May I present you...the Challenger Concept

[Prince Valiant]

Here is the concept car that will be making it's rounds at the car shows this year...

http://www.autoweek.com/images/news/103629

http://autoweek.com/files/weekart/2005/1121/challenger_rear.jpg

So anyone that's got an axe to grind about a "4 door charger" can zip it...

and yes, the new challenger WILL be available with a 6 speed manual trans.

Personall, I am stoked for this car to come out...I'll seriously be saving my money to purchase one of these outwright when it comes out. Certainly I'll try to save for an SRT version with the 6.1 hemi, or the possibly new 505hp, "392" hemi featured at the SEMA, if that does become available as more than a crate engine.

Although, a 425hp 6.1 should be strong enough as is....especially since we are seeing current SRT-8's going mid 12's (http://www.300cforums.com/forums/srt-8-general-discussion/12593-12-56-111-50-mph-bone-stock.html) . <Not the first, just the fastest so far.

Now, GM's got to get a camaro to the market for all to be right in the world.

[jbiscuit]

WHOA! I love it!

[STEALTHZR2]

Wow!! Looks Great!

[Nix]

That thing look friggin awsome, I really like the side profile of it, very old school. :thumbsup

[MurphysLaw88GT]

awesome
:banana1: :banana :drool:

[Yooformula]

Now that would be a hit if they actually made it!! Not completely sold on the nose yet but I would have to see more pics.

[wikked]

Yea that doesn't look too bad at all... might as well axe the Charger now =P

[WilliamZ]

Ohhh I like!

[Pantera99GS]

Badass! I hope they sell all they can make- it might motivate GM to build a new Camaro.

[Karps TA]

There will be a Camaro concept car at the North American International Auto show this January. However GM, being GM they'll probably screw it up and it will just be a bigger Cobalt.

Funny how it took the Germans to get a hold of an American car company in order to make them respect their own history. Dodge is making some good looking, and different cars. It's just too bad they are still the ones making them.

[Syclone0044]

Although, a 425hp 6.1 should be strong enough as is....especially since we are seeing current SRT-8's going mid 12's (http://www.300cforums.com/forums/srt-8-general-discussion/12593-12-56-111-50-mph-bone-stock.html) . <Not the first, just the fastest so far. Holy smokes!!! :stare Thanks for posting that! :thumbsup That's pretty amazing and I wouldn't have believed it without reading that whole thread. :wow That's stronger than any LS1 has ever been!! (sans LS7)

[0TransAm0]

car looks sweet

[number1]

Same gripe as the new mustang, awesome profile, nice front end, tail lights are fugly.

Just personal preference.

[nismodave]

Is that all Dodge and Ford have to offer??

Reusing old designs?? Sure its kinda cool for now but, that leaves nowhere to go for the future if we keep using old body styles.

[Slow Joe]

Hrmmm, all it needs are some hideaway headlights... That'd be awesome...

[6L chevelle]

heard that the 2 door challanger is expected for 08 production, but i don't know if that is the design they are going with. my guess is no, remember when they had the charger concept out couple years back, looks nothing like the current LX body that they are using now.

i was in michigan, for training, 2 years ago i sat in a 2 door version of the LX body called the charger but had the magnum front to it, so anyones guess of the styling

[Prince Valiant]

The new challenger will be built on the next generation LY chasis...which eventually will hold the next gen 300 and magnums as well.

[Yooformula]

After what they did with the charger, they better build it just like the concept otherwise itll look like a$$. I am totally diggin those taillights though and the mean stance.

[Prince Valiant]

my guess is no, remember when they had the charger concept out couple years back, looks nothing like the current LX body that they are using now.
Let's not forget that one was a concept and show car for 1999...when they had no real feasible platform to produce the car on...iirc, they used a modified viper chasis, and the plant used to build the viper wouldn't have been able to produce the numbers needed.

This on the other hand is using a production based chasis and parts readily available from the parts bin. Furthermore...it's MUCH closer to actual production.

