1970 Dodge Challenger 440 V8 | 4-speed | Restored on 2040-cars

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Dodge Charger Widebody is rumored on its way for 2020

Grab all the salt you have, save the amount you need for your recommended daily allowance. Mopar Insider reports its sources as having confirmed Dodge will unveil a Charger Widebody for the 2020 model year, in SRT Hellcat and R/T Scat Pack trims. Such a move would copy the trim and aesthetic formula used — to excellent affect — on the Dodge Challenger. The Charger widebodies would get also get unique suspension tuning, and the same 305/35 ZR 20 Pirellis as on the Challenger widebodies, but wrapped around unique, dual-five-spoke designs that are 11 inches wide. There has been talk of a widebody Charger for at least two years, many of those conversations carried out in the same way sleuths parse grainy photos of monsters. In April 2017, Instagram user gtpprix caught a standard Dodge Charger wearing Challenger widebody wheels, spaced so that the rubber extended beyond the fenders. A month later, a YouTube account in the name of Sinister Life caught the same car on video. The license plate doesn't appear to be from Michigan, which is where almost all Dodge prototypes get licensed. On the other hand, early spy shots of Challenger widebody prototypes from 2016 featured this same setup — a normal version with protruding tires. The SRT CEO at the time, Tim Kuniskis, joked about testing the Challenger widebody openly, knowing everyone would think it was a prototype Demon. According to Mopar Insider, engines and outputs won't change on the Charger widebody versions. That means sticking with the 485-horsepower, 6.4-liter V8 in the R/T Scat Pack, and the 717-hp, 6.2-liter V8 in the Charger Hellcat. Looks would change, however, with new front and rear fascias to differentiate the model and cohere with the new lines. That includes a new dual-snorkel hood grille and repositioned intakes, plus tweaked side sills. If it's really on the way, we should know this summer. Such a model would also support recent comments from Steve Beahm, head of Dodge, Fiat, and Chrysler brands, when Automobile asked about how the company will maintain any momentum in difficult days for sedans. Beahm said, "[Our] our job was to [ask,] 'How do we differentiate within the brands that are going to remain passenger-car brands?' ... What we do is we try to make our vehicles look different." Related Video:

Next Dodge Challenger to be electrified, says FCA boss

Dodge is the last of Detroit's Big Three to truly keep the muscle car purpose and heritage alive with the Challenger and Charger. As the Mustang and Camaro have transitioned to sports car-like experiences, the high-horsepower Dodges have stuck to their guns as straight-line behemoths with little intention of competing with the others in corner carving. People still dig the old-school-cool of cars like the Challenger, as sales actually went up while Mustang and Camaro sales took a hit in 2018. That said, new FCA boss Mike Manley said things will be changing in an electric way for the next generation, in a report by The Detroit News. "The reality is those platforms and that technology we used does need to move on. They can't exist as you get into the middle-2020s. New technology is going to drive a load of weight out, so we can think of the powertrains in a different way. And we can use electrification to really supplement those vehicles." News of electrified muscle cars is nothing new at this point. Ford says it's going to reveal a Mustang Hybrid in 2020. And with Al Oppenheiser (former chief engineer for the Camaro) moving to GM's electric division, you better believe Chevrolet is working on an electrified version of the Camaro. This, however, is the first solid evidence we have that FCA and Dodge are making such a move. What Manley said next is something we all know to be true, but a bit heartbreaking nonetheless. "I think that electrification will certainly be part of the formula that says what is American muscle in the future. What it isn't going to be is a V8, supercharged, 700-horsepower engine," Manley says. Even if it's a bit silly, we all love the Hellcat for its 707 horsepower V8. Clearly, plenty of other people do, too, because Dodge keeps cranking out more insane versions of the car with the Redeye and Demon. As for how much electrification Dodge's muscle car will receive, Manley wouldn't go into detail. Though he does say that electrification "can't be the dominant part." This should provide some solace to all those worried the gasoline engine could disappear from the American muscle car. Just as Dodge is reluctant to stray from the original intent of the muscle car, it's not hard to imagine the Challenger/Charger being the last to go full-electric. Gas engines supplemented by 48-volt systems or plug-in hybrids will most likely be the end result when we first see electrified Challengers.

2015 Dodge Viper GTC available in 25 million no-cost combos with 1 Of 1 bespoke program

What's the one thing no car can have too much of? Here's a hint – it's not power. It's not efficiency, either, or technology, or even safety. It's exclusivity. It's one reason Rolls-Royce has become a legend building absolutely bespoke motor vehicles, and it's the reason Dodge, of all companies, is offering a new GTC trim level for its Viper supercar. Now, you might be asking what's so special and exclusive about a trim level? Well, in the Viper GTC's case, it gives owners access to a catalog of 8,000 shades of paint for the exterior, 24,000 "hand-painted" custom stripe patterns, 10 different wheel options, 16 interior trims and no fewer than six aerodynamic packages. That results in 25 million different configurations for the 645-horsepower snake. Most shockingly, the customization choices come at no additional cost on the GTC model. And it's only the start. Ordering a GTC will enroll customers in a unique VIP program called Viper Concierge, which according to Dodge, "offers an exclusive point of contact throughout the custom Viper build process." In other words, buyers will be given the means to stay right on top of their car's production, through the 140-to-160-hour painting process, which itself will be fully documented with pictures and through a mobile-friendly website, to the actual construction of their GTC. The Concierge process will start with the ordering stage, which will include Dodge sending customers a paint chip showing the owner's custom choosing, which they can confirm or refuse. Shortly thereafter, Dodge will send buyers a 1:18-scale "speed-form" replica in their chosen custom colors, once again to confirm or deny the build. Once the buyer's color and option selection is locked-in, that car becomes a one-of-one Viper for that year – no other buyer will be permitted to build a Viper to the same specifications. The concierge service also grants access to the Viper Ambassador Owner's Portal, where orderers can track their car's build process, receive weekly updates and share their excitement with (jealous) friends and family. And once the car is complete, it will be fitted with a custom dash plaque identifying its bespoke provenance – the owner can choose to have their name put on the badge, the car's nickname, or whatever they wish (Dodge will also ship each Viper with a second blank plate to include if the original owner sells the car).