koopa

Do you think there is still hope for the Charger? Would Dodge take this model back to the drawing board for a complete revamp having seen the rapturous praise of the public and media surrounding their eagerly awaited new Challenger?
Could they admit that whereas the Charger is a pretty good car, it is not what it could or SHOULD have been and maybe a complete facelift to make the car look as close to the original as the Challenger does would give the company a further cash injection of sales.

It would also be awesome to have the choice of a new retro Charger or Challenger. Do you think Dodge would consider it or do you think they are happy to distract from their mistake with the success of the new car and plod along without changing?

Albeeno

My guess is that Chrysler won't do anything the next 2-3 years to distract any attention away from their newest cash cow. I highly doubt we'll see any "Chrysler `Cudas" or revamped Chargers in the lineup. I think they want to capitalize as much as possible on this investment and gauge reaction/sales before they undertake any other risky moves. And introducing The Challenger now when our country's economy is on the brink of recession (some might argue we're already in one); ever-increasing energy costs; a weakening GDP; a falling dollar and the housing market in the toilet...all seems a bit "risky" to me. Look at how much Mustang sales have dropped since 2005...that could be somewhat of a benchmark. Personally, I think it's risky and I think if you wait until early 2009 to get a Challenger, you'll easily be able to get it for MSRP or maybe even south of MSRP! For taking such a huge risk my hat goes off to Chrysler. They listened to their fans and gave em what they wanted. For that, I honestly applaud them!

66Cuda

I don't think there is anyway we will see a revamped Charger. Chrysler is already trying to cut vehicles that cross platforms, like cutting the Nitro and keeping the liberty. With Chrysler cutting vehicles out I don't see them trying to bring a new Dodge in that would directly compete with a current Dodge vehicle.

BootCamp

The Charger is due for a makeover. While it would be nice to think they'd do it over more like the '69 Charger, the points made above are valid and lend little support for such a move.
HOWEVER, I could see Chrysler learning from the success of the Challenger and doing a more retro-styled 4 door - something more along the lines of what everyone expected from the prototype, only (hopefully) with more Doug Schramm styling cues (like a more retro front end with hidden headlights). With the Challenger holding the 2 door coupe segment, I could see them redesigning the Charger as a four door with the retro/old nose and tail design on it. There's no reason why not. It certainly would give the Charger more of it's own/old identity.
I think that would make almost everyone happy.
Maybe it's just wishful thinking.
[X(]

Billionaire

If they're going to make a new muscle car it should be a Cuda.
Why would anyone care about the Charger? It'd be a waste of time.
Brian Tracy taught me that you should always do your highest
priority tasks first. Never do a lower priority task as long as there is
a higher priority task. And if that means the lower priority tasks don't
get done, it really doesn't matter.

BootCamp

It's all about balance, Bud. You need a balanced investment portfolio for financial security. Likewise, you need a diverse and balanced product line to stay competitive in business.
You mentioned you have an internet business. I assume it isn't focused on one product or service, or you'd have been out of business shortly after you got started.

Dodge sells far more Chargers than they will Challengers. In fact, I'll bet the yearly "fleet sales" numbers alone on the Charger (police cars, rental cars, et al) will exceed the total yearly Challenger sales/production numbers. It would be foolish to let that portion of their business get stale and lose it to another manufacturer. Dessert is nice after the entree has been consumed - the Charger is the "meat and potatoes" of Dodge's auto lineup (aside from the Truck division).

So while your "mantra" is accurate in it's principle, I think you're not putting your ducks in a row when it comes to accurately defining priorities for Dodge.

Jeremiah 29:11

Unfortunately, as much as I would like to see a 2 door Charger, I do not see it happening for the reasons Bootcamp stated. Just too many needs for a high performance car in the markets that serve fleet vehicles with 4 doors.

koopa

i did think that because the Charger is such a good all-round seller Dodge may not want to fiddle with it too much and make it a car that is only going to appeal to a specific audience like the Challenger. They have a model that appeals to a wide customer base and also have the performance version SRT8 to kind of cover the muscle market. I think someone mentioned before that if the Charger was called any other name it would be more popular and wouldnt recieve as much crticism. I guess im just greedy because Dodge have been able to do us so proud with the latest offering that it seems a shame we couldnt have the Charger restyled in the same way! Im just a typical human being with an overactive greed gland lol [8D]

JJMPB

i would have to say no cause i ask myself do i see either the challenger or the charger in the dodge lineup 5 years from now and i have to say no

RLSH700

If you look at the way Chrysler has done things in the last 15 years and possibly more, they tend to base their styling and themes off their halo or upper level cars. The Intrepid's design was inspired by the Viper. The previous Sebring was inspired from the Concorde, the current one is inspired by the Crossfire. The PT Cruiser was inspired by the Prowler. The examples go on. I would not be surprised if Chrysler bases some of the styling cues in future models after the Challenger; however, do not expect a Charger coupe. Chances are it will not happen with the Challenger on the market. I would actually say they would probably be wiser to keep the styling between those two models separate from each other. If you make them too similar you will have model cannibalization on your hands. This way those who want a Challenger will get a Challenger and those who want a Charger will get a Charger. The other fact is that although many of you are still upset about the Charger being a sedan, it has been a success for them. It sold around 120K units this past year, which is sadly Dodge's best selling models car models (excluding trucks and minivans). Don't expect things to change very much.