Dodge Challenger News: Photos and Details

[Vintalage]

DETROIT -- Watch out, Ford Mustang. Dodge is preparing a challenger.

In fact, it's likely to be called Challenger.

Chrysler plans to resurrect a respected name from the pony car era for a rear-wheel-drive Mustang fighter, industry sources say. The car is expected in 2009 on the LX platform, the basis of the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum and Charger.

"It is a two-door, essentially a competitor for the Mustang," says Catherine Madden, a production analyst for industry research group Global Insight. "They are really excited about it."

Madden says the sport coupe is planned to debut in 2009, when the next-generation LX vehicles are scheduled to be re-engineered and restyled.

"They would be able to make some additional investment in the platform, make some adjustments for that product" at that time, she says.

"The enthusiasm for that product," Madden says, is "very big."

Chrysler hopes to sell 60,000 to 70,000 of the cars a year, she says. An assembly site was not identified. Production of the 300, Magnum and recently introduced Charger is expected to fill Chrysler's Brampton, Ontario, assembly plant.

Chrysler officials are not talking about the car, but industry analysts say they are familiar with the plans.

Jim Hall, vice president of industry analysis at AutoPacific Inc., says he isn't sure Chrysler can pull it off. "They have a lot of stuff that has to be cleared off the table before they start playing around with that car," he says.

The redesigned 2005 Mustang has exceeded initial sales estimates. Ford expects to build 192,000 Mustangs this year, and most retail units are selling at a price near the sticker.

The 1970-74 Challenger was Dodge's answer to the original Mustang, as well as the Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Firebird, Mercury Cougar and AMC Javelin.

And, yes, the original Challenger had a Hemi V-8.

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102549

- Autoweek

[bigbenSC]

Lets just hope it doesn't look like the Charger and that they shorten up the platform a lot!

[crazypontiac03]

Could be interesting.

[02andahalfgt]

Who didn't see that coming with all those truck comercials with the two guys in an old Challenger?!

[Braves299]

Good news. But I'm not gonna be completely happy till I hear the re-introduction of the new Camaro (which prob. won't happen till I'm 50).

Hopefully Dodge lightens then fat boy up and prices it comparibly to the mustang though.

[Sprucegagt]

Originally Posted by 02andahalfgt

Who didn't see that coming with all those truck comercials with the two guys in an old Challenger?!

That was a DUSTER dumb ass. Christ it was even called out in one of the commercials.

[02andahalfgt]

Originally Posted by Sprucegagt

That was a DUSTER dumb ass. Christ it was even called out in one of the commercials.

Well sorry.

[AaronGAGT]

anyways, at least its gonna be 2 door!

[notsoaveragej0e]

check it:

[Mike3800]

so... how about that Challanger? Wonder what it will look like. I hope not like the Magnum and Charger. They need to do somthing besides that same pickup truck front grille. It's annoying as hell now.


(posted before the pics were posted)


Hmmm... not really feeling it. Perhaps with some different wheels or something. I think everyone is going retro or ugly since no one can think of anything new that looks nice.

[pyro]

IMHO they really need to stop making retro style cars. not only do they look bad now, but in the future they will look worse.

[bigbenSC]

Did Chrysler not learn anything from the Thunderbird? Modern clones of great cars of the past don't sell that well in the long term. As soon as the hype dies all you are left with is a car with a wannabe character. Cars like the PT Cruiser and HHR will sell better long term with retro sytle because they are not exact copies of some old car. The "new" Beetle is nothing special now, the Thunderbird is dead, and PT cruiser sales have been flat despite new models. Frankly I expected some original design in the car. Dear God don't let the next GTO folow this path!

[HiFiCarGuy]

The 300c? That's a retro design in a sense. It's just not exatly like another car. I must be the only one that likes that Challenger. I just really hope they offer a manual Trans with it...and not just autos like they have been doing.

[TJ95GAGT]

You guys dont like that? I think its freakin hot, I would drive that in a heartbeat. Honestly though that looks like someone redid an old one.

[Sleepwalkr]

Originally Posted by notsoaveragej0e

check it:

This car = BadAss

'nuff said.

[notsoaveragej0e]

Originally Posted by bigbengt67

Did Chrysler not learn anything from the Thunderbird? Modern clones of great cars of the past don't sell that well in the long term. As soon as the hype dies all you are left with is a car with a wannabe character. Cars like the PT Cruiser and HHR will sell better long term with retro sytle because they are not exact copies of some old car. The "new" Beetle is nothing special now, the Thunderbird is dead, and PT cruiser sales have been flat despite new models. Frankly I expected some original design in the car. Dear God don't let the next GTO folow this path!

yeah i agree with you. Peoples' tastes today are totaly different from what they were in the 60's and 70's. The people who bought the new t-bird were people who owned t-birds back in their glory days. I, on the otherhand, would take the bus before i took a new t-bird. I really dont think the GTO will follow the old one at all other than twin hood scoops. In retrospec, that is really the only thing GM followed on the current model that was a carry over from the origional.

[99GApunk]

something isnt right about it, i want to like it, but just cant make myself

[Cormaster]

I'dl ike to see them get rid of this GTO and build a bandit looking retro trans am...

but no from my understanding the whole firebird nameplate is retired...

As for the camaro pics, I hear chevy is defintly planning on building a poney car for 2008, however they haven't decided whether its to be called the Chevelle or Camaro... they said the car based on these photos may be thechevelle, and the camaro may come back on an extended Solstice/sky chassie, with 4 seats and a v-8... considering the lightness of the Kappa platform that wouldn't be bad...

which brings me to my bitch about Chryler's POS LX platform... when I first saw the magnum I thought it was bad ass, but now looking at the Fuel Economy numbers, and the weight, I'd rather own a GTO, a mustang, WRX, or EVO than anything on the LX platform... not to mention sports cars with the lack of a manaul transmission...wtf? When I saw the pic of the Challenger concept I was excited, now that I hear they are putting it on the 4,400 + pound LX platform, I am less excited.

[bigbenSC]

^ I agree with the LX platform being too heavy, long, etc.. But the Challenger will be a shortened version from what I've read. It will still be larger than the GTO though. Those photos seem to back that up, that is a huge looking car!

[02andahalfgt]

I kinda like it. Looks like Chip Foose had a hand in design.