While these new spy shots of the production Dodge Challenger show neither more nor less of the car than similar shots taken last week, we still find ourselves interested. This time we see the new Challenger sitting at a stoplight, which afford a view of the big 5-spoke wheels that slightly obscure the car's massive disc brakes. This particular car is silver, compared to the black and reddish-bronze colored ones in previous spy shots.
The photographer reportedly pulled an illegal U-turn and chased down the car. After pulling up next to it and snapping a few pics on his camera phone, the guerilla snapper revved his engine. He reports that the engineers inside the Challenger changed their smug mugs into smiles and indicated they were ready for a stoplight launch party, but when the light turned green they quickly let off. Our guess is their bosses probably frown on street racing with the million dollar prototypes.
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[Source: Cheers and Gears]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
srivendel @ Jul 10th 2007 5:09PM
The body looks good but those wheels look enormous and the door handles look pretty craptastic. Details matter, Dodge. I'm sure the door handles are here to stay, but hopefully some more realistic, performance-oriented wheels will be offered.
Harrison @ Jul 10th 2007 5:32PM
It's a concept. There's a good chance Dodge will fine tune the little details before selling this.
After all, it's not GM so they probably won't screw this up.
James @ Jul 10th 2007 6:08PM
Go look at a '70 mopar muscle car. Our '70 Barracuda has the same flushed in door handles, and it does wonders for the car's appearance compared to similar era vehicles that had the stick-out door handles, not to mention the minor air-flow bonuses. Oh, and hurray for retro-sidemirrors!
Johnny Rocket @ Jul 10th 2007 7:07PM
I'd trust GM before Chrysler any day. Look at the Nitro, Caliber, Compass, Avenger, and Sebring. I'd hardly call Chrysler's current track record anything to delight upon. I hope the Challenger doesn't end up with a $10 plastic interior like the Avenger. That's all I ask.
polar @ Jul 10th 2007 5:19PM
I see what looks like a solid B pillar...
JDinPA @ Jul 11th 2007 10:46AM
I saw this, too. I had a feeling Chrysler would eff this one up, like all the other concept-to-reality projects they've executed in the past few years. So much for our hopes for the return of the true, American hardtop.
TriShield @ Jul 10th 2007 5:19PM
It looks like it will be spectacular.
The door handles are the same pieces that the Charger and Magnum used. This car is based on the Charger/Magnum so expect most of the parts to be used on this car as well.
The wheels are a different style than the current SRT-8 trio, so it looks like they will be unique to the car. And for the record, I like them.
This is easily going to be one of the hottest rides for 2008, and maybe the only Chrysler product of the year worth getting excited about.
Mike I @ Jul 10th 2007 5:34PM
I really don't care for American cars.
I like Hondas, Toyotas, Lexuses and BMWs.
The Dodge Charger was the first American car I've liked since I was like 10 or something.
The Dodge Challenger is even better. Man, I love that thing! Even though my mind tells me that it will suck at handling like the Mustang or it will be unreliable or the interior will be cheap or something... I still want one!
Oh God, I hope this thing handles well, is reliable, and well made. I so want one!
Johnny Rocket @ Jul 10th 2007 7:06PM
Judging from your taste in foreign cars, this is a bad sign for Dodge.
Mike I @ Jul 10th 2007 7:26PM
That's a very dumb thing to say. From a design perspective as well as a business perspective, Dodge has designed a car that is universally appealing.
I want American car companies to succeed universally. They should be able to compete with all cars, not just other American ones. There should be no need to like either foreign cars OR domestic cars, they should be mixed. That would be good for the American car companies, their customers, their investors, and their country's economy. With this one I think they are going to do so.
The point is that this car can attract the tastes of someone who likes foreign cars, and the tastes of someone who likes domestic cars.
Johnny Rocket @ Jul 11th 2007 12:14AM
Don't think it's dumb; the Challenger design is no more innovative than the GT. It's just a near-copy of a 1970 car. I like it, but I don't find it creative or fresh in any way--like a BMW.
Mike I @ Jul 11th 2007 12:18AM
I agree with you there. It's really is not innovative. For example, if this car takes off, eventually it will need to be revamped. And Dodge will have troubles taking the design anywhere since they've already shown that they haven't been able to design anything this pretty since the 70's given the fact that it is built off the 70's design.
Josh E. Oliver @ Jul 10th 2007 5:37PM
Pulled an illegal U-Turn to get the pictures.
Is upset that the responsible citizen/employee would not race him on presumably a busy road seeing as how it was lunch time.
It's amazing he didn't cause an accident!
srivendel @ Jul 10th 2007 5:40PM
Just because a U-turn is illegal doesn't mean it's dangerous.
Don @ Jul 10th 2007 6:06PM
Oh, grow some cajones...you never pulled an illegal u-turn to get a look at something or get somewhere faster?
Schuby87 @ Jul 10th 2007 6:51PM
Dude you need to get a life!
I didn't turn around to get the pics, its cuz I wanted to race him! If he didn't think he could take a little LS1 Trans Am, I guess these cars aren't going to be very fast...
Mr. Sandman @ Jul 10th 2007 6:54PM
He's very lucky he wasn't drunk, otherwise he might swerve off Opdyke and pinball his sports car off a nonexistent guardrail, totalling it, and having a state trooper tell him to just ask his local police file an accident report to avoid DUI charges. He should have simply made a big deal about seeing a car with camo on it and provided a vague description without showing any pictures, but still say he spied a car. Would have been safer for all.
Wrecked_Solstice @ Jul 10th 2007 9:00PM
This just in...TheGMSource is reporting the Challenger has been shelved...
rv @ Jul 10th 2007 5:42PM
Hope the interior is nicer than Dodges I've been in lately. The Charger and whatever the little FWD wagon thing is called have stank interior; fleet cars - rent 'em and forget 'em. Cheap-o-rama. Not as bad as the 'stang, but still. The U.S. has to step up on the build quality department or face the consequences. I don't care how many fuzzy dice this thing comes with... But nice exterior, I guess... Big and beefy.
Mike @ Jul 11th 2007 10:42AM
What FWD wagon are you talking about? The Magnum? Its RWD buddy. I agree that the interior sucks though.