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Dodge Charger 2006+
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When driving my old Chargers people love them, I get lots of stares, thumbs up, smiles, rubbernecking, etc. That is one of the most fun things about driving the old Charger, no matter what kind of horsepower it has, even if it has a 318.
The new Charger will not generate this kind of interest from people when you drive it around because it is not interesting. The design style is boring, and it looks like a grocery getter.
Again, Dodge was way off the mark with the styling, as I have shown. And again, I hope the car goes down in flames, and a few responsible people get fired for it.
1) Hidden headlights are passe (witness the new Corvette)
2) There is some resemblance to the 66 in the side and 3/4 rear views.
3) 2-doors are just not selling enough to justify a new model.
4) They shouldn't have called this car Charger. The best name is probably Intrepid, since it is not really a retro design.
That would NOT be fair the the Intrepid, which was really a slick looking design. Front, side and behind, all views looked much more sporty in the Intrepid design in comparison to the Charger / 300. As for the '66 Charger, my bet is that the last years of the Charger are what most people consider as the best style wise and thus would like to see once again in some retro/modern version. I liked the Corvette with the hidden lights, and find it attractive on most sports cars. On larger cars, it can work, but it would look rather silly on a truck front like the new Charger will have.
In '63-66 there was a 361 Commando in the Dodge 880 and Polara series. I think there was a 383 Commando in '61-62 Dodge and Plymouth cars.
Dusty
I've read that DCX was considering introducing a police package for the Magnum. However, I have sat in a couple of Magnums and the rear visibility appears to be compromised because of the pinched rear windows. The boys in blue need a clear 360 degree view while watching for evildoers, and the Charger provides this better than the Magnum.
As well as police package Magnums, I expect there will also be taxi packages. I think this vehicle could put a big dent in Crown Victoria sales in these two areas.
I guess they will have to sell them as taxis since the car replaces the front wheel drive Intrepid, and most folks seem to think it's ugly.
Maybe the fleet car will be called Coronet, as to not further drag the Charger name through the mud.
And just to let you guys know, I'm 39, own my business, drive a 5 series BMW. But my other auto is a 66 New Yorker with a 440...love that beast, just don't want to drive my family in it... ;-)
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I have to agree that the looks are nothing special until you invision aftermarket accessories. If you were to play around with the wheel/tire packages availaible and lower the stance a little it might just be a looker.
The 4 door Charger is just going to canabalize sales from the 300 and Magnum. Since it will probably be a little cheaper than the 300, it may pull in some buyers that otherwise would have gone elsewhere but most buyers will be deciding between the bare bones bruiser that is the Charger, the pimp psuedo-luxury of the 300 or the utility of the Magnum.
You don't make money be cannibalizing your own sales, you make money by expanding your market. If this car were a 2 door, they could go after the NASCAR dads and secretaries that are buying the above mentioned coupes. There has to be at least a couple hundren thousand people left that equate two door with sporty.It would expand their product line and customer base.
As far as DCX recycling one platform, do you remember how many versions of the K Car were running around in the early 80s? I think that platform accounted for almost all of their passenger cars and even was closely related to the original mini-vans. Sometimes people just can't learn from their mistakes.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Nissan does a good job with the Alt, Max and Murano all based on the same platform but with each car seeming different. The 300, Magnum and Charger all seem like different versions of the same car. Again, how old did the K-car platform get when there were 20 or so versions of it?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Errr, it seems that they already do, it's just that they don't sell it here.
Check out this link: Chrysler 300C Touring
Best Regards,
Shipo
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Ummmm... where is the coupe? We've all been ranting here for weeks about how the Charger should be a 2 door. The Charger and 300 are about as distinctive from one another as the Ford Granada and Mercury Monarch.
Hey, I'd like to have the Accord Wagon back. We can't have everything we want.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Historically, Chrysler has always come out with good looking cars; radical designs that people liked; Stealth, Intrepid, Concorde, LHS, Sebring, 300M, Viper, etc... For a company with a history of innovate styling, the Charger is a big disappointment.
Unless the Charger is going to be $5000 less than the a comparable 300, the only reason I could see anyone buying a Charger is if it has a HEMI but even then I'd still pick a 300 Touring over the Charger. The 300 just looks better.
I just got my Autoweek last night with the Charger in it. I think it looks pretty good. The retro rear fenders are an interesting touch.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Turboshadow
And like someone else just said, if the car in question had a name other than "Charger" I don't think we'd be hearing complaints.
Dusty
Every manufacturer recycles platforms. It makes no econimic or engineering sense not to, but the cars can still have distinct personalities which the 300, Magnum and Charger do not.
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http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/transcripts/dodgechargerchat- 011305.html
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I agree that the Charger and 300 have little distinction. But Dodge Division probably wants a straight sedan that's built off that platform. Since 300 production is limited and Dodge needs something to build in a factory that no longer builds a phased-out model. What Chrysler is doing with Charger is not abnormal in the auto business. I would speculate that Chrysler thinks they can increase market share in this segment with a Charger that's akin to the 300. I think they may be right since, at least around here, 300s are is high demand and short supply.
Dusty
BoomCharger asks: I'm liking the idea of a real 'sports sedan' coming onto the market rather than an old-dude car. Is the Charger too sporty for a guy in his 40's?
