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Ringbrothers 1969 Dodge Charger Defector is a mean green machine

The 1969 Dodge Charger is one of the most recognizable cars ever built. Its debut at the peak of the muscle car era, sleek bodywork, and roaring Hemi V8 represented everything that was wonderful about American cars from the 1960s. It was fast, loud and moved like a greyhound off the line in search of that mechanical lure. Ringbrothers, the shop behind cars like the De Tomaso Pantera "ADRNLN" and t he Chevy Chevelle "Recoil," have unveiled its latest project - the 1969 Dodge Charger "Defector". Like most Ringbrothers projects, a first glance doesn't show much more than some wheels, new paint and a different ride height. Like any good custom car, the devil is in the details. The Defector falls into the restomod category, meaning it has classic looks but has been updated with modern parts and technology. This is the first time the shop has done a Mopar product, and they wanted to knock it out with the first attempt. While it may look stock, the bodywork has been significantly altered. Compared to a standard '69 Charger, the trunk lid is two inches shorter and the wheelbase has been increased by three inches. That means the car has new rockers and new quarter panels. The car was then painted in a BASF color called "Greener On The Other Side." It wears a black vinyl roof and a black stripe around the rear. The stripe and grille both sport the Ring Brothers logo. The car rides on 19-inch HRE wheels and uses Baer brakes with six-piston front calipers. The new rear subframe comes from Detroit Speed. The ancient steering rack has been replaced with a new rack and pinion unit. We assume this means it won't steer like a drunken hippo in a mudslide. Like the exterior, changes to the interior are subtle. It looks stock, but the seats wear new upholstery and the dash has been fitted with an Alpine stereo with a touchscreen display. The new steering rack is fitted with a nice Nardi steering wheel. The most modern update rests under the hood. In place of the old V8, Ringbrothers have swapped in a new 6.4-liter Hemi V8. It's the same one you'll find in any number of modern Mopar products. It's been tuned by Wegner Motorsports and exhales through a new Flowmaster exhaust system. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

The Dodge Challenger plays its trump card: all-wheel drive

Perennially stuck in third place behind the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro in sales and enthusiast comparisons, the Dodge Challenger is doing something unconventional for a muscle couple. It's adding all-wheel drive. It's a new feature for Detroit's pony cars – none of the three have ever had it – and it could be a game-changer. Called the Challenger GT, the Dodge launches this winter for a starting price of $34,490. The Challenger GT comes with the Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 rated at 305 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque. It teams with an eight-speed TorqueFlight automatic transmission and is estimated to get 18 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. An FCA spokesperson said no manual transmission or V8 models will be offered on the all-wheel-drive Challenger. It will be on display in January at the Detroit auto show. View 8 Photos All-wheel drive is a widely expected addition for the Challenger. The coupe shares underpinnings with the four-door Charger, which offers an all-wheel drive variant and the cars have similar powertrain offerings (the AWD Charger is also V6 and automatic only). Naturally, the Challenger borrows the Charger's AWD system and during regular driving conditions, the front axle disengages and full torque goes to the back wheels, allowing the Challenger to function as a rear-wheel drive car. It automatically goes back to AWD when more traction is needed. Handling is also fortified with a vehicle dynamic control system. Conversely, the electronic stability control has three modes and can be switched off for drift-happy enthusiasts. The GT has features familiar to other Challenger and Dodge owners, including an 8.4-inch touchscreen radio, Performance Pages (accessible through the Super Trak Pack button), and paddle shifters. A Sport Mode changes shift points to improve acceleration. It all rolls on 19-inch wheels wrapped in all-season rubber. The exterior gets a hood bulge, LED head- and taillights, and a decklid spoiler. The Challenger GT also offers a $995-interior package different than RWD models, adding Nappa leather, Alcantara suede seats, a nine-speaker Alpine audio system, performance steering wheel, and more. All of that is just window dressing. It's all-wheel drive that could be a difference-maker for consumers. The Challenger won't likely be able to take down the Mustang, which will finish 2016 as the pony car sales king.

2020 Dodge Challenger Review & Buying Guide | The most muscular muscle car

Despite going more than a decade without a complete redesign, the Dodge Challenger is alive and well, and still worth your consideration. Primarily, it offers more of a classic muscle car experience focused on straight-line performance and comfort that its rivals from Ford and Chevy that skew closer to sports car dynamics. The Challenger has the brash, broad-shouldered design to match that muscle car feel, too. And its big body brings more space and practicality than the competition. The 2020 Dodge Challenger also has a few unique bragging points. It's the only one of the modern pony cars to offer all-wheel-drive, which is a boon to people living in snowy parts of the country. And the Hellcat Redeye is still the most powerful pony car on the market with a whopping 797 horsepower from its supercharged 6.2-liter V8. Of course, there is a multitude of other Challenger models beyond those two examples, though, with many customization options from colors to wheels and trim. We think pretty highly of them all, proving that just because something is getting on in years doesn't mean it's any less relevant.  What's new for 2020? The 2020 Dodge Challenger brings a small number of updates. There are new wheel designs for every trim except the base rear-drive SXT. Three new colors are available with typically excellent Mopar names: Hellraisin, Sinamon Stick and Frostbite. Dodge has also made some welcome efforts to spruce up the interior with stitched dash and door panels on leather-equipped Challengers, carbon fiber trim and faux suede options for V8-powered cars and caramel-colored Alcantara for the GT, R/T and R/T Scat Pack trims.   What's the interior and in-car technology like? The Challenger's interior certainly isn't as characterful and flamboyant as its exterior would suggest. The Mustang and Camaro are more interesting and distinctive inside. Still, there are some interesting design flourishes that spruce things up, from the base trim's standard houndstooth cloth to the two-tone leather choices available as options. Besides, we're not sure how flamboyant you need the interior to be in a car available in electric orange, blue, green and purple paint colors. Furthermore, what the Challenger interior may lack in visual pizzazz, it makes up for with space (see below) and technology. A 7-inch touchscreen is standard, but all trim levels have an 8.4-inch version available as an option or standard.