Dodge Challenger

The 2008 Dodge Challenger had companies scrambling to prepare for aftermarket performance demand concerning it and the upcoming full scale production of the 2009 Dodge Challenger. Even amidst rising fuel prices, the Challenger proved to be one of the most anticipated cars to "re"-enter the market in years; furthermore, this brawny street brawler just began to hit the streets with its limited edition 2008 units. Unwilling to miss out on this action and potential, Mopar Performance unveiled information about its Dodge Challenger Supercharger upgrade packages. Like they did with many other aftermarket offerings, Mopar went to a third party for help in developing and marketing high performance Challenger components; Speedfactory of Morrow, Georgia was given the task of overseeing this project, which debuted at the 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Like almost all of the cars displayed at SEMA, the 2009 Speedfactory Supercharged Challenger would not only have a jump in performance, but also a full dress up to make sure that everyone noticed this special, ultra high performance Challenger.

Overview

The 2009 Dodge Challenger comes back strong, expanding to three models: the new SE, the new R/T, and the high-performance SRT8. This follows the 2008 Dodge Challenger return after a hiatus of more than 30 years, which was Chrysler's biggest styling hit since the PT Cruiser.

The Challenger is all about the in-your-face attitude that's a Dodge hallmark: big car, big presence, big power. Style rules, yet asks few compromises. Some will opine about the timing of the Dodge musclecar's return, while others will note Chicken Little was last seen impaled in a Viper grille somewhere. Much as happens with its principal competitor, Ford's Mustang, each version of the Challenger will appeal to a different buyer.

After some 22 years without the Challenger name plate, and 31 years without a high-performance Dodge Challenger, rumors begin to travel about the possible reincarnation of a Hemi-powered rear wheel drive Pony car from Dodge, which would carry the Challenger name. Magazines and web pages alike discussed and speculated on what could be the next legendary vehicle from Dodge, shown in various artists renderings, mostly lamenting what the recently released Dodge Charger could have been, as so many people were disappointed to see its new high performance family sedan look. Late in 2005 photos surface of what was believed to be the "Next Dodge Challenger". Again, with these hazy, slightly blurry pictures of what looked to be a vintage Challenger with some body alterations to "modernize it", rumors were flying, and the anticipation heightened as several magazines released articles confirming what the Dodge Faithful had hoped for some 31 years...this was the New Dodge Challenger. It was real, with a real engine, the new 425 Hemi, and it was to make its grand debut at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. Then on January 8, 2006, the North American International Auto Show opens, and pictures from every possible news source debut the first moving pictures of the Challenger, and on January 14, 2006, the general public is introduced to the 'Dodge Challenger Concept', as the public viewing days begin at the North American International Auto Show. Rave reviews come from both Dodge Forum young and old, as well as those who were faithful GM and Ford owners. While this awesome new car is but a concept as of early 2006, Dodge sources indicate a 2006 or 2007 beginning of production, which could put the car on the road, and in peoples driveways as early as 2007. The Challenger is back, and with the new 6.1L Hemi, as well as a plethora of model technologies, this new Dodge Challenger may prove to be better than ever.

Read more about the Dodge Challenger Concept Car.

The Challenger name popped back up in the United States as Dodge embarked on a new partnership with Mitsubishi Motors. The car was not actually built by Dodge, but instead, it was simply a rebadged version of the 1977 Mitsubishi Galant Lambda. It was a rear wheel drive, 2 door hardtop, packed with a 1.6L or 2.6L inline four cylinder engines, so it was economical, and while it was fast for what it was, it was nothing like the Challenger of the Muscle Car Era. There were various options such as different wheels, and leather interior offered to try to bolster the sales of the new "import look" Challenger, but it simply was not what original Challenger owners expected from a car badged thusly. While the car was obviously a Mitsubishi, it carried a similar look to the "K Car" series that was being released by Chrysler Corporation, in which many of their newer cars closely resembled each other. This car lasted as long as the original run of the Challenger, but made virtually no mark on the automotive industry, and in 1983, it was again discontinued, but its very unlikely that anyone noticed, or made any fuss about it going away.

When the 1972 model came out, the brochure was a disappointing one at best. The grille had been redesigned with a new egg crate filling, with a chrome piece along the top which sloped downward at the corners where it met the headlights, giving the car a frowning look. Many speculated that the Challenger was sad due to the fact that the R/T option was gone, and with it, all big block and high performance engine options, giving the car, and the owners, little reason to smile. 1972 did feature a new look with the gills now moved up the car, to just behind the front wheels, with gradually broken stripes seemingly pouring out of the gills, and down the body. The base model Challenger came equipped with a 318 cubic inch engine building only 150 horsepower, and the new performance model, labeled the "Challenger Rallye Edition", came with the 318 cubic inch engine, with an optional 340 cubic inch engine making 240 horsepower, only 10 more horsepower over the base model V8 one year earlier. Sales slumped again, this time down to 26,658 , and as new government regulations on emissions were coming out all the time, there was no end in sight for the steady decline in performance car output. Read more about the 1972 Dodge Challenger 1973 brought about almost no cosmetic change from the 1972 model year Challengers. One slight alteration was the addition of bumperettes on the front bumpers. The grille section, and fender gills remained the same. The Rallye option was offered, but only as an option package on the base model, and Dodge offered a sort of "build your own car" program, where you could piece together the various offered options in order to make the car exactly as the buyer wanted it, and evidently, even with the same balmy engine options as in 1972, sales increased to 32,596. Midway through the 1973 model year there were rumors that Dodge would drop the 340 cubic inch engine to make way for the new 360 cubic inch engine, which boasted a whopping 5 horsepower increase over the 340, but this engine would not debut until 1974. Despite the 240 horsepower engine, the 318 cubic inch engine was by far the most popularly chosen engine in 1973. Read more about the 1973 Dodge Challenger 1974 brought about no changes on the Challenger over the 1973 model, and the only real news in 1974 was that the car would be discontinued after the 1974 model year. There were no trim lines offered other than the base model and the Rallye option, and the only engines offered were still the 150 horsepower 318 and the 245 horsepower 360. While the Challenger surely made its mark in its short 5 year existence, the last few years were sad ones, marked by low performance 'economy' engines. Sales in 1974 were at a disappointing all time low, at only 16,437. No car really took the place of the Challenger, as the market was shifting away from the high performance gas guzzlers to small engine powered, economy driven family cars. Read more about the 1974 Dodge Challenger