Rather amazingly, it’s been some eight years since the current Dodge Challenger hit the market.
During that time, both the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro have undergone significant upgrades, making the Challenger somewhat of a dinosaur in comparison (okay, the Hellcat still holds strong in the straight line department). Thankfully for fans, the FCA group is developing a next-generation Challenger which should properly take the fight to its rivals.
To bring the new model in line with the Mustang and Camaro, Dodge will base it around the rear-wheel drive platform as the Alfa Romeo Giulia. This will result in a more compact package and, more importantly, ensure it is significantly lighter than the current model, aiding massively in the driving experience.
Automobile magazine reports that the new Challenger will arrive in late 2018 as a 2019 model. Its launch will come alongside FCA’s push to make Dodge a cheap alternative to Alfa Romeo and, in order to be a serious rival to the Camaro and Mustang, the Challenger should be available in quite a few versions.
Speculation points towards it being offered with new V6 and V8 engines, which in range-topping SRT Hellcat specification could deliver as much as 750 hp.
Will a turbocharged four-cylinder also be offered? It wouldn’t really be a surprise, considering its rivals are offered with their own sub-2.5 liter engines, no matter how loud the purists cry “heresy”.
PHOTO GALLERY
