Dodge Challenger

Dodge Challenger
Production period:	since 1969
Class :	Upper middle class , middle class
Body versions :	Coupé , convertible

The American automobile manufacturer Dodge sold two different sports coupés under the type designation Dodge Challenger from 1969 to 1974 and from 1978 to 1983 . In 2008 a new edition of the vehicle appeared, which (similar to the current models of the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro ) was designed in a retro design.

Challenger (1969-1974)

Model variants

1st generation
Dodge Challenger R / T Coupe, 1970
Production period:	1969-1974
Body versions :	Coupé , convertible
Engines:	Petrol engines : 3.2–7.2 liters (75–317 kW)
Length:	4859 mm
Width:	1983 mm
Height:	1293 mm
Wheelbase :	2794 mm
Empty weight :	1436-1725 kg

Dodge Challenger R / T Cabriolet, 1970

Dodge Challenger Rally, 1973

The first Dodge Challenger was introduced in model year 1970 and belonged to the pony car class (long hood, short deck) of compact sports coupés or convertibles named after the first Ford Mustang .

The Challenger shared essential technical features with the third generation Plymouth Barracuda ; however, the sheet metal parts of the body have been modified and the wheelbase has been extended by 5 cm. The design came from Carl Cameron, who had already designed the Dodge Charger from 1966. Although the Challenger was well received in the market with 83,032 units sold in its first year of production, it appeared at a time when the decline of the pony cars was already becoming apparent. After only five years, the Challenger was discontinued without replacement at the end of the 1974 model year. A total of 188,611 vehicles of the first generation were sold.

1971 Dodge Challenger (rear end)

The Challenger was available as a hardtop coupé without a B-pillar and in 1970/71 also as a convertible. The top model of the series was the Challenger R / T, which was only available as a convertible in 1970. R / T stands for "Road / Track", which means that the model is equally suitable for the road and the racetrack. The models are equipped with powerful motors and powerful brakes. The basic model as well as the R / T Coupé could be ordered in an SE version with leather seats, vinyl roof and a smaller rear window. From 1972 the R / T variant was discontinued and a version called a rally was added to the range. At the same time, the most powerful engines and many performance extras were no longer available from this point in time. The Challenger T / A was only available in 1970, a homologation model for the Trans-Am series , equipped with a special 5.6-liter V8 (340 cui ), three double carburetors and a GRP bonnet with a large air scoop . The pipes of the sports exhaust ended laterally in front of the rear wheels ( sidepipes ). Also standard were anti-roll bars at the front and rear, tires of different widths on the front and rear axles (Polyglas GT, rear G60-15, in a few exceptions also 275-55x15 or 285-60x15, front E60-15) and rear spoiler. A front spoiler and a rear blind (J68 - Window Louvers) could optionally be ordered. In the 1972 model year, all high-performance engines were discontinued; The most powerful engine since then has been an eight-cylinder, which was also discontinued in early 1974.

The body remained unchanged over the entire life of the Challenger, and the radiator grille and taillights were modified twice. The 1970/71 models had a retracted grill that received a central bar in 1971. From 1972 the grill was level with the headlights. The models from 1972 to 1974 can be distinguished by the bumper horns that are getting bigger from year to year. In the 1970 model year, the rear lights extended across the entire width of the car. In 1971 the reversing lights were arranged to the left and right of the license plate. From 1972, the Challenger had four individual taillight lenses.

Dodge Challenger, 1974

Engines

1970

Engine code	Cubic capacity (in 3 / cm 3 )	design type	Mixture preparation	Braking power (SAE gross) (bhp / kW)
B ***	198/3245	R6	Single carburetor	101 / 75.3
C.	225/3687			145 / 108.1
G	318/5211	V8	Double carburetor	230 / 171.5
H	340/5572		Quadruple carburetor	275 / 205.1
J **			Three double carburetors	290 / 216.3
L.	383/6276		Double carburetor
L.			Quadruple carburetor	330 / 246.1
N				335 / 249.8
R *	426/6981		Two quadruple carburetors	425 / 316.9
U *	440/7210		Quadruple carburetor	375 / 279.6
V *			Three double carburetors	390 / 290.8

• * Only for Challenger R / T
• ** Only for Challenger T / A
• *** Challenger Deputy only

Quarter mile times

List of the best times achieved over the quarter mile with a standing start:

• 340: 14.8 seconds, top speed 155 km / h
• 340 T / A: 13.99 seconds, top speed 157 km / h
• 383: 15.1 seconds, top speed 150 km / h
• 440 Magnum R / T: 13.9 seconds, top speed 163 km / h
• 440 six-pack: 13.6 seconds, top speed 167 km / h
• 426 Hemi: 13.2 seconds, top speed 169 km / h

Challenger (1978-1983)

2nd generation
Production period:	1978-1983
Body versions :	Coupé , convertible
Engines:	Gasoline engines : 1.6–2.6 liters
Length:	4525 mm
Width:	1675 mm
Height:	1345-1355 mm
Wheelbase :	2530 mm
Empty weight :

In the spring of 1978 the name Challenger was revived: a variant of the Mitsubishi Sapporo imported by Dodge into the United States was called the Challenger . This new Challenger and its sister model, the Plymouth Sapporo , were sold until autumn 1983.

