One of the most famous muscle cars of the 60s and 70s is the Dodge Charger. This car, which steals the show in several TV series and films, is now being built in a new version. Not as a retro version of the classic, but as a new contemporary muscle car.
The beginning
The history of the Dodge Charger is strongly linked to the history of the muscle car in general. It was the late 1950s when the focus was increasingly on a strong engine in an affordable car. In the 60s this would grow into the muscle car craze, which would last until the mid-70s.
Dodge did not always have the image it has today. In the 1960s, it was hard to find a car that could appeal to the youth, other models looked quite old-fashioned. A first version of the Charger was released as a concept car in 1964, based on the Dodge Polara, with a 7L HEMI V8. This would be the start for the first generation of Chargers.
First generation
The first Dodge Charger was released in 1966, but this was little more than a fastback version of the Dodge Coronet. It was therefore no surprise that less than 40,000 units were sold in the first year, of which only 500 had the famous 7L HEMI V8 with 425 hp. Other available engines were the standard 5.2L V8 with 230hp, the 5.9L with 265 and the 7.2L with 365hp. For model year 1967, the 440 Magnum engine was also added, which had a power of 375 hp. This year, the Charger was also not a sales success, only 16,000 were sold, of which only 118 with a HEMI V8.
Second generation
The second generation, from 1968, was a completely different car in appearance. By many it was and is still seen as the most beautiful muscle car, which is also reflected in the prices that are paid for it. However, the chassis and suspension were the same as the first Charger. The engines available were for the Charger R / T the 7.2L V8, or the HEMI V8. Demand for the model increased six-fold to nearly 100,000 units. In 1969 Dodge came with a change regarding the grill, this version is one of the most sought after models today. By default, the 69 Charger had only a 3.7L 6-cylinder engine, luckily only 500 buyers bought in and the rest bought one of the other engines. However, only 500 cars with a HEMI engine were sold. Many of the ?? 69 Chargers have unfortunately been lost in the production of movies and series such as The Dukes of Hazzard.
Two versions of this second generation were also built to homologate the car for the popular one NASCAR races. The first attempt for this was the Charger 500, of which around 500 have been built. However, this was not a success on the track, aerodynamically it was not yet optimal. The second attempt at success in NASCAR races was the Charger Daytona, of which 503 were eventually sold. This version turned out to be much more successful and put the model on the map. By the way, both the 500 and the Daytona could reach around 300 km / h, which was exceptional for that time.
In 1970, the Charger 500 returned, but now it was no longer as a homologation model, but only as a special version of the standard Charger. The entire Charger production was only 50,000 in 1970.
Third generation
The third generation, built from 1971, was the version that would eventually see the end of the muscle car era. Stricter safety requirements and emission regulations would eventually reduce this model, the oil crisis gave the final push.
With the introduction of the new model, the design was especially striking. Although it was seen as a clear design statement, the second generation is still preferred over this third generation today. A number of different versions were available in 1971: The base model, the Charger 500, Charger SE, Charger R / T, and the Super Bee. The basic variant would only have 145 hp, with an option of up to 230 hp. The latter engine was also the standard in the Charger 500, however a number of V8s were possible with this model. The Super Bee would get a V8 with 275 hp, but as an option a number of other engines, including the 425 hp HEMI V8. The R / T had 370 hp, but could also be supplied with the now legendary HEMI engine. However, this first year for this generation, only 85 HEMIs were sold, out of a total of nearly 83,000 Chargers in total.
Before 1972 there were only a few models available: the Charger coupe, the SE and the Rallye (this replaced the Super Bee and the R / T). However, the base engine now only had 110 hp, thanks to stricter regulations. Other engines had also lost a lot of horsepower. The last model year for this generation, 1973 would still be a top year, with around 108,000 Chargers sold.
Fourth generation
The fourth generation was no longer the Charger as it was known. It was one in one Chysler Cordoba based model, which is badly appreciated nowadays. Only the SE was available in the first year, 1975. There was a choice between a 180 hp V8 or a 200 hp engine. Only 31,000 were sold this year. 1976 now also had the normal Charger in the model range again, but still sold only 53,000 units, the third year only 36,000 would be sold.
Fifth generation
The fifth generation was even further from the famous ?? 69 Charger than the fourth generation. The car looked like a hatchback and had only a 1.7L engine with 63hp (or later a 2.2L engine with 84hp as an option) .After the first year, however, a version of Shelby. This one Shelby Charger is the only version that is still cherished by a number of enthusiasts today. After a number of facelifts, this model finally came to an end in 1987. The last Shelby Charger would put 175 hp on the mat.
Sixth generation
In 2006 Dodge came up again with the name Charger, which is still being built. This time it was again a powerful muscle car, which is also available with a HEMI V8. Initially only a Charger SE and a Charger R / T were offered, later in 2006 the SRT-8 with 425 hp and the Super Bee in 2009. With this Charger we participate again in the NASCAR races.