New Dodge Challenger

[Tullamore]

So what do you think, I think Dodge is finally getting things right.

https://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=103629

 

[JamesWilson]

I like it, but its pretty 1970s retro... I half expected to see Barry Newman step out, shades of "Vanishing Point"....

 

[aeronca65t]

Nope.
A 6.1 liter hemi in light of present gas prices is a bad idea. They need to consider a fast, light efficient car that is appealing and with good performance, while getting 35 mpg.
This looks like a great car......for 1970.

 

[sammyb]

I couldn't agree with Aeronca more!

Keep in mind that the first thing that fades is a "cool look." Then you're left with a poorly-built gas guzzler that looks like a 1970 Challenger.

When will any of the automotive manufacturers create a car that people will want to copy 35 years from now? Certainly, 35 years from now the companies will not want to copy the 2005 Mustang or a 2006-2008 Mopar, since these are just copies of 35 years ago.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif Yup! See the General Motors post.

Mickey

 

[R6MGS]

I actually like it, not the whole idea of bring back the retro look for the same reasons as above, but I think of all the new retro cars tat we've seen so far this is the nicest, the Charger is by far the worst! Although the Hemi won't be good for gas conscience people I don't see that preventing it from being a success....If I was in the market for a car I'd definatly consider it(if it was available)

Zack

 

[Bret]

Oh Sammy!?! I lov’ya like a brother, (well? Err?) Ok maybe a distant cousin. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif But just like the Retro-Stang, it looks like you & I are in different corners on this one too.

Anyway, I am a bit surprised (albeit pleasantly) that Dodge is considering this direction with Chrysler’s current swing towards rear-drive “muscle” sedans & wagons – ala Charger, Magnum and Chrysler 300. I mean how many two door coupes do the American big three offer these days anyway. I for one would welcome another choice. Besides the beast even has a pistol grip stick shift. Ooooh Baby! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Personally I like it! I’ve always liked 70’s Challengers (& Cudas). Now I actually owned a 67 Barracuda (see attached) so I've always considered myself a Mopar fan. But the Barracuda was more of a Pony car in answer to the early Mustangs. Of course if beggars could be choosers and I was lucky enough to have one of these beauties in my stable today, it’d have to be a Black on Black 70 R/T. But I’d probably go with the 440-6pack over the Hemi. Anyway like Ford & it’s new Mustang I am happy to see the Dodge boys considering the same. I like the raked look and the fluid lines of the Challenger.

Heck when I think about it, I pretty much like anything that raced in the early 70's Trans Am series. So I wonder what GM is preparing to unleash on us? A “retro-tech” Camaro or Firebird perhaps? I've heard talk that they are playing with the idea so who knows? Of note - they do seem to be over using the “SS” trim package these days.

So with I wonder if Dodge will start issuing white cowboy hats to their sales folks again? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Basil]

[ QUOTE ]
Nope.
A 6.1 liter hemi in light of present gas prices is a bad idea. They need to consider a fast, light efficient car that is appealing and with good performance, while getting 35 mpg.
This looks like a great car......for 1970.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree! I get 33MPG on the highway and average 25-26 in town if I drive sane.

In fact, if I really nurse it and stick with cruise control at the speed limit, this is possible:

(Trip in June 04 from Albuquerque to Colorado Springs)

 

[sammyb]

Let's hear it for nice, tall gearing!!!

I get a lot of looks and snips around here in Olympia (where Evergreen State College is -- very environmentally geared hippies) when I'm in my Corvette... I always ask if their car gets 35mpg on the freeway and 20 around town.

Bret,
I actually like the newest Mustang, and I also like the looks of the Charger R/T and even this Challenger to some extent...I think it might look a little too much like the '71 Charger from the rear 3/4 view.

I know we've been down this road before...It's a nice looking car, but it breaks no new ground. Nobody 35 years from now is going to say "y'know, we need to incorporate those great '05 Mustang/PT Cruiser/HHR/'06 Charger lines." Just like they won't for any retro-vehicle.