This Challenger was also a hardtop coupe, but was powered by a four-cylinder engine, so the output was lower than that of the previous model. For the demands of buyers in the 1980s, the coupé had good engine performance, especially with the 2.6-liter four-cylinder engine that was available on request. This Mitsubishi engine had an unusually large displacement for a four-cylinder and therefore had balancer shafts to reduce vibrations.

Challenger (since 2008)

3rd generation
Dodge Challenger SRT8 (2009)
Production period:	since 2008
Body versions :	Coupe
Engines:	Petrol engines : 3.5–6.4 liters (190–527 kW)
Length:	5022 mm
Width:	1923 mm
Height:	1448 mm
Wheelbase :	2946 mm
Empty weight :	approx. 1800 kg

Rear view

A style study of the Dodge Challenger in retro design was on view at the North American International Auto Show 2006 . It was based on the shortened DaimlerChrysler LX platform (like the Chrysler 300 and others), had a 6.1-liter Hemi V8 engine with manual transmission, and Chrysler cited the Challenger's design from 1970. Announced in July 2006 Dodge announced that they wanted to start series production of the vehicle from February 2008.

The production model was then presented to the public for the first time on February 6, 2008 at the Chicago Auto Show. The production of the Challenger was limited to 6,400 pieces in the first model year, the serial number of the respective specimen is noted on a sticker inside the vehicle. All Challenger of 2008 are SRT8 models , which are equipped with the 6.1 liter Hemi V8 engine with 317 kW (431 hp) and a five-speed automatic (W5A580) with Autostick.

The model was offered in 2008 exclusively in the colors silver, black and orange (the latter at an additional cost). The SRT8 models come standard with 20 × 9.0 alloy wheels . V6 engines and manual transmissions have also been available since model year 2009 . The drag coefficient (C _w ) is 0.353, the weight distribution is 55.6 / 44.4 (front / rear), the turning circle is 11.48 m. The Challenger is manufactured at the Canadian plant in Brampton (Ontario) .

The Challenger SRT8 392 with a 6.4-liter Hemi-V8 with 346 kW (470 PS) has been available since the beginning of 2011, with the number 392 standing for the American displacement in cui (cubicinch).

In spring 2012, the limited special edition Yellow Jacket appeared . It has a 6.4-liter Hemi-V8 with 350 kW (476 hp) and was painted exclusively in the color Stinger Yellow . The black side stripes with the Yellow Jacket logo above the fender and the dark 9 × 20 inch wheels are striking. The interior has been slightly upgraded with leather and yellow trim on the rear seats. Technically there was only one innovation: an adaptive suspension ADS, which enables the driver to change the damper setting between sporty and automatic with the push of a button.

Facelift

Dodge Challenger (since 2014)

In the summer of 2014, the Challenger underwent a major facelift. The new model was unveiled to the public at the New York Auto Show in April 2014 and has been in production since the summer of the same year.

Compared to the previous Challenger, which borrowed style from the 1970s model, the 1971 model was chosen as the retro model for the facelift. Both the body and the interior have been redesigned.

While the 227 kW (309 PS) Pentastar V6 engine with a displacement of 3.6 liters continues to serve as the base engine for the SXT equipment variant, revised V8 engines were presented. The engine of the R / T model still has a 5.7 liter displacement, but its output has been increased by 8 to 280 kW (381 hp). The in-house tuning department SRT now offers two instead of one model: The SRT 392 is still offered as the variant with the largest displacement, with its 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine now producing 362 kW (492 hp) instead of the previous 350 kW . This engine is also available in the R / T Scat Pack version with the same output . The new top model since the end of 2014 has been the SRT Hellcat , in which Dodge equipped a Hemi engine with a compressor as standard for the first time. With a maximum output of 527 kW and 881 Nm maximum torque, it was also the most powerful engine that the Chrysler Group had ever installed in a production car.

