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January 8, 2006

That 70's feeling!
Dodge Challenger concept: muscle car revival

Detroit, Michigan – No doubt inspired by the success of the retro-styled Mustang, Dodge unveiled a Challenger concept Sunday that's a dead-ringer for the 1970 Challenger – at least from a distance.

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"The 1970 model is the most sought after by collectors. But instead of merely recreating that car, the designers endeavoured to build a Challenger most people see in their mind's eye — a vehicle without the imperfections like the old car's tucked-under wheels, long front overhang and imperfect fits," said Tom Tremont, Vice President- Advanced Vehicle Design."

The 2006 Challenger concept car has a 116-inch wheelbase, 6 inches longer than the original car, and it is 2 inches wider. Its wheels and tires are much bigger: front P255/40R 20-inch and rear P265/45R 21-inch. They're set flush with the bodyside giving the car a muscular stance. The Challenger concept is a genuine two-door hardtop: it has no B-pillar. Compared to the original Challenger, the greenhouse is longer, the windshield and backlite faster, and the side glass narrower. Unlike the original, the Challenger concept is a genuine four-passenger car with a decent back seat.

Under the retro-styled hood with its genuine diagonal air intakes is a 6.1 litre V8 Hemi which puts out 425 hp @ 6000 rpm and 420 ft.-lbs of torque at 4800 rpm and drives the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission. DaimlerChrysler claims a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, and a standing ¼ mile time of 13 seconds. Modern disc brakes pull it down from 60 mph to 0 in 133 ft. Top speed? 174 mph.

There's little doubt the Challenger concept would handle better than the original Challenger. The rear-wheel drive platform was developed from the Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger/Dodge Magnum and includes a fully independent short/long-arm suspension, unlike the solid rear axle of the original Challenger, and includes much larger, wider, stickier radial tires.

As with the original car, the instrumental panel sits high, intersected on the driver's side by a sculpted trapezoidal cluster containing three circular in-line analog gauge openings.

"We designed the in-your-face gauge holes to appear as if you are looking down into the engine cylinders with the head off," said Alan Barrington, principal interior designer. These are flanked outboard by a larger circular "gauge" that is actually a computer, allowing the driver to determine top overall speed, quarter-mile time and speed, and top speed for each of the gears."

Although the flat-section bucket seats of the original Challenger didn't offer much support for aggressive driving, the front seats in the Challenger concept car have hefty bolsters much like those found on Dodge's SRT series cars. The trim covers' horizontal pleats or "fales" provide just a hint of that "70's" look.

Other retro styling touches in the interior are the circular steering wheel hub and pierced silver spokes, and a floor console with a "pistol grip" shifter for the six-speed manual "tranny."

No word on production possibilities.

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