Long the symbol of lawlessness on the asphalt - at least on TV in the late 1970s - the Dodge Charger is now getting "respectable."
Much to the chagrin of Bo and Luke, the duo from the Dukes of Hazzard who piloted a Confederate flag-topped 1969 Charger that often defied gravity to escape the long arm of the law thanks to some well, and not so well, disguised ramps, the "outlaw" nameplate is being adopted by the Vancouver Police Department.
That's right, the General Lee's descendants have turned over a new leaf with a V6-powered patrol car that will be equipped with an engine idle system that allows officers to run the car's emergency lights without requiring the engine to remain idling. That is expected to save the force 25 per cent in fuel consumption over the venerable Ford Crown Victoria models the Chargers will replace over the next three years.
If this is all too much for the "rebel" inside you, seeing the retrostyle lines of the Charger draped in the black and white uniform of the city's finest, there is something you can do - fight Charger with Charger.
Fortunately, Dodge has a multitude of Charger models in its lineup that can take on the law.
One of the most potent is the Dodge Charger SRT.
It comes packing an impressive 6.4 HEMI V8 that churns out a politically incorrect - for our fuel-sipping times where gasoline is edging towards $1.50 a litre - 470 horses which is matched in terms of torque numbers.
One consolation for the era of expensive gasoline is Dodge's fuel saver technology that de-activates four of the eight cylinders when the car senses a lighter demand.
Thanks to that, the SRT's fuel economy numbers come in at 16.8 litres per 100 km in the city and 10.2 over the same distance on the highway.
But knowing you can tap into close to 500 ponies under the bonnet is mightily impressive.
So, too, is the SRT's curbside demeanour which is sure to get the attention of many gawkers.
What they will be marvelling at is this Charger's unique exterior which includes 20-inch, steam roller-like wheels, a functional hood scoop, and a deep front fascia which incorporates a splitter designed to add downforce to the front and keep it planted to the pavement.
See, this Charger like the old General Lee also longs to get airborne.
To help with the aerodynamics the SRT is lowered by 15 to 16 mm compared to the regular Charger. Some specially sculpted body sills also help the air run around the car a little cleaner, say Dodge engineers.
Price of getting this "good ole boy" in your barn? It's by no means in supercar territory with a base of $48,695, despite the amount of oomph it can produce which outweighs those much pricier, European nameplates festooned with prancing stallions or rampaging bulls.
No, this is one for the moonshine runners tearing up the backroads.
Just don't mention the SRT is built at Dodge's Brampton
