Filed under: Motorsports, Time Warp, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Chrysler, LLC., Dodge
Chrysler enters Vanishing Point Challenger in One Lap of America
Click above for high-res gallery of the Dodge "Vanishing Point" Challenger
It's good to know that there are folks at Chrysler who are still having a good time despite the rubbish state of auto sales in the U.S. The best evidence of this is the automakers's entry this year's One Lap of America "cross-country" race. Chrysler's Vice President Ralph Gilles and Erich Heuschele, Vehicle Dynamics Supervisor for SRT, are entering a blank white Challenger inspired by the 1970 Dodge Challenger that stars in the cult film Vanishing Point from 1971. The plot of the original movie revolves around a guy named Kowalski who has to deliver a white 1970 Challenger from Denver to San Francisco. He's aided by a blind DJ named Super Soul who listens to the police band and delivers helpful if not clairvoyant info to the protagonist over the radio. It's fitting then that Gilles and Heuschele have entered the One Lap race this year under the names of Kowalski and Super Soul, and the car they'll be driving is the very first preproduction Challenger prototype that was ever driven on public roads. It's been rescued from the crusher and slightly modified with a fresh coat of white paint (the first ever seen on a new Challenger) and new wheels to more resemble the original. Check out our gallery of the "Return to Vanishing Point" Challenger below, and glimpse the fun film Chrysler produced after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Michelle!
Gallery: Dodge "Vanishing Point" Challenger
[Source: Chrysler]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mi key 12:10PM (5/02/2008)
Sweet Ride. Those Rims look Bad-ass.
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SPG 12:49PM (5/02/2008)
You said it.
C.W. 2:16PM (5/02/2008)
it's just too bad they couldnt have made the interior look as sweet as the exterior.
they might kill themselves staring at the most boring I/P ever created for that long of a race...
Will 12:24PM (5/02/2008)
That looks pretty awesome. Having just seen Cannonball Run for the first time, I think Vanishing Point will have to be my next old cult car movie viewing.
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tbss_in_the_D 12:27PM (5/02/2008)
That guy Gilles looks like a dork in that outfit.
The car does look really nice. Put some blue racing stripes on it and I would take one for sure.
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friko 12:56PM (5/02/2008)
I think Gilles look was on porpuse.
If it wasn't...
Frank 10:07PM (5/02/2008)
Umm, they are dressed like the characters in the movie, Super Soul and Kowalski.
tankd0g 12:33PM (5/02/2008)
Far, FAR more interesting than Hennesy's ride du jour.
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Mr. Oak 12:34PM (5/02/2008)
Don't care what anyone says, but nothing handles a trans-continental (North America) trip like American Iron.
Tried it once in an Audi, with disasterous results.
Toyotas were okay, but making the trip in a Frigidaire probably would have been more exciting.
Tried once in my navy buddy's 2ng gen Honda Prelude, and I swear that thing was powered by rubber bands. On the down-hills and flat stretches cat was fast. On the hill\mountain climbs, everyone that we had blown by on the flats just caught and passed us.
I'd be willing to make that deal with the devil, just to drive this car cross-country.
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Allan 12:49PM (5/02/2008)
Tried a BMW yet? That was Alex Roy's choice (M5) in making the stint across the country for the "record."
I wouldn't think Audi would have the reliability for something like that and the others you mentioned aren't any sort of "premium" brand that I'd target with such an attempt.
Not to say a good ole American car can't do it... I think it would be pretty fun in just about any ride. And this one even looks pretty bad ass.
ckm 12:52PM (5/02/2008)
"Traded a sunrise for a sunset"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5913236180431404795
Mr. Oak 3:20PM (5/02/2008)
Your name is Allan and you like BMWs, I think we have met. Actually, if you're the Allan I think u are, we work for the same company. you're in Dallas, I'm in New York.
I like big bottom ends (cars and chicas). No one does bottom ends like GM, Ford and Chrysler. You euro lovers are into the screamers.
Keith.
pez 12:39PM (5/02/2008)
yeah i not a charger fan- but this hella cool
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Chad 1:10PM (5/02/2008)
It's not a Charger so enjoy.
Donald 12:45PM (5/02/2008)
This is the sort of fun promoting GM should be doing for the Camaro, instead of beating down the public with more "caught testing" spy shots and video of rolling mules.
We're tired of the viral marketing. This is just funny.
And those rims do look hot. Not bling, just muscular on that car.
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Dustin 12:45PM (5/02/2008)
Damn, they stole my idea! Except I can still do a better job, because Kowalski's Challenger was an R/T... plus those oversize wheels look dumb. Real muscle cars have fat tires.
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pnemeth 12:47PM (5/02/2008)
wow those rims look awesome. they've been out for a while, waiting for the right car to go on. i think the Challenger is ust that car. they never looked right on the 300C in my opinion. but look how much negative camber that car has. it is going to get horrible tire wear if it were to REALLY go cross country.
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Andy 12:52PM (5/02/2008)
Dorks. Doing dork-like things that appeals only to...dorks.
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Purifoy 12:53PM (5/02/2008)
You just gotta love it!!! (And actually, the Challenger doesn't look to bad in white!)
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NOreasonY 1:08PM (5/02/2008)
im not huge fan of dodge or the challenger but...damn....that car in white looks amazing...
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