The Dodge Charger and Challenger Muscle Cars Are Toast, but There’s Good News
The writing has been on the wall for a while, but the Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle cars are done. Dodge hints at future electric vehicle versions of these popular cars, but the light is going out for the gasoline-powered Charger sedan and Challenger coupe. What is the silver lining for the Dodge Charger discontinued news? Special editions for everyone!
The Dodge Charger and Challenger won’t return for 2024, but you should be able to buy one
As first reported by CNBC, it isn’t all bad news. While the Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle cars won’t return for 2024, Dodge offers plenty of party favors for the last hurrah. While Dodge will continue the Charger and Challenger for 2024, there are various 2023 Dodge Chargers and Challengers people can line up for.
Stephanie Brinley, a principal analyst at S&P Global, says that the Challenger and Charger have been able to hold onto the “muscle car” features that initially made the vehicles popular.
“Having that clear DNA and clear expression of what they’re supposed to be is helping make the transition to electric.”
Stephanie Brinley | S&P Global
Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis has previously alluded to an electric version of the Charger and Dodge Challenger sometime in the future. In fact, both cars may return as electric muscle cars in 2024. Kuniskis says he believes that some type of electrification will help keep the “Golden Age of muscle cars” alive.
The 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger will have seven special editions
Dodge has big plans for the 2023 Charger and Challenger. The automaker plans to launch various special edition vehicles to celebrate the end of the gas-powered Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle cars. There are seven different special edition options or “buzz” models, CNBC reports.
Each 2023 Charger and Challenger model will get a commemorative “Last Call” under-hood plaque. The automaker plans to release the entire allocation at once so buyers can sift through the options and pick the best one. This will help buyers get the Charger and Challenger best suited for each customer. “We wanted to make sure we were celebrating these cars properly,” Kuniskis said.
Dodge hasn’t released information about the seven special edition options but says information about those six LE versions will be out in the next few weeks. Dodge will release the seventh version at the SEMA auto show in Las Vegas in November. A Dodge Challenger convertible is rumored, and a Hellcat model is a safe bet.
This Dodge sedan and coupe have been around the block a few times
The Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger have been heavy-hitters in the American automaker’s lineup since the 1960s and 70s. Once revived for the mid-2000s, buyers couldn’t get enough. Thanks to the retro styling and insane power, it is easy to see why buyers wanted in. However, times have changed, and powerful muscle cars are out. Electric vehicles and SUVs are in.
Stellantis has been planning this move for a while, as gas-powered muscle cars are not the most environmentally friendly. CNBC says that Dodge’s parent company, Stellantis, also known as Fiat Chrisler, “ranks the worst among major manufacturers for U.S. corporate average fuel economy and carbon emissions.” Dodge builds the Charger sedan at the Stellantis Brampton Assembly plant in Ontario, Canada. The automaker has built the Charger at the Brampton plant since 2005, and the Challenger coupe joined it in 2008.
Pricing and more information on when you can order a 2023 Dodge Charger and 2023 Dodge Challenger should be out in the next few weeks. Get ready to order because once these are gone, it is the end of a gasoline-powered era.
