DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: With all due respect toward the fine engineers at SRT, the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT should come with a helmet and a diaper for its proud new owner, and said owner should have to produce a certificate of racing-school completion to claim the keys. This monster is almost totally unusable on public roads at anything approaching even a fraction of its capabilities.

Sure, the car will burble along on the freeway with nary a complaint, but I dare you to try that for more than five, maybe 10 minutes before you spot a slot in traffic and are compelled by some primitive cranial impulse to mat the pedal. You will not be able to resist invoking "Star Trek"-style warp speed once you've tasted it.

If you leave the Charger SRT in standard mode thinking you'll just have a little low-key fun, you'll be buying rear brakes in a week: The traction control system ends up working harder than the engine.

If you give in to the temptation of sport mode--and honestly, who among us won't?--you will go to jail. Do not pass Go. Actually, do pass Go--sideways at about 140 mph. You're getting arrested anyway, so what the hell.

Sneeze? That's some wheelspin. Left turn at part throttle? That's a powerslide. Fortunately the violence of the powertrain is reasonably tranquilized by big Brembo brakes, but the whole experience has all the subtlety of a pit bull lunging against its chain, only to be tasered by someone from animal control.

Eschewing any Q-ship aesthetic, SRT adorns the Charger with a full complement of machismo outside and in, extending to a leather-and-suede interior that's as red as a baboon's behind and conveys approximately the same sentiment: "Step aside: Bad mofo coming through." Combined with engine-turned instrument trim, the inside is a deliciously 1970s throwback, needing only a CB radio and a mustachioed pilot to kick dirt on Pontiac's grave.

So what to make of it? At the risk of offending legions of enthusiasts, the whole Charger SRT thing seems a bit ridiculous--almost ostentatious, like a Hummer H1 Alpha or a Gatling gun. It's kind of neat to have, but what the hell are you going to do with it?

Then again, if you trade in a Ram on one, at least you'll still have a place to hang your TruckNutz.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: Damn, you have to love a country where the populous loves a good muscle car and the gummint lets you own and drive one. This is one helluva good muscle car.

To be clear, it's not a muscle car of the old Dukes of Hazzard breed, but rather a full-bore 21st-century rendition of everything great about pure American automotive power, with none of the really ugly stuff such as lack of body control, wayward steering and underwhelming brakes. The car has gobs of power, a highly controlled suspension and superior brakes. And it even adds some niceties such as blind-spot detection to help you avoid trading paint on the daily drive and active cruise control for those times when you'd rather just relax and motor along under the radar.

Because of those traits, the SRT may be a monster, but it can be operated sanely on public streets as long as the driver can keep the foot out of right pedal. It is a temptation, for sure, and it's not made easier by the fact that SRT includes a whole slate of measuring tools (g forces, braking distance, 0-60 and quarter-mile times displayed right in the center of the instrument cluster. To heck with texting--here's a whole new level of onboard distraction available right at your fingertips. It might be enough to make you chuck the cell phone out the window, or at least stow it in the center armrest.

Everything about this car's trim and styling, inside and out, screams "badass" to me, from the huge blacked-out front fascia and massive powerdome hood, down the side scallops to the rear taillight track lights. Inside, the seats alone are worth the ride, but every other material in there is top quality as well.

This may not be the best car for everyday driving, but everyday you drive it will be one of your best.

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: Love it.

As someone who grew up in a Dodge/Plymouth dealership in the 1960s and '70s I have great memories of old Chrysler performance cars--Chargers, 'Cudas, Road Runners--and thus I couldn't be happier to see cars like this Charger on the road. I love the looks, the power, the room, the ride/handling mix (this car can be nice and comfy out on the freeway when you want that) and even the price. This is just one hell of a lot of car for the money.

I could listen to the NASCAR-like exhaust note all day. It's one of those cars in which I left the radio off. It's big inside and out, which I like. The steering is decently quick, and I found the brakes terrific. And there's plenty of grip so long as the pavement is dry.

About the only thing I didn't like was the adaptive cruise--I hate all of the automakers' adaptive systems. I'd whack that from the options list and save myself $800.

As for the note above about SRT being ridiculous and/or ostentatious, I disagree. I tend to equate it more with Ford's SVT or Chevrolet's SS, not to mention Mercedes-Benz's AMG, BMW's M or Audi's S.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR DAVID ARNOUTS: What is more than 16 feet long, greater than six feet wide and weighs in at 4,365 pounds? It's the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT of course, and it is ridiculous.

The Charger has had its share of ups and downs since the concept premiered in 1964. This latest iteration of the performance-oriented sedan is a highlight for sure, but it's not without foibles.

The interior is not as large as the exterior leads on, and it was a little much for my tastes. Red is red, and SRT has no qualms about slathering the color throughout the interior. I would expect this sort of treatment from a bespoke Italian carmaker, not the likes of an American sedan. Nonetheless, the seats were comfortable, and the sporty flat-bottomed, heated steering wheel was literally a nice touch in 35-degree weather.

The SRT digital gauges in the center console, accessed while flipping through the menu, offered all sorts of information in real time but can be seriously distracting and potentially dangerous. I can see it now-a wannabe racer trying to see how many lateral g's he's pulling on the highway on-ramp wondering whether his oil pressure is too high, etc., eventually careening off into traffic.

The 6.4-liter Hemi makes this car, and without it I wouldn't be interested. The matching horsepower and torque invites you to get stupid, and it accommodates your ignorance quickly. You don't accidently buy an SRT-equipped anything. As Andy notes-and I don't know whether he's joking-requiring a buyer to produce a racing-school completion certificate should be mandatory when buying cars such as the SRT, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 or ZR1, the Chevy Camaro ZL1, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 or exotics.

