new crazy aftermarket parts, but the Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept is something else. It touches very close to reality while also remaining very far under the halo realm of concept cars.

Basically, the Dodge Challenge GT AWD Concept is a Challenger equipped with the Scat Pack 3 Performance Kit, the eight-speed automatic transmission, and a new prototype Mopar suspension kit that lowers and stiffens up the car on every corner.

http://jalopnik.com/is-this-all-wheel-drive-dodge-challenger-concept-amazin-1740225347

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I'm not a car geek... I think there is a certain segment that will go ga-ga over it, but speaking for someone that has driven 30+ years in winter conditions, it's not anything I would want.

Generally speaking it's not the snow that's the problem, but the ice/slush. That's want takes you off the road. In any snowy local, the highway departments are pretty darned good at getting the snow off or at least down to a manageable level.

Heck if the snow is too deep it won't matter if you have AWD or not.

And as far as ice/slush goes, you want low-center-of-gravity and as long a wheel-base as you can.

I've driven tens of thousands of miles in front-wheel drive sedans and they're terrific for ice/slush. I've lost count on how many 4-wheel drive/AWD vehicles I've seen off the road over the years just because the drivers think that 4-wheel drive/AWD is going to deliver them from evil when it comes to ice/slush.

And then you have this car that can accelerate from 0-60 in a blink of an eye... That combined with wide tires would be a match made in heaven for the tow-truck guys that make their living hauling folks out of ditches and such during the winter months.