This IS the show car that will be making the rounds to get the crowds anticipated for an 08 model year, and spring/summer of 07 release....the charger you speak of was was out without there ever having been a release date even.

[Yooformula]

Some fast 300 C's on that board, with alot of prev LS1 owners too. Those cars are pretty damm quick for such a heavy car. I defintely like the 300s a hell of alot better than the Magnums.

[6L chevelle]

Let's not forget that one was a concept and show car for 1999...when they had no real feasible platform to produce the car on...iirc, they used a modified viper chasis, and the plant used to build the viper wouldn't have been able to produce the numbers needed.

This on the other hand is using a production based chasis and parts readily available from the parts bin. Furthermore...it's MUCH closer to actual production.


i agree that there was no real feasible platform for the charger concept, i believe it was also an alternitive fuel vehicle

Chrysler has had a history of changing design, computer management system twice in a modle year

i like how the concept looks alot, but i fear that the production vehicle will look less radical,

just my $.02 i've been wrong lots before

[TurboAWD2.0]

I hope I don't get flamed for being the first to say it rather ugly... I would take the charger over that.

And as NismoDave said; why live in the past (I paraphrase)? They could have made it so much cooler. It's almost like they want to alienate their future client base - kids like me! :D

My two cents.

[Prince Valiant]

I hope I don't get flamed for being the first to say it rather ugly... I would take the charger over that.

And as NismoDave said; why live in the past (I paraphrase)? They could have made it so much cooler. It's almost like they want to alienate their future client base - kids like me! :D
No one can make you like a car...I can just tell you what poor taste you have (see your subie for proof :goof )

joking, joking...

But as far as "living in the past", this I don't understand.

I mean, I once thought that all cars in the future would have pointy noses, bubble glass tops, gullwing doors, and really big spoilers...and boy, am I glad my vision of the future was wrong. Which brings me to my point...what is a "challenger of the future" supposed to look like?

I mean, chevy's 2nd gen camaro took a RADICAL departure from the first gen....but then evolved from there. What if that radical departure hadn't have happened? What if it simply evolved from what the first gen was? It would have been a sensesibly shaped, pratical two door coupe...maybe appearing much as the challenger above does.

The mustang, on the other hand, was evolving from it's original shape for several generations...and it could easily be argued that the 05 sort've just filled in the evolutionary steps that were missed by the advent of the 1974 pinto-stang...IE, the 05 is what the mustang would have looked like had it continued the evolutionary styling of the 67-73's continued from the first gen mustangs.

This design continues that theme...it simply shows a challenger as to how it would have evolved all these years if production hadn't stopped in 1974, while still retaining it's heritage.

Do you know what other car essentially has done the same exact thing? Why the 2006 corvette, of course. It has stayed, in large part, true to the heritage of the 1968 "mako shark" style vettes, with the coke-bottle fenders, similar nose, similar front/cockpit/rear-deck proportions...sure, there are stark differences as well, but still...the same basic shape, with many of the same cues are there. Who accuses the vette of being "in the past"?

I think the challenger works though for several reasons...it'll be produced on the same line as the 300's, chargers, and magnums...and the ratio of production can be adjusted as is demanded. If they need 100,000 300's, 25,000 chargers, and 50,000 magnums and only 10,000 challengers...no prob, done. If they need 80,000 challengers and 40,000 300's, etc, etc...no problem.

This means that they can pretty much produce as many or as few of a car as needed, yet still keep the line at a high capacity, thus highly profitable...unlike some cars that are killing the company because demand might only be 12,000 a year...that's nothing.

