CREDIT: NAUMAN FAROOQ
This is a typical American sports car, able to travel from zero to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds, but even though it travels smooth on the highway, this car will hurt your pocketbook by drinking all the gas extremely fast.

Ask any European about what the ingredients to make a sports car and they’ll likely tell you to make it light, sleek and give it some decent horsepower. Americans think a little differently.

The typical American sports car is big, heavy and has a lot of horsepower. That is the exact template used for the car you’re seeing on this page, the 2015 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Shaker 392.

At 197.9 inches long, it is a whole 33.5 inches longer than the new 2016 Audi TTS coupe. The Challenger Scat Pack 392 also tips the scales at 1,852 kilograms, making it 251 kilograms heavier than the 2015 BMW M4 coupe.

Thankfully, the motor lurking under the hood is equally gargantuan. It is a regularly aspirated 6.4L V8, that produces 485 hp and 475 pounds per foot of torque. All the grunt is directed towards the rear wheels via either an eight-speed automatic, or a six-speed manual transmission, as fitted to my tester.

Use its launch control feature wisely and you’ll cover the sprint from zero to 100 in 4.5 seconds, with a top speed approaching 280 km/h.

However, this car is not easy to launch smoothly, and especially with the manual gearbox option, it’s not a quick transmission to use; therefore, hitting the aforementioned acceleration number is hard.

The reason for the struggle is the tires; they are 245/45/ZR20s on each corner. They are not fat enough to translate all its power to the ground effectively.

As for its top speed, on some short bursts, the car felt as if it was floating and the steering felt indirect, which is ironic given the fact that Dodge calls this model “Performance Steering”.

This is not a point and shoot sports car and you would not enjoy hustling it on a twisty country road or use it to cover distances quickly.

So, what is it good for?

Well, as with any Challenger I have ever driven before, it remains a great highway cruiser. On the open road, cruising at a comfortable speed, the car feels at home. It is smooth, with the fully independent suspension soaking up the bumps with ease. There is not much noticeable wind noise or road noise in the cabin and the gentle humming of its engine works as pleasant backdrop music for your journey.

Unlike most American sports cars, the fit and finish of the Challenger’s interior is spectacular.

Everywhere you look or touch you’ll find the materials to be very good, and you can tell that real thought was given to make the car’s living quarters as aesthetically pleasing as possible.

My tester was also equipped with a great stereo system and an infotainment system with an 8.4-inch screen that is clear and easy to use.

The interior is lavish, with not only great space for occupants in the front seats, but also lots of room for occupants in the rear. This is a true 2+2 coupe; the current Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang are not.

The Dodge Challenger has been around for a while, first hitting showrooms back in 2008. Since then, this model has received some updates, but 2015 brought its biggest changes.

The changes include a new dashboard and infotainment console, along with some interior refinements. From the outside, there is a restyled front and rear end and for 2015, the “Shaker” hood scoop is available with the 6.4 litre motor.

As you can imagine, a car with this big of an internal combustion engine has a bit of a drinking habit; I averaged 15.0 litres per 100 kilometres during my test week.

In addition, it’s not cheap to purchase. The base price on a 2015 Challenger Scat Pack Shaker 392 is $49,995. That does make it $21,895 cheaper than the base Challenger Hellcat and the Scat Pack does offer most of the same equipment.

The 2015 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Shaker 392 is a big car with lots of big features and would provide its owner with lots of joy. Just don’t ask for it to dance gracefully on twisty roads.