David Spade Test Drives the New Dodge Challenger
When asked what he did over his summer vacation, David Spade is going to have a good answer–one that does not involve fathering a love child with Playboy Playmate Jullian Grace.
Spade and several other celebrities test drove the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, one of the latest in the series of nostalgia-fueled, retooled muscle cars that evoke the glorious V8 powered beasts from the 1970s. It seems celebrities are just like the rest of us when it comes to indulging an occasional need for speed.
“We had so many inquiries from people in Hollywood about buying a new Challenger that we decided to organize a little event,” Mike Accavitti, director of Dodge Brand and SRT Communications, told Edmonds.com. “It’s great when you have something that people really want.”
During the event, celebrities competed in drag races and then did laps around the 2.5-mile track. Spade was so impressed by the performance of the 425-horsepower 6.1-liter SRT Hemi V8 engine that he is reported to have inquired about purchasing a Challenger of his own.
Owning a 2008 Challenger will set you back about $40,000, though the price is going to drop for the 2009 model year. Rather than following in Spade’s footsteps and purchasing a modern muscle car, renting a sports car in Dallas TX or other American city– or joining a car sharing club might be a more practical solution for those of us who aren’t celebrities.
“Owning an exotic sports can be a huge hassle and expense,” says Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas exotic car rental company. “After the initial price of the car, you pay for insurance, storage, maintenance, and security. You think you’re going to own the car, but it ends up owning you.”
For those who love driving exotic automobiles, the sky’s the limit when it comes to rental. There are any number of exotic cars that can leave the new Dodge Challenger in the dust, and many of them are available for rent.
“The Dodge Viper’s 510 horsepower will definitely lay you back in the seat.”
Sturgeon says that some other Challenger-challenging cars include the Bentley Continental at 552 horsepower, the BMW M6 at 500 horsepower, and the Lamborghini Gallardo at 520 horsepower.
“The Challenger is a great car,” he says, “but even Challenger owners occasionally want to take a drive in something different. Sports car rental lets them experience driving a Viper, a Corvette Z06, or even a 2008 Lamborghini for a day or a weekend.”
For people who truly exotic sports cars and can’t settle on driving just one, dream car driving tours, such as those offered by DFW Drive Your Dream, put auto enthusiasts behind the wheel of five great exotic cars in a full- or half-day experience.
Kate Miller-Wilson is a freelance writer living in the Twin Cities. Visit her website or email her for information about her freelance writing services.
Eric on September 4th 2008 in Exotic Car Rental