As stated...I'm stoked. Yoos...can I get a job for some extra income at Buffulo Wild Wings? I'll be your best worker, I promise! I NEED THIS CAR :thumbsup

BTW, improved pictures HERE AT ALL-PAR (http://www.allpar.com/cars/dodge/challenger.html)

[RedGSX]

I also agree with NismoDave and TurboAWD. Don't get me wrong I do like the "re"-new designs, but I wish they could have improved on them a little more than they have been. Perhaps just hint at the past styling slowly bringing in past ideas, such as your examples, prince. Instead of after 30 or so years and it's back; which to me doesn't look all that different. But it's just my 2cents

I guess they just ran out of ideas or creative juice for the next line-up so they just reffered to what worked in the past. Oh-well...I just hope they don't start reliving the "Whale Tale" era... :crazyeyes

(didn't hit button fast enough ^)

[Al]

I found this while snooping around...

http://forums.autoweek.com/servlet/JiveServlet/download/31-16873-364784-11656/Cuda_powerslide.jpg

A thing we can be sure about when it comes to a challenger: the trunk lid will be higher than the hood by about 6 inches.

[ChevelleBabe88]

I Love it! That is a sexy car it slaps the Charger in the face!!

[GrimreaperSS]

Looks like a slightly updated '71 model. I would prefer if the grille resembled more of the '70 model, and maybe split the tail lights, but other than that looks good. In fact I would say they could have taken old-school challenger body, and slapped it on a new chassis. The roof and fender lines are exact.

Just another thought though.... If they were too completely redesign the Challenger, Make it look all new with just a hint of heritage, where would it end up. My point being GTO and Charger. I hate the fact the Charger is four door and only resembles the originals in the top of the fender, just behind the side windows. Dont care that it has a HEMI in it or not. Still wont make me buy one. The GTO I didnt care for too much at first either, but has grown on me quite a bit. Almost bought one, until they wouldnt let me test drive before I signed any papers. Maybe the Goat could have had more of a resemblance, but maybe they could have chosen a different name for it? I say they are designing this car they way people want it because they dont want to face the ridicule of the critics ( general population ) for a second time.

[PB86MCSS]

Reusing old designs?? Sure its kinda cool for now but, that leaves nowhere to go for the future if we keep using old body styles.

The older styling cues are attractive to many people, its that simple. Most new cars are un-inspiring(not that many older models aren't either). Chances are the retro styling will last short term then its on to other styles, much like clothing/etc, things come in cycles. Aggressive/more distinct edges, etc may be *old* but it just looks good :).

[69Chevelle]

That Cuda is bad ass i would buy one

[lotsals1]

ehhh im not feeling it ---it looks like someone tried to euroify a clasic --i think they can do better -i actualy think the original looks better -i mean its nice that they are tying the market ,but if you look at it ,it is a actual 70-71 challenger with some modern curves in it "not very creative".like i said they can do better .now if the hack the cuda name by doing some weak azz crap like they did to the charger and now challenger name , i will write off all my memories off all the rare mopars i have ownd.
look at it its nothin more than a 70 challenger with some rounded edges-it dosnt flow
at all in my opinion--sorry just very disappointed

[lotsals1]

ahh just saw the cuda picture --thats much better

[nismodave]

The older styling cues are attractive to many people, its that simple. Most new cars are un-inspiring(not that many older models aren't either). Chances are the retro styling will last short term then its on to other styles, much like clothing/etc, things come in cycles. Aggressive/more distinct edges, etc may be *old* but it just looks good :).


This is not a pair of friggin pants or shirt.

This is a MAJOR purchase.

I just think that these car manufactures are getting lazy.

Look at the new Vette, 350z/G35, and solsitce(sp), they take small cues from old designs but dont totally "rip them off".

[Al]

Look at the new Vette, 350z/G35, and solsitce(sp), they take small cues from old designs but dont totally "rip them off".

Mabey all the new designs are taken? :confused

[SMS 1]

I think that thing is friggin hawt :wooo Much more like it. Even the Daytona versions of the Charger are just 'eh. This (and the Cuda) are a great throwback design to the hayday of true muscle. Go Mopar :thumbsup

[USMARINE1108]

I like it. I just wish these new "retro" cars would live up to the name a little better. Hopefully this one will.