Brits go un-Challenged: No Dodge Challenger for the UK!
The holders of the purse-strings at Chrysler have been juggling and ditching programs since the change of ownership, and the latest move is sure to make fans of American muscle cars over in England particularly sad. When Chrysler announced that they would be building the new Challenger next year, they intended to export the cars to overseas markets as well. However, it now appears that the Challenger will be kept at home and possibly be built in lower volumes than originally planned. Prospective Challenger drivers in the UK will now have to import the cars one at time and only in left hand drive configuration. They should be able to do that shortly after the the production version is launched next February at the Chicago Auto Show.
[Source: AutoExpress]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Aaron 4:20PM (9/15/2007)
I'll think of them as I'm melting the tires off mine..
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500 6:44PM (9/15/2007)
Haha that makes two of us.
I really think that Chrysler is seriously underestimating the potential demand. How many other large, RWD, 400+ hp V8-powered coupes are available out the door for under, say, $100,000? Um, none. And the badass 1970-style looks are a plus too. If they can keep the price within reason and produce it in sufficient quantities, it will sell like hotcakes.
Sadly, it seems like the new Chrysler management expects it to fail, which may be a self-fulfilling prophecy if they only make a few thousand and price it too high.
Stuart 10:10PM (9/15/2007)
Ha Ha Ha. This is halarious because this piece of junk might look half decent but with 15 miles to the gallon it won't sell anyway.
Don't worry guys, in England we can get anyc ar we want here unlike you americans. Hell i could get the biggest pickup available in America as we have specialist distributers selling cars like any american, Japanese or any other import car not OFFICIALLY sold by the manufacturers so technically this artical is not all right.
But on the other hand I rather not get this, nor the camaro, or the G8, or any other supposedly american muscle car because we will 100% offically be getting the New RS6 with the full 600bhp.
P.s. Did I forget to mention the EURO-FORDS, most of the Opel cars etc...
500 12:27AM (9/16/2007)
Stuart, my current vehicle gets 13 MPG. I can afford a Challenger that gets 15 MPG. And your comment is laughable, as you guys get SCREWED on taxes and pricing. Example: a BMW 335i coupe that bases at $40,000 in the US starts at $70,000 in the UK (source: BMW UK website.)
Sure, you may be able to get an American pickup, but with taxes and import fees it will cost you as much as that Audi RS6. Hey, enjoy your EURO Ford Fiesta for the cost of a Mercedes here.
Stuart 7:13AM (9/16/2007)
500, First of all the pickups range from around £15k+. Second - do some research and you will see that the minimum wage in England is like £6 an hour. My average wage is like £1000 a week that makes $2000. So according to our currency we pay roughly the same on our cars and houses when you calculate the difference. It may seem a lot but with our currency the money can go double the distance the dollar can.
Plus I forgot to mention that you don't even get diesels lol.
Plus we may pay more for our fuel but at the end of the day you would be lucky to still have $3/gallon by the end of the decade. Thanks to my good mate george w bush and the lessons his learning from the british, watch the petrol cost rise sharply in the very near future. Plus we get the ultra low sulpur fuel as standard anyway
Mustang2005cs 7:03PM (9/19/2007)
On the contrary my friend, diesel pickups are very popular here in the states. They are grow in popularity every year.
In terms of diesel vehicles, the cost savings would be minimal, seeing as diesel costs just as much as gasoline here in the states. Whether or not that applies to the future I don't know, but for now, it makes no sense to buy a diesel.
John B. 4:22PM (9/15/2007)
That's too much displacement for the UK. If the Challenger had a 1.3 litre petrol engine and the car were one third the size, then they'd buy it.
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broosewee 4:32PM (9/15/2007)
Or if it was a diesel.
Victor 9:33PM (9/15/2007)
you boys wake up, you're just lost the war. just wait - soon the troops will be home from Iraq, gas will shot to $5 or $6 per gallon, and we will see how many those cars will be rusting at dealers lots and you might be envy of British that at least they have diesels to drive.
Dave 5:00PM (9/15/2007)
The UK market will already be saturated with Monaros (GTOs) and Commodores (G8s) by the time the Challenger arrives.
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TEM 5:07PM (9/15/2007)
Well, the nanny-state limeys don't deserve this beauty anyway.
But then again, it is still too focking big to be practical. The car does need to smaller and lighter.
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Victor 9:37PM (9/15/2007)
Are you serious calling it ugly thing a beauty ?
mattypape 5:12PM (9/15/2007)
''Brits go un-Challenged: No Dodge Challenger for the UK!''
well, to be honest, as great looking this car this is, hardly anyone here in england would buy one if they did bring it over. if they did people would just overlook it.
oh and by the way, the reason we dont generally buy big fuel guzzlers is nothing to do with the environment its just because we like small cars, i would have a fiat 500 over this even if it did 10mpg.
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Displacement 5:34PM (9/15/2007)
Bull. Your rich people have an overabundance of SUVs. You guys like big cars just fine, it's just most of you are too poor to afford them. Let's all hear it for socialism!
Valentino Amoro 5:57PM (9/15/2007)
Agreed. 'Em yellow toothed Brits cant even afford one. The reason why they drive smal hatches is not coz of choice, its coz of affordability. A GTI is considered hot and an S2000 a prize posession.
digitalzombie 6:08PM (9/15/2007)
holy fuk, way to represent USA with bitch talk.
Not all of us are assholes like Displacement and Valentino Amoro (they're what we like to call it: rednecks that beat their wife, drink cheap beer, have mullets, and live in a mobile home).
Anyway, back to the subject. I thought you guys were into small cars cause of gas prices? I heard it's like 9 US dollars over there. You guys get good octane (like Japan)? Or is it shitty like us (usa)?
mattypape 6:53PM (9/15/2007)
well said digitalzombie, ha.
my teeth are not yellow anyway, my nhs dentist polishes them up great.
ye fuel is expensive over here your right but Valentino Amoro comment about us being poor, are we really? sure we pay more for cars, fuel, houses, clothes, electronics and just about everything else but calling us poor is a bit stupid, our gpd is only lower than the USA's because you have an abundance of billionaire and millionaires bumping it up. if you look at the balance of the poverty line and social wellbieng of the nationals as a whole the USA is a mockery to the developed world when you look at how rich your country is (i am not knocking the american people by the way).
and anyway, what law says small cars are cheap and big cars expensive? chryslers are a laughing stock (apart from 300c) in europe as they are actualy very poorly build as i am sure you know.
think mini coopers, hardly cheap (after uk taxes anyway) and they are eveywhere here.
Sam Kochel 5:11PM (9/15/2007)
They can have all the ones that will be here IMO...too big, and what about turning at speed...just a big, gas sucking, 2 door, straight line machine...I think it have little going for it, but I recognize that's just my opinion. My guess is the new Camaro will be better as it will be able to handle the bends better.
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Nick 9:36PM (9/15/2007)
Based on what, exactly? Oh, right. Nothing.
Matt 5:51PM (9/15/2007)
Yeah, the Brits don't deserve this car. They like ugly, small, worthless cars.
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