2008 Dodge Challenger to Look Just Like Concept

Car aficionados often get bummed out when the concept car they’ve been fantasizing about for years finally hits the dealership, but only looks like a shell of its auto show glory. That’s not going to be the case for the Dodge Challenger, which debuted in Detroit this year as a concept car.

At an event yesterday, Chrysler’s top designer Tom Tremont stated the production 2008 Challenger will look nearly identical to the concept shown here. "You're not going to be able to tell the difference," Tremont said. Don’t expect to be able to buy a “real” Challenger until well into next year. But we can guess that the production version will grace the 2007 Detroit Auto Show in January and then all those aficionados will be able to see if Tom is telling the truth.

[Challenger Stays True to Roots, Detroit News]

Comments

The concept had a 6.1-liter Hemi, but I wonder what other engines this thing will have. It would be nice if Dodge threw the 5.7-liter Hemi into the base model, but with Chrysler hurting for sales right now -- and with the Challenger being built on the Charger/Magnum/300 chassis -- I'd expect a volume-leader Challenger SXT with Chrysler's corporate 3.5-liter V-6. That leaves the 5.7L Hemi for the Challenger R/T and the 6.1L for the Challenger SRT8, which stacks nicely against the Mustang V-6, GT and ... wait, not quite.

Viper-engine Challenger SRT10, anyone?

They'll definitely do a V6 version. I would have to think they would do so. A SRT10