The Dodge Challenger is dead, long live the Dodge Challenger! However, in what some fans hail as a fitting tribute and others condemn as a sales grab, Dodge is making a few swan song special editions. These cars are the Dodge “Last Call” models, split between the Challenger and Charger. However, the Black Ghost Challenger is arguably the best of the bunch barring the delayed release of Mopar’s last super coupe. 

What is the Black Ghost Challenger?

The Black Ghost Challenger is the most sinister of the Last Call special edition models. It’s one of the final reveals the automaker unveiled, which Dodge teased just after the King Daytona Charger. The Black Ghost is a Pitch Black-liveried Hellcat Redeye Widebody derivation with subtle hints of its special status. Most notably, the Dodge Last Call model has a gator-skin vinyl roof aesthetic that breaks up the black landscape.  

Moreover, the Black Ghost Challenger has a very special connection to history. Specifically, the Last Call model is an homage to a modified 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T that conquered the street racing scene in Detroit. 

Who owned the Black Ghost Challenger? 

The original 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T “Black Ghost” belonged to Godfrey Qualls, a Detroit police officer with a propensity for drag racing. However, Qualls didn’t take his mysterious Mopar muscle car to shows; he used it to haunt the blacktop of Telegraph Road, Woodward Avenue, and Stecker Street in Detroit. According to Hagerty, Qualls would pull his “baby” out, outrun some street racers with its 426 Hemi heart, and disappear as quickly as he appeared. 

It’s only fitting, then, that Dodge recognize this Detroit legend with a limited-release Challenger. The upcoming Dodge Last Call 2023 Black Ghost will be just 300 in number; it’s a rare beast.  

How much horsepower does the best Dodge Last Call model make?

The 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost is a swansong variant of a Hellcat Redeye Widebody. As a result, it packs a supercharged 6.2L V8 mill. However, instead of the 797 horsepower in the Redeye, the Black Ghost boasts 807 hellacious horses. That’s a lot more power than the classic big-block bandit that Qualls used to terrorize Detroit, but it’s a fitting nod. 

807 horsepower makes the Black Ghost one of the most powerful Dodge Challengers the marque has ever produced. The only Challenger with bragging rights over the dark muscle car is the SRT Demon, barring the very last Challenger with a rumored 900+ horsepower. 

Is the Dodge Challenger Black Ghost the best Last Call model?

With over 800 horsepower, a limited stock number, historical connection, and villainous livery, the Black Ghost is arguably the best Last Call model. The rumored record-breaking final Challenger will be a spectacle, but the Black Ghost’s homage car is a Detroit devil. This car is exceptional, much like the original 1970 Challenger that Qualls passed down to his son. 

Still, be ready to pay a whole lot more than Hellcat Redeye prices for your Black Ghost.