It is hard to drive this car like a reasonable adult. At every light, corner and stop sign I would manically laugh when no one was around as I'd mash the throttle--in sport mode with stability control off--and watch in the rearview mirror as the dual tire patches chased me down the street.

But take caution: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction-and I don't mean just physics; I mean in the sense at that one corner or red light where you come tearing out, tires squealing, Hemi roaring and grinning like a madman, the unnoticed police officer has an equally large grin as he hits the lights to come ruin your day.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: I love this car. Not just the horsepower, the engine sound, the great Brembo brakes or the fact you can dust 90 percent of the cars on the planet in a stoplight drag race. I love the idea of this car. It's a big, honking sedan with a monster engine and enough creature-comfort add-ons to make any trip enjoyable.

Some of the new touches that have been added since the creation of the "new" new Chrysler are all good. The interior of this car is more comfortable and eye-pleasing than previous generations of SRT products. The huge-and I mean big-infotainment screen smack-dab in the middle of the dash is the automotive equivalent of a big-screen television. I don't think anyone has a bigger one, and how fitting in a car such as this?

The seats, too, not only look good here in their red leather splendor but are also comfortable and quite supportive, with nice side bolstering. And even though this thing can take you to warp speed, it also has radar cruise control, state-of-the-art to keep you below the legal speed limit, just in case you cannot resist from dipping heavily into the throttle.

But only a police officer would blame you. I mean, the baritone rumble of the Hemi is American thunder, and it's certainly worth celebrating and enjoying. Even with the big meats rolling on the rear wheels, tire spin is achieved quite easily. Thank goodness for traction control.

When I was growing up I wouldn't even look at a four-door car, thinking they were all for old guys. Well, this is one car that kills that. This car is a triple threat: fun, fast and functional.

NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: The only thing this Charger lacks is a radar detector. Otherwise, I think it's an outstanding execution of raw power, eye-catching styling and a reasonable amount of practicality.

The power is outstanding; as others note it's nearly impossible to maintain legal speeds in this thing. Acceleration is a hoot and the throttle has a bit of pedal travel--which makes for the satisfying feel of burying you foot as the revs build. Speaking of which, I found between 4,000 rpm and 5,000 rpm to be a sweet spot. Acceleration is still blindingly fast, but you don't have to redline it to maximize this car's potential.

I think the SRT guys and gals (and Dodge in general) have done a nice job of tightening up the latest edition of the Charger. The steering has more feedback on center, which offers a more focused driving feel for enthusiasts. The body is surprisingly composed for a large car, and it handles turns and curves reasonably well.

Cruising at semilegal highway speeds, the Charger is comfortable, even surprisingly quiet. You can always cue up this exhaust note at the jab of your foot, but at steady states it's rather serene. There's still some wind noise but it's not annoying. I, too, spent a lot of time listening to the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with the windows down.

I really like the redone interior. The materials look sporty and feel upscale. It reminds me vaguely of an Audi, and these heavily bolstered seats and all of the amenities (satellite radio, steering-wheel seat heaters) make for an upscale atmosphere.

The redesign is impressive, especially those gorgeous late '60s taillights and the scalloped doors. The front is cool, but I prefer the previous generation's grille--though I love this hood. This car is a riot to drive. It's big, but muscle cars are supposed to be big. I see no problem with that. Is it too much for the road? Not at all.

ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: Lots of love here for the Charger SRT and that's to be expected with a monster Hemi V8, rear-wheel drive and a tight chassis. My first experience with the current SRT range came out at Willow Springs International Raceway last summer and all of the cars felt right at home on the track. All of the thrust made shooting out of corners a ball, and the way it stuck in turns was eye-opening.

How is it on the street? I think it's just fine and civilized enough. The adjustable damping system, which the previous Charger SRT lacked, goes a long way to make the current one livable. Leave the suspension in auto, and the car is downright comfortable around town riding on the wide, low-profile rubber. Punch up the sport setting, and it's immediately apparent that things are firmer with shocks from ruts and potholes clearly transmitting into the cabin. However, even in sport mode, it doesn't shake your fillings out and I didn't have a problem with the ride quality.

Adding to the well-tuned suspension is good steering response available through the thick, flat-bottomed steering wheel. You got to love the strong Bembro brakes, too.

Other SRT goodies to appreciate are the generously bolstered front seats, real carbon-fiber trim pieces and the exterior that sports a menacing look with the specific front fascia, hood and wheels.

Is there room for improvement? Sure is. At the top of the list is the transmission, which lacks rev-matching on downshifts. Ralph Gilles, SRT's president and CEO, admitted to me that it was indeed an issue, and I'm sure there's work being done to remedy that problem. Also, the shift paddles on the steering wheel are way too small.

Even with those complaints, I'm still quite taken by this car. For $50,000, this 2012 Dodge Charger SRT is a lot of car with a lot of performance.

2012 Dodge Charger SRT

Base Price: $47,620

As-Tested Price: $50,260

Drivetrain: 6.4-liter V8; RWD, five-speed automatic

Output: 470 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 470 lb-ft @ 4,300 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,365 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 17/16.1 mpg

Options: Power sunroof ($950); adaptive cruise control group including forward collision warning and adaptive speed control ($795); driver confidence group including blind-spot with rear cross-path detection, rain-sensitive windshield wipers, smartbeam headlamps and approach lamps ($745); 245/45R-20 BSW three-season performance tires ($150)

For more information: Check out the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT at shopautoweek.com.

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