Dodge Challenger Demon at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show

Rear view

In April 2017, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon was presented at the New York Auto Show, an even more powerful version. The compressor-charged 6.2-liter V8 known from the Hellcat develops 603 kW (819 PS) with regular petrol ( 91 RON ) or 626 kW (852 PS) with petrol with an octane rating of 100 or higher in the Demon . With 100 octane gasoline, the engine achieves a torque of 1,044 Nm. The vehicle is specially optimized for drag races , has special extra-wide tires under widened fenders and, according to official information, completes the quarter-mile race within 9.65 seconds, which is faster than any other series-produced vehicle with a combustion engine.

The automatic transmissions used since 2015 come from ZF Friedrichshafen . It is the second generation of the 8-speed automatic transmission 8HP.

Technical specifications

engine	Model years	cylinder	Displacement	power	Torque	Models
Chrysler SOHC V6	2008-2011	V6	3518 cc	190 kW (258 hp)	340 Nm	SE, SXT
Chrysler Pentastar 3.6L	since 2012		3604 cm³	227 kW (309 hp)	363 Nm	SXT, Rally Redline
Chrysler HEMI 5.7	2009-2014	V8	5654 cc	272 kW (370 hp)	529 Nm	R / T
Chrysler HEMI 6.1	2008-2010		6059 cc	317 kW (431 hp)	569 Nm	SRT8
Chrysler HEMI 6.4	2011-2014		6407 cm³	350 kW (476 hp)	637 Nm	SRT8
Chrysler HEMI 5.7	since 2014		5654 cc	280 kW (381 hp)	556 Nm	R / T
Chrysler HEMI 6.4	since 2014		6407 cm³	362 kW (492 hp)	644 Nm	SRT 392, R / T Scat Pack
Chrysler HEMI 6.2 Supercharged	2014-2018		6166 cc	527 kW (717 hp)	880 Nm	SRT Hellcat
Chrysler HEMI 6.2 Supercharged	since 2018		6166 cc	535 kW (727 hp)	890 Nm	SRT Hellcat
Chrysler HEMI 6.2 Supercharged	since 2018		6166 cc	594 kW (808 hp)	959 Nm	SRT Hellcat Redeye
Chrysler HEMI 6.2 Supercharged	2017-2018		6166 cc	626 kW (851 hp)	1044 Nm	SRT demon

Others

• In February 2008, the serial number 43 vehicle was fitted with an SRT8 engine, painted B5 Blue, and auctioned off at an eBay auction for $ 228,143.43. The color and the serial number pay homage to the racing driver Richard Petty. All of the proceeds were donated to the Victory Junction Gang - a charity for chronically ill children.
• In the road movie Vanishing Point San Francisco ( Vanishing Point , USA 1971), the main character Kowalski, played by Barry Newman , drove a white 1970 Dodge Challenger R / T (440).
• In The Fast and the Furious series of films, Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodríguez drive several Dodge Challenger SRT8s.

Web links

Commons : Dodge Challenger  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• History of the Dodge Challenger
• Dodge Challenger on the official website

Remarks

1. ↑ The engine performance was measured according to the SAE J245 standard. The engine is connected to an eddy current brake on an engine test bench (hence the name braking power ) and its performance is checked. The alternator, air filter, coolant pump and other ancillary components of the engine have been dismantled, which makes the engine's output seem higher than it actually is. In addition, in favor of lower insurance premiums, the benefit was sometimes reported lower. Therefore, SAE performance data can not be compared with DIN performance data and can only be used as a guide for approximate classification.

Individual evidence

1. ^ The 1970 Dodge Challenger at Challengerspecs.com
2. ↑ Information, pictures and test reports on the Dodge Challenger  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . In: Motorvision.de  
3. ↑ Robin Hornig: Dodge Challenger FL: Seat Rehearsal - Back to the 70s . Autobild.de. April 24, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
4. ↑ Stephan Bähnisch: Dodge Challenger: New York Auto Show 2014 - The new retro variety . Autobild.de. April 17, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
5. ↑ CC Weiss: Dodge claims 707-hp Challenger SRT Hellcat is the "most powerful muscle car ever" ( English ) gizmag. July 3, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
6. ↑ Press release Chrysler: The Most Powerful Muscle Car Ever , accessed February 21, 2016
7. ↑ Driving report on autobild.de, accessed on February 21, 2016
8. ↑ Uli Baumann: Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat - pony car with a hell of a lot of steam . Auto Motor and Sport. July 18, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
9. ^ Official Dodge Homepage: Fastest Production Car , accessed on January 29, 2018
10. ↑ Official brochure Dodge Challenger / Charger 2018
11. ^ Dodge Challenger - Performance , at www.dodge.com , accessed August 28, 2015