When it comes to rare Dodge production cars, it’s a different ballgame than with either Chevrolet or Ford. Dodge offered fewer options and kept engine choices limited. Hemi-powered cars or four-speed transmission options mostly determine first-generation rarity. So do unpopular color options. But in some ways, it is more interesting than T-code Boss 429 Mustangs or ZL1 Corvettes, though 426 Hemis fall into this group. You knew when they were new these would be rare birds. But Dodges with oddball combinations didn’t cost any more than popular ones. Now 50 years later, rarity can sometimes come down to hit-and-miss, luck of the draw. 

1970 Challenger T/A

Dodge wanted to make more than the 2399 T/A Challengers. Development costs shut down T/A production. But its six-pack induction was legendary. So it was a rare car when new. A lot of these 340 ci-equipped models would see larger engines replace the original over the years. It was easy to pop an Imperial 440 engine with over 350 hp in stock form into your Challenger and have a mighty street fighter. 

1970 426 ci Hemi Challengers

First-year production far exceeded any of the subsequent year’s first-generation Challengers made. While the 426 Hemi option was only available for two years, 1970 represented its highest numbers, and they weren’t much. Dodge made only 356 1970 Hemi Challengers. Of those, 37 were automatics, and 22 were four-speeds. Also, only nine Hemi convertibles and 59 R/T SE models found buyers.

1971 Hemi Challengers

Challenger sales in 1971 were way down for its second year. You can see it is reflected in the numbers for the Hemi Challenger. Only 71 Hemi Challengers were made in 1971. Of those, 12 were automatics and 59 were four-speeds. That same year, only 250 440 Six-Pack engines were ordered. And though not nearly as desirable, only 1755 Slant Sixes found homes in Challengers. 

Rare second-generation Challengers

While the current Challenger is relatively new, it still has seen limited-edition models that saw the production of under 2,000. Some, like the 2010 SRT8 Furious Fuchsia, were limited to only 400 units. But the rarest second-generation Challengers are the drag race-only cars. 

In 2011, the Challenger Mopar V-10 Drag Pak saw the production of only 70 units. Packing 650 hp spinning a two-speed automatic transmission, these rare V10 racing machines had no rear seats, windshield wipers, air conditioning, or power steering. Instead of glass, windows were polycarbonate. Buyers had to sign an agreement they wouldn’t drive them on public roads. 

The 2021 Challenger Mopar Drag Pak race cars saw the production of only 50 cars. Each one was equipped with an advertised 630 hp Gen-III Hemi engine. But in reality, these engines produced over 1,000 hp. A Whipple supercharger took care of induction. The MSRP was $143,485.