I Drive 2 Fast: February 2011

Slated to bow this fall, the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 is the most potent variant of the division’s iconic 4-door muscle car to date.he heart of the SRT8 package is a new 6.4-liter Hemi V-8, which is a bump up in displacement from the previous model’s 6.1 liters. The engine is rated at 465 bhp and 465 lb.-ft. of torque, the latter figure representing an 80 lb.-ft. gain over the 6.1-liter powerplant.

Dodge estimates that the SRT8 can hit 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, reach the quarter mile in under 13 and possess a top speed of 175 mph. In handling, the car is expected to pull 0.88g of lateral acceleration on the skidpad.
Even though the new Hemi V-8 has greater output, attention was paid to delivering the best fuel economy possible by incorporating a fuel-saving 4-cylinder mode, which was not previously available on SRT products.

Also for the first time, the 5-speed automatic transmission adds a standard paddle-shift feature to complement the sequential mode of the console-mounted shifter. Other upgrades include a new adaptive damping suspension that monitors driver inputs, vehicle speed, steering angle, steering speed, brake torque, throttle position and lateral acceleration to tune the suspension to match road conditions and driving styles. Drivers can also select between an auto or sport mode on the adaptive suspension.

A new 6.3-liter V12 powers the car, putting out a stout 660 hp at 8,000 rpm, just 10 hp less than the 599 GTO--now, that'll haul the freakin' groceries! As for torque, it's rated at a robust 504 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm.

The four-wheel-drive system is called 4RM. Ferrari has released few details on the patented system, but officials say it manages continuous torque distribution to all four wheels and weighs half of what a conventional four-wheel-drive system weighs..

Ferrari says that the FF--its name is an acronym for "Ferrari Four" (four seats, four-wheel drive)--replaces its 612 Scagletti and ushers in an entirely new GT sports-car concept. Noting that it will hit 62 mph in 3.7 seconds and top out at a smokin' 208 mph, we think Ferrari should include jet-propelled vehicles in the competitive set, too.