5 Times the Dodge Challenger Stole the Screen
The Dodge Challenger went out on a high note. The Challenger SRT Demon 170 broke records as the most powerful production muscle car in history. However, even with asphalt-cracking power, the Challenger couldn’t outrun discontinuation. What it could do, however, is dazzle viewers on movie and TV screens for decades, as it did in “Vanishing Point” and “Baby Driver.”
From cult classic films to modern TV shows, the Dodge Challenger tends to steal the screen
You don’t have to look very hard to find a Dodge Challenger in the movies. The “Fast and Furious” franchise, “The Mod Squad,” and even “Bad Moms.” The beloved Dodge muscle car makes frequent appearances. However, these five instances of Mopar goodness will have you changing your watchlist.
- “Vanishing Point” (1971)
- “Baby Driver” (2017)
- “Death Proof” (2007)
- “Archer” (2009)
- “Cobra Kai” (2018)
If you’re at the intersection of a Mopar and a movie fan, you’ve heard of “Vanishing Point.” In the 1971 movie, Kowalski (Barry Newman) battles baddies and the law in his modified 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T. Better yet, you get an idea of just how awesome the classic muscle car is as it towers over an open-top Jaguar XKE.
“Baby Driver” is evidence that a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat needs just 42 seconds to dominate the screen. The tire-eviscerating modern muscle car slides around corners, filling the air with an aerosolized mixture of vaporized rubber and high-octane fuel.
“Death Proof” is famous for its killer 1970 Chevrolet Nova. However, a 1970 Dodge Challenger manages to steal the screen while being chased by another iconic Mopar, a 1969 Dodge Charger.
Ok, so the Dodge Challenger R/T in “Archer” is animated. However, H. Jon Benjamin’s reaction to receiving the Challenger as a birthday gift is almost as hilarious as the car’s machine guns, oil slick, and grappling hook. That’s right; it’s a spy car.
The “The Karate Kid” franchise experienced a renaissance after “Cobra Kai” brought Billy Zabka and Ralph Macchio back to reprise their old roles in 2018. Frankly, Macchio’s character, Daniel LaRusso, owns a car dealership.
You see where I’m going here; after a comedy of errors, LaRusso has to fork over the keys to an orange Dodge Challenger to Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence. However, eagle-eyed fans will notice that the montage in “Cobra Kai” miraculously transforms the pre-facelift Challenger into a post-facelift model.
