Okay so you’ve decided you want a Challenger, and you’ve decided on a Hemi version. The next question becomes should I get an automatic or standard? Dodge has a “Track Pak” option. Dodge’s official statement reads like this:

The available Track Pak features the Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual transmission with “pistol-grip” shifter for $995. When the six-speed manual transmission is paired with the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, it produces an estimated 375 horsepower (280 kW) and 404 lb.-ft. (548 N*m) of torque. The Track Pak also includes Hill-start Assist, limited-slip differential, bright pedal covers and performance steering.

In addition, if you order the 20″ wheels you also get 3.92 gearing as opposed to the 3.06 gearing for the automatic and the 3.73 gearing for the 18″ wheel standard transmission options. We can talk about rear gears for several pages but the condensed version reads like this…

A higher number, like 3.92 vs 3.06, means the car will have more launch capability and feel more powerful on acceleration. The trade-off is higher RPM at cruising speed and probably less gas mileage. In the old 4 speed days the top gear (4th) was generally a 1:1 gear. Today’s 5 and 6 speed transmissions usually include a 4th gear 1:1 and then 5th and 6th are overdrive gears.

So what does all that mean?  Well it means the Track Pak cars are going to feel more powerful, and they actually are, although only slightly over the automatic cars.  The question becomes how much gas mileage do I give up and does the relatively low 3.92 mean I’ll have less top end.

Lets answer the top end question with this video.

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Here we have a 2010 Challenger Track Pak car with a 3.92 rear gear.  From a slow rolling start and easing through the first two gears the acceleration becomes pronounced in 3rd and 4th gear.  The car reaches 130mph after having just barely shifted to 5th gear.  6th was never used.

Short of planning on racing at the Sunday Nextel Cup the car retains plenty of top speed with the low gear.

Gas mileage, according to Dodge, is 16 / 25 for the automatic, 16 / 25 for the manual so that’s pretty much a wash. However, reading further into the Dodge propaganda reveals the manual transmission car is slightly more powerful, at 375hp rather than 370hp and 404 lb-ft of torque versus 398 ft-lbs of torque in the automatic.

The Track Pak Challenger R/T also comes with a “full off ESP” button meaning if you find yourself with an excess amount of money you can roast up some Goodyears. The sales brochure also says the Track Pak has enhanced steering and a sportier less restrictive exhaust.

It is interesting to note the Track Pak R/T has 404 lbs-ft of torque versus the SRT’s 420 lbs-ft. The R/T weighs 130lbs less than an SRT with the same options. That makes the cars awful close in acceleration performance. The SRT wins the breaking competition hands down with those big Brembo’s though.