Next up was the suspension system. Completely reworked from its Teutonic origins, it offered more sporting characteristics (even on the non-SRT versions) without sacrificing the ride quality expected in a large, rear-wheel-drive American sedan.

The new Charger, also sporting an all-new, much-improved V6 engine, offered a combination of features unrivaled in the sub-$30K category. Here was a full-size sedan that took the battle to its domestic front-wheel-drive competitors, and won. (Many of these upgrades were mirrored in the Chrysler 300, with which the Charger shares its basic platform but which is styled more towards a luxury buyer.)

Then there's the SRT8 Charger, my test car. It embodies all of the upgrades incorporated on mainstream Chargers, enhanced with a 6.4-liter, 392-cubic-inch heart transplant. And it works, big time.

A slightly more low-key Charger SRT8 version is available, the same car as seen here sans the bold paint and graphics but with significantly higher equipment levels (leather interior, heated steering wheel, eight-inch touch screen, Goodyear Eagle F1 supercar tires, Brembo brakes, and a high-performance, 900-watt Harman Kardon audio system). Its base price is $46,925. My Super Bee carried a much more affordable base price of $41,495 with an as-tested price of $44,065, the only options being the Preferred Audio Group II ($495), three-season performance rubber ($150), and $1,000 for the gas-guzzler tax (more on that later).

This is the formula--minimal standard equipment combined with a low price--that led to the introduction of the Plymouth Road Runner back in 1968, followed by the Dodge Super Bee. Dodge has adapted the formula for the realities of the 21^st century.

With the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 boasting performance specs of 0-60 in 4.3 seconds, the ability to cover the quarter mile in under 13 seconds at 118 miles per hour, and with a top speed of 175 miles per hour, no car that seats five comfortably can touch it. Again, it begs the question: Is this a viable competitor to a BMW M5 or a Cadillac CTS-V? Going by the raw numbers, I say it is.

How can that be? For starters, the interior certainly doesn't measure up to its higher-priced competitors. The cloth-covered bucket seats (power six-way on the driver's side) offer good lateral support but will never be confused with the chairs found on the M5.