Production Challenger will be nearly identical to concept
Chrysler held a concept car ride-and-drive in the trendy downtown of Royal Oak, MI this week that gave journalists a chance to creep along on public roads in some of this past auto show season's hottest wheels. The Dodge Challenger Concept was, of course, the highlight, and Scott Burgess from The Detroit News managed to get Chrysler's VP and top designer, Tom Tremont, to confirm that the production version would be "nearly identical" to the concept. Tremont claims, "You're not going to be able to tell the difference."
We remember when similar things were said about the Crossfire Concept, though Chrysler should have an easy enough time converting its concept to reality since the show car was designed from the beginning off of the LX platform that the production version will use. Considering how big a hit the Challenger Concept has been, we're sure Chrysler designers will bend over backwards not to mess with success.
[Source: The Detroit News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dan Kinner 11:24AM (7/28/2006)
Hurry up, folks. I been savin' up since I saw the first drawings!
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Kevin 11:31AM (7/28/2006)
Has the concept really been a hit? I don't hear much about it, and when I do, I hear that it's a dated design and that the car itself is way too large.
I know I personally feel that way - I don't like the design, and its shape gives off a 'boat-like' impression.
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JSM 11:40AM (7/28/2006)
Ok, give me some convertible shots and a release date and this 05 mustang gt convertible owner will be putting down a payment.
Love the stang, have had old stangs, dodges (and oldsmobiles) don't have that bizzare FORD! (or CHEVY!) UBER ALLES psychological difficiency that you see in so many car guys - I'll buy a good car no matter who makes it.
This looks to be the most long-term-livable of the new pony cars with a much bigger, nicer interior then the stang, if a proportionate decrease in handling, but with plenty of power. I'm 37 - I'd rather pay 35k for a convertible that can blow the doors off the bmw and merc for tens of thousands less and enjoy the ride - I imagine there are a substantial number of sales to steal in the Grand Touring class, which is what a pony car truly is - I don't think there is a whit of difference between the buyers of the m3/clks/amgs and the buyers of these cars other then maybe lifetime poseur status and a lack of respect for one's money.
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dreesemonkey 11:43AM (7/28/2006)
I was hoping they'd shy away from the retro-future plasticy looking interior, I'm sure they won't though. Otherwise the car looks amazing.
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Tool 12:03PM (7/28/2006)
I think that by the time the vehicle is ready for production, the era of the big muscle car will have come and gone.
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jon 12:07PM (7/28/2006)
Expect a de-contented version of the show car
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Chris 12:10PM (7/28/2006)
Thats not really too surprising since when I veiwed it at the Detroit auto show it seemed much closer to a production car than than the Camaro. This makes it aot easier to translate the design to a real car something the Camaro will have a much harder time with. The Challenger also drew a larger crowd than the Camaro the three days I was there and amongst the people I've talked to the Challenger was preferred. There were a couple of polls on this site about which was better and it was nearly a dead heat with the Challenger slightly ahead.
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P to the C 12:14PM (7/28/2006)
re: "Has the concept really been a hit?"
A huge, huge hit. You're probably only hearing what reinforces your existing perception.
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JSM 12:17PM (7/28/2006)
I'm assuming, of course, that they're keeping the butterfly valves - something's gotta appeal to the 16 year old in me.
Heck, I expect a leather, top line interior, 400hp convertible is going to be closer to 40k, but that still saves me 20-40 over the competition.
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Presto 12:25PM (7/28/2006)
It already looks out-styled and old compared to the new Camaro concept.
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skaz 12:51PM (7/28/2006)
"10. It already looks out-styled and old compared to the new Camaro concept."
For the most part it looks older than a 1980s Mustang. It's a retro look, it's supposed to be that way. And the Camaro struck me as a little too flashy and pointy.
The redneck in me wants to make babies with that car.
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Tim 12:52PM (7/28/2006)
Funny how the challenger on the left is most likely worth more than twice what the new challenger will go for...
But for buying that car....i'll wait a couple of decades and just find one in a junkyard and patch together a hemi. Much more satisfying.
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Brian 1:00PM (7/28/2006)
It's nice that they are staying true to the concept, and I'm sure that the many, many people that loved the concept are very happy to hear the news.
However, the truth is that the car looks every bit an oversized boat, just like the original. While that was nice back then, it's just not good these days.
People are going to look at it and think it's a giant gas guzzler. And the only people that will buy it will be the ones that are completely infatuated with the old Challenger. When it comes down to actually putting $25-30k on the table, I don't think too many people are going to actually buy it.
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Nick 1:29PM (7/28/2006)
Chryslers got another hit here. After what they did to the Charger (SRT-8 excluded), they owe the muscle car-loving public. What a bad-ass ride.
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PJ 1:37PM (7/28/2006)
"The redneck in me wants to make babies with that car."
LOL, agreed. And this from a guy whose other lust objects are the Evo and 350Z.
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pd 1:39PM (7/28/2006)
Brian, Chrysler is only building 30 thousand of these,which will sell-out in about a month! I see Chrysler increasing production on challengers and cutting production on chargers,since this is the car people wanted all along not that ugly 4-door.Muscle car buyers aren't looking for gas misers!
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CJ 2:22PM (7/28/2006)
You know... I'm not one to fawn over owning a muscle car too much. But my neck started turning red when I saw this at the auto show. This car screams pure brawny muscle, makes you wanna hop in and smoke the tires. Yeeee-haw!
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guyomatic 2:55PM (7/28/2006)
Make one of these Hemi's with a 6speed manual trans PLEASE!!!!
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Steven T. 2:56PM (7/28/2006)
Chrysler group arguably needs a coupe, but this one seems like it will be dated by the time it hits the market. For one thing, it's absurd to build a two-ton "pony car" on a 116-inch wheelbase. That's a milk cow!
If they feel like they have to use the full-sized LX platform then at least they should have come up with a design that was congruent with that size. A Chrysler 300 coupe/convertible would have made MUCH more sense. Or even one based on the Charger, albeit with a design that better reflected its classic wedge shape.
Frankly, all of the neo-pony cars have problems. The current Mustang is certainly the best looking since the late 1960s, but it is too big, chunky and overweight (in no small part because it is based on the Lincoln LS platform).
It isn't clear yet whether the Camero will also be too large and overweight, but it's styling is a mixed bag. I think it will hold up better than the Challenger's, but why are they reviving the 1969 design when it was arguably the most mediocre of the early Cameros? In contrast, the 1971 was an instant classic.
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Richard Warren 3:22PM (7/28/2006)
If this car isn't a huge hit for Chrysler at least you can't say they didn't try
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