The Dodge Challenger and Charger V8 muscle cars inarguably represent the peak of the second renaissance of the muscle car. With editions like the hellcat, demon and SRT, the Challenger and Charger brought a much tougher fight to the Mustangs and Camaros of the world than they ever did in their original form back in the early 1970s. Enthusiasts love the Challenger because it brought the muscle car down to its true essentials: straight-line speed for true cruising comfort on America’s good old highways. Now, after more than 15 years of star-spangling service, Dodge is finally bidding farewell to the demonic duo that captured so much of the world’s attention.
For its final edition, Dodge will bless the Charger and Challenger with seven special edition models. These will include the Demon, Hellcat, Redeye, Scat Pack, Shaker and Jailbreak, alongside an over the top seventh model that we have to look at specifically. Also returning are heritage colour options - B5 Blue, Plum Crazy purple and Sublime green, and will also carry a special “last call” plaque under the hood.
The end of the V8 Challenger and Charger does not however mean that Dodge’s muscle car days are over. Having pioneered the concept of taking an engine to its limits with versions like the 707bhp Hellcat and the 808bhp Demon, the future of the storied muscle car is surely electrification, considering the fact that a modern electric car hsa all the hallmarks of what makes a great muscle car - stupendous acceleration, straight-line speed and weight. And if all the signs are pointing in the right direction, we might see the return of the Challenger and Charger as electric muscle cars sooner rather than later.