Now that is funny. Too sporty? Try too bland. I am heading toward 52 years of age, and whould not consider the images of the Charger as anything sporty. Not saying that it does not have what it takes to satisfy people wanting something that is a bit more sporty than a checker car, and goes very fast. I recall all the cars that had to be shaped like a rectangle back in 1965, so maybe square is in... again. The 300M or an Intrepid are closer to sporty in my eyes. I'll get an eye exam soon!
If this car was closer to the orginal concept car, Charger traditionalists would be lining up to buy it, 4 doors and all. As a Magnum sedan, it's fine but as a Charger, it's a dissappointment.
As far as recycling platforms, DCX managed to give the 300M, Intrepid and Concorde more unique personalities than the Charger/300C, Magnum. All three of those cars have virtually identical stances, dimensions and powertrains. Would it have been a bad idea to give one model windows that you could actually see out of?
All three cars come from the same plant, so one more Charger on the lot will mean one less 300 on the lot across the street and besides, these cars are in no short supply in the NY area. Once they devalue the nameplate enough, they will make good cabs and cop cars.
..and good, cheap road scorchers on the used car market. <rubs hands gleefully> I can't wait to pick one up after they get a couple of years depreciation under their belt. Aftermarket parts ought to be readily available then, too.
Turboshadow
Rumor is that Dodge will build a Challenger and possibly a Daytona(based on this Crapbox Charger) The Daytona is expected to be the SRT version of the Charger, Minus the Huge Wings and slanted nose. The Challenger is supposed to be a 2 door Stang chaser. Seeing is believing, after all the 99 Concept Charger was the car 99% of us in here wanted. Deiter comes aboard and gives us the bean-counter parts bin special dubbed Charger so we can only imagine what a Challenger may look like.
Anyone can read the infomercial that Burke Brown put on for us. I like some of the "lob ball" questions(Guest1, could it be Chrysler?)that just set the stage for answers that the corporation printed for him.
Guest1 asks: I've always been concerned about how RWD vehicles handle in wet or snowy weather. How has Dodge improved the RWD technology to be safe in these driving conditions?
Burke Brown: Today's Dodge Charger has ABS brakes, traction control, and electronic stability program all working together to make sure that the car stays in the track that the driver points it. Today's tire technology is also a part of the equation giving us very good wet and snow traction. Our near 50/50 weight distribution also contributes to the improved the handling, compared to the older cars that didn't have a lot of drive axle weight (think E body Cuda and Challenger).
OR This one
Guest1 asks: I'm interested in the HEMI® V-8, but concerned about fuel economy. Have you had any success in increasing the gas mileage?
Burke Brown: The HEMI® in the new Charger as well as the 300C and Magnum RT has our MDS system. We get a significant fuel economy improvement by shutting down 4 cylinders while cruising. In 40 milliseconds all eight are back firing. You can't tell it's happening except when buying fuel.
I wish the banter from the rest of the guys could have been included in that, I think it was safe to say we all had a great time. Hope Brown's ego has heeled by now.
Turboshadow
Sorry, but most of us agree that this car is not a Charger despite what Chrysler has called it and never will be a Charger. It will live in the back of our minds as the 80's "Chargers" and we will continue to forget about them. Just like the Mustang fans of today feel about the Mustangs of the late 70's, the followers of the Charger will not consider this a true Charger either.
The SS stands for Super Sport. So it was not one model of a car but simply several kinds that received that option, similar to the R/T(Road and Track) of Dodge's glory to what they offer now as their RT options. The RT Durango, offered body clad bumpers, wheels and tires along with some suspension upgrades. RT and SS offer packages and are not the models. Suppose GM brings back the Firebird, Trans Am and Camaro with 4 doors?
To me, if you look at this and picture it, this almost can be what a Modern Day Charger would have evolved into. If you look closely, the Firepower has the similar "Coke Bottle" shape of the 71. Long mean nose with a short tail. If Dodge built this for 40K and called it the Charger they would have a waiting list that criss crosses the country. 425 Horses would hurt the egos of Vette owners across the country.
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Turboshadow
In terms of the SS, you're right in a sense. Remember, the SS became its own model after 1962-3, and you couldn't get a 4-door SS after that, only 2-door. I currently own a 66 Impala SS hardtop. Anyway my point was SS, as with R/T, was always a step-up from a regular model. Yes, when first intro'd in '61 the SS was a trim-package and could be had on the 6-cyl all the way to the 348/409, but again it was something more. As with the Chevy II-Nova SS, Chevelle Malibu SS Z-16 and later 396/402, 454, Camaro SS, on and on. Just as with R/T, the name meant something more, mostly performance-wise. Hell, even if you want to get technical, the very first Chevy SS, the Zora Duntov Corvette SS races of the late '50s, again something more; hence the SS-badge always being tied to performance (as with k-code or FE-series Ford engines; L79, L88, LT-1, LS6 Chevy motors; GS and Type-T for Buicks; "Magnum" & "Max Wedge" for Dodge / Chrysler / Plymouth; W-codes for Olds and Ponchos (also Pontiac SD engines), etc.)
As with the Dodge dudes and dudettes with this Charger I don't recognize the Impala, MC, and GTO as being "true". Or the Mustang II either, though they are what Iacocca wanted, something that took the Mustang from being a behemoth back to a secretary's car.