2009 DRIFT DODGE CHALLENGER By MOPAR

[onelove]

This car lacks personality...... I think quite the opposite. The car has a mean personality like it was a purpose built machine done right. As with any Motorsport you will always have a professional and grassroots level. Everyone has been at the grassroots level at some point and wants to use it as a feeder to get to the pros.

Cars like the 09 NuFormz 09 Challenger bring a bit of respect to the sport. The die hards will always hate it as it's taking their sport into the mainstream and bringing in the big name sponsors and dollars that accompany them. To me that's not a bad thing at all. I actually look forward to seeing more big name organizations and drag teams enter the sport. Things can only progress up from here, and I think it would be great to see 16 purpose built well sorted machines in the final 16, hell I'd even go as far as saying I wouldn't mind being 1 of those 16.....

[Brian]

You're right.
It has the personality of a rock.

[mlmsilvias14]

this car is just a move to the future. With TV coverage and so much magazine coverage people are getting bigger budgets to go drifting. This is normal in any automotive sport that is in its' infancy. Sport Compact Drag Racing and Time Attack. Drag Raceing used to be a bunch of street turbo charged cars and when you would go to the track you put slicks on your car. Now (few years later) you have fwd drag cars that are full tube chassis, full carbon fiber bodies, $40,000 transmissions and make 1500hp out of a 4cly and have to change engine between rounds like a top fuel car. Time Attack cars are getting ridiculous also. If givin the budget and opportunity would you turn your drift car into a crazy machine and do everything top notch? I dare you to tell me you wouldn't

This is a professional series, you should expect this. FD created the rules and have complete control on where they want this sport to go.

I also, given an unlimited budget, would never ever build anything like this. EVER!!
I fully and strongly believe that drifting is and always will be, in my mind, similar to skateboarding. While the tricks on the pro level get bigger and better the board basically stays the same. The person riding it has to make it do things that represent his style while following certain judging cryteria. Each rider adds his personal flavor to the board, graffix, wheels, etc. The riders in skateboarding do it for the LOVE, even when the possibility of big money is involved.

If drifting follows in these steps it will grow and be prosperous. Fans don't want to see a bunch of wanabees coming to the sport for the money and glam. This happens in all kinds of pro sports and the ones that do it for the money are usually not big fan favorites and eventually fadeaway. The ones that do it for the LOVE eventually get popularity, fame and fortune. Because their work ethic and dedication will always far exceed those who look at it like a business.

Staying up all night in the cold swapping an engine, just to try and qualify the next day. Building a car virtually by yourself with limited help from others just for a practice day and the chance to spend hella money on burning up tires. Helping other drivers with technique and repairs at the track just because. The friendships you gain not because you win or lose, or the car you drive, but because you show the same dedication as others.
These are the things drifting was built on and we can't just forget that.

[Brian]

[delicious steve]

I agree with BH.

When I see this car I do not think "oh wow Mopar is so smart and clever. they are really pushing the envelope of drift car setup. Im so impressed!"

What I do think is how Mopar sees drifting as a way to appeal to the youth market and is willing to throw six figures at a crap car to try and make it competitive. I would personally be much more impressed if the brought out a well developed street car. I could relate to that. I might even come away from the track thinking that Dodge knows how to make a decent car. Pushing it this far just screams that the Challenger even remotely near stock configuration are not good enough to drift competitively.

NuFormz did an awesome job on the build. Top notch quality.

[INFO]

<embed src="http://videos.streetfire.net/vidiac.swf?video=16d80171-e0ca-42fc-ab91-9b4a0167dd27" width="428" height="352" allowFullScreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br/><a href="http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Mopar-Unveils-Challenger_196907.htm?ref=87ac848f-616b-4632-898b-9ac200e59f2d">Mopar Unveils Challenger Drift Car @ SEMA 2008</a>