Charger

𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 24, 2020

While we were driving home yesterday, I had a car come up on us extremely fast.  I was trying to get around a truck and had pulled into the passing lane.  The car tried to squeeze through but realized they would not be able to make it.  They impatiently waited as I passed the truck and then pulled out of the way.  I had barely gotten over when they whizzed by.  While I was not surprised how fast they were going, I was surprised that they did not have a visible license plate.   The car had tinted windows, was painted in a black matte, and it appeared to have a similar matte covering the plate area.  It looked like a mystery car as it sped into the distance.

When I mentioned this to Melissa, she told me it was a Dodge Charger, and a friend of hers had one.  The car had a roll up feature that allowed you to hide the plate and create an all matte look.  I looked the car up online and found out it was the Challenger SRT Hellcat.  This is the ultra-powerful version of the Dodge Charger muscle car.  It comes with a standard supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine with either 717 horsepower, or an amazing 797 horsepower in the Redeye models.  While the size (wide-body 4-door) and weight means it does not handle the curves as well as the Ford Mustang or the Chevy Camaro, it will blow both away on the fast track.  It goes 0–60 in 3.7 seconds and reaches an advertised top speed of 199 mph.

I had wondered if the matte paint helped deflect or somehow divert radar, similar to the stealth planes used by the military.  It seems it did neither.  There are several auto makers with vehicles that offer the black matte rather than the shiny gloss most prefer.   This paint is susceptible to all kinds of problems and any ding or scratch is said to stand out like an eyesore.   My review also is said it adds an additional $4000 to the price of the car.  It is expensive to look cool.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  My finding on radar detection was confirmed about 30 miles down the road.  The black Charger was pulled off on an exit ramp with the blue lights of a State Trooper merrily dancing.  I did not notice as I whizzed by (at speed limit) but I had to wonder if he had been able to get the license plate switched before being pulled over.  Otherwise it might be hard to explain.  Even with the raised limits on the interstate highway there is always someone who pushes a little further.  Even with 200,000 deaths and spiking cases there is always someone who still holds the whole thing to be a hoax or does not wear a mask because of the way it looks.  It is expensive to look cool.  Follow the science.  Change is coming and it starts with you.