2012 Dodge Challenger Road Test

by Martha Hindes

We've seen Channing Tanum's new movie, Magic Mike. We can't imagine someone in the audience not yelling, "Take it off. Take it all off," as the Hollywood hunk struts his stuff across stage and lets us peek at his fabulous six-pack abs from behind the folds of a shirt. Same could be said for the 2012 Dodge Challenger, the newest of the pony car revivalists that is sultry, sexy and sizzling from any angle. Gorgeous. But lacking in convertible mode. A hunk in coupe with top up, we wanna see it with the "take it off" top down. Don't you think? (A little hooting would be appropriate here.)

It isn't that Challenger enthusiasts haven't been clamoring for a top down model or speculating on when it will happen. But so far a drop top is a no show in showrooms and remains a midsummer night's dream for the flush and frustrated. And think about it for a moment. A car company can juice up an engine and suspension with mostly the same exterior sheet metal as used for a less endowed power plant's version. But cutting off the top takes more than a few swipes with an oversized can opener. It takes a lot of changes to maintain the structural integrity of the coupe version without losing the ability to bully its way through the crowd on the road. For full review, click here.