with improved on-center tracking while reducing steering noise. Gone is the somewhat rubbery feeling of the previous version.

The greatest compliment I can give is that despite its size--the car rides on a 120-inch wheelbase and is 200 inches overall--the new Charger drives smaller than it is and goes where you point it.

Also available is an all-wheel-drive version. It features a segment-exclusive active transfer case and front-axle disconnect system that improves fuel economy by up to 5 percent.

The 2011 Dodge Charger's innovative AWD system transitions between rear-wheel drive and AWD with no driver intervention. When all-wheel drive is not required, the system automatically disconnects the front axle to maximize fuel economy.

An added benefit is that the Charger responds with all the performance and handling attributes of rear-wheel-drive vehicles that make them so much more fun to drive than front-wheel-drive competitors. While you sacrifice some fuel economy, enthusiasts like me usually feel it is a worthwhile tradeoff.

One of the more intriguing option packages for the 2011 Charger is the Super Track Pack, which adds larger front and rear anti-roll bars. Responses are sharpened thanks to a lower rear-axle ratio, Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, upgraded shocks, and three-mode stability control.

Oh, and there's one more bonus. When equipped with the Super Track Pack, the stability control can be fully neutered. When combined with the Hemi in the R/T trim level, driving this car at the Infineon track, which hosts a West Coast stop on NASCAR's Sprint Cup, is as close to Kurt Busch as most of us will get.

With aggressive styling, improved handling, a dramatically upgraded interior, and a brand-new V6 and optional Hemi, the 2011 Dodge Charger goes from mid pack to the top of the class.

Shortchanged for development resources under its two previous owners, it looks as if the partnership with Fiat is now paying big dividends. I can hardly wait for an SRT8 version, expected about this time next year.