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Santa Claus typically has one ride of choice: his tenured sleigh and mighty sky-bound reindeer. However, Santa had to choose a different ride to get the job done in the popular “Christmas Chronicles.” See, to save the day, Santa needed a muscle car. What better than a V8-powered Dodge Challenger to deliver Yuletide cheer?

What car is used in ‘Christmas Chronicles’?

A 2014 Dodge Challenger, like the muscle car Santa Claus drove in "Christmas Chronicles," shows off its rear end.
A 2014 Dodge Challenger | Stellantis

The loud, tail-happy car in “Christmas Chronicles” is a pre-facelift Dodge Challenger SRT8. The SRT8 packed a naturally aspirated 6.4L HEMI V8, a fitting mill with which to save Christmas. 

In the movie, Santa Claus (Kurt Russel) teams up with the Pierce children to save Christmas. In one of the most action-packed scenes of the film, Santa and the Pierce children evade the police in the Mopar muscle car after “borrowing” it. The scene is full of tail-happy slides and culminates with a jump through a snow bank. 

However, the LC-platform 2014 Dodge Challenger SRT8 produced 470 horsepower from its V8, 15 fewer than the LA-platform R/T Scat Pack and SRT 392 models. Considering the film came out in 2018, a post-facelift LA model would have been a more potent getaway car. 

Better yet, 2015 was the first model year of the SRT Hellcat, a shrieking, supercharged muscle car that already enjoyed screen time as a getaway car in “Baby Driver.” With 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque on tap, the 6.2L Hellcat is a volcanic step beyond the naturally aspirated SRT8.

A Dodge Challenger is a fitting ride for Santa Claus

With big power figures and old-school looks, the Challenger is an apropos ride for Kurt Russel’s take on the beloved holiday character. Unfortunately, Santa Claus doesn’t seem to know all that much about Mopar. 

In the film, Santa says he “traded eight reindeer for 400 horsepower.” However, no factory Dodge Challenger produces precisely 400 horsepower. Instead, the final pre-facelift SRT8s produced 470 horsepower. After the 2015 refresh, the 392-powered Challengers upped the figure to 485 ponies. Oh well; I think we can give Kris Kringle a break.

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).