2009 Dodge Challenger

[srivendel]

Still pretty much vaporware, although this article makes it sound like Dodge is pretty serious about the idea.

Watch out, Ford Mustang. Dodge is preparing a challenger.

In fact, it's likely to be called Challenger.

Chrysler plans to resurrect a respected name from the pony car era for a rear-wheel-drive Mustang fighter, industry sources say. The car is expected in 2009 on the LX platform, the basis of the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum and Charger.

"It is a two-door, essentially a competitor for the Mustang," says Catherine Madden, a production analyst for industry research group Global Insight. "They are really excited about it."

Madden says the sport coupe is planned to debut in 2009, when the next-generation LX vehicles are scheduled to be re-engineered and restyled.

"They would be able to make some additional investment in the platform, make some adjustments for that product" at that time, she says.

"The enthusiasm for that product," Madden says, is "very big."

Chrysler hopes to sell 60,000 to 70,000 of the cars a year, she says. An assembly site was not identified. Production of the 300, Magnum and recently introduced Charger is expected to fill Chrysler's Brampton, Ontario, assembly plant.

Chrysler officials are not talking about the car, but industry analysts say they are familiar with the plans.

Jim Hall, vice president of industry analysis at AutoPacific Inc., says he isn't sure Chrysler can pull it off. "They have a lot of stuff that has to be cleared off the table before they start playing around with that car," he says.

This is pretty believable, given that they already have a platform, engine, etc. that could be used. Put the 425hp SRT-8 engine in that sucker and it'd be plenty entertaining.

Question: the LX platform seems pretty expensive (look at starting prices for 300s and Chargers). I wonder if Dodge could engineer it down to a Mustang-competitive price-point without degrading the platform integrity that makes the 300 and Charger such nice cars...

S.

[altiain]

This really shouldn't be too hard to do. Daimler already has the platform and the powerplants, and they have to be watching the new Mustang's sales with serious envy.

The new Charger starts at around $22k, but that price also probably also takes into consideration that the Charger really doesn't have any direct competition in this market. Can you name another rwd sedan with an available V8 and seating for five that you can buy for less than $30k? I can't. Therefore, Dodge can afford to ask more for them, because they are the only vehicle currently occupying the niche.

However, the Challenger will have to be priced to compete with the Mustang, or it won't sell. Perfect example - Pontiac GTO. Everything I've read and seen suggests that the GTO is a pretty impressive car. But at $35k, the market for a pony car - no matter how sophisticated it is - is pretty limited.

I'd expect to see the Challenger in the same range as the new Mustang - a dead stripper V6 model prices at just under $20k ($19,995 ), a decently equipped V6 model in the $22k-24k range, a V8 stripper starting around $25k, fully loaded, V8 verts going for over $30k, and an SRT-8 (maybe a Hemi 'Cuda? ) to compete with the new Shelby GT500 at around $40k.

[rx7gslse]

RWD v8 under 30? Crown Vic? outside of that platform and the 50k+ Luxury offerings that's really the *only* other one out there...

However... What does it take to get into just a base V8 Charger? You guessed it.. $29,995

They're going to have to do a LOT to that platform to strip out not only several thousand dollars (ok, selling more cars on the platform will help) but also a large amount of weight.
They're not going to have a remotely compeditive pony car on a platform of 4,000+ pound cars... I'd pessimisticly hope for it to be ~3400lbs, and that's still heavy. Just hacking off two doors doesn't save 600lbs... And anymore that and it certainly won't handle itself like any of the pony cars..

[blackzx3_13]

just my opinion, but anything over 2600 lbs is too heavy.