Now on the interior, the Mustang's color-changing faces, that's a different story. That one might stick.

American companies need to blaze new trails in mass-market vehicles.

And Bret, I love you too, my brother from another mother!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Bret]

I found this web site with some more concept drawings of the Challenger & Cuda.

Challenger/Cuda Concepts

I hope they build’em both! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[RomanH]

I wish Detroit would build something new instead of trying to relive the glory days.
I was disapointed by Chrysler a couple of years back when it was rumored that they would build the Razor concept car. For those of you who don't know what that was it was a small two seat roadster, light weight and with a 150 HP mid engine layout. All of that and the target price was about $14k!
I think that would have been more fun than a rehash of the Challenger.
Don't get me wrong I have a soft spot for the old American iron especially Mopars. I had a ton of fun with my '67 Coronet ragtop but it didn't handle well nor stop well but it did have a lot of get up and go! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I just think that Detroit needs to build some new cars that can also be exported.

 

[William]

"I just think that Detroit needs to build some new cars that can also be exported."

Which is a large part of the reason the Big Three are looking to the past, I think. The previous generation Mustang did not make a ripple in Europe....but the newest generation, with the old fashioned styling, is making a splash in the magazines, and people are wanting to buy private imports. Same for the 300 (which is probably the least retro of the bunch, as it doesn't steal all that many cues from the old 300s), Charger, etc. Nobody wants to buy "normal" American cars in the rest of the world....they want to buy glamorous American cars with wild styling, big motors, and chrome.

The same thing can be said about most foreign cars that dont make it to the States. Nobody wants to buy a Fiesta, Punto, or 75 sedan here....we want to buy sexy, expensive, tempermental European sports cars that make little kids go "what kinda car izzat, mister?"

-Wm.

 

[William]

And, to get to the original post, I rather like the styling of the new Challenger. If I could get a choice of engines, and one of them was a small block V-8, I'd be tempted (none of this big block Hemi nonsense for me!)

-Wm.

 

[Guest]

I'd think if the present Mopar hemi was around back in the 60's it would still be considered a small block. Both the 5.7 liter motor (the "normal" hemi) and the 6.1 liter (the motor in the SRT edition cars) are under 400 cubic inches. Traditionally, back in the muscle car days motors around 400 cubes were considered the cutoff. This is just a quick rule of thumb of course, there were many exceptions. There was the Pontiac 400 small block, while the Chevy 396 was a big block, and the Ford 332 gave rise to the later 352 and all the later big block FE engines, but you get my drift. Alot of it had to do with engine design, but I would not consider the modern hemi a big block at all. In fact, the 427 in the new Vette Z06 is still just a stroked and bored small block, and thats 7 liters.

Showed my Mopar fanatic buddy the Challenger photos, he went crazy. He's been considering the new Charger Daytona, but he saw those and decided to wait and see if they build it. If they do, with a hemi, he'll be buying one for sure. I think it looks pretty slick to.

 

[JFC]

I think the Challenger is the best looking of the bunch! The new hemi in it's basic form is not too bad on gas; it's got the varying displacement system and gets 17 mgp city and 25 mgp on the highway.
At least Chrysler is constantly freshening up their line-up and the quality of their newest models I think has been pretty well rated. As far as I'm concerned enjoy the high powered cars while you can; remember what happened between 1975 & 1985, it wasn't pretty and we'll probably go through a similar process again as hybrids become the new trend.

 

[Guest]

It's my understanding that only the 5.7 liter hemis get the MDS system. If you buy an SRT edition car with the 6.1 liter motor the MDS system is not included and you get nailed with the big fat gas guzzler tax. I just found this out last week when we went to look at the Charger Daytona. They had an SRT8 Magnum and the sales guy told us the 6.1 liter hemis do not get the MDS feature. I guess if you can afford the SRT8 cars then you'd probably not be to worried about either the tax or the mileage.

 

[JFC]

Yep, you're right. I'm would think they'll have both offered like they do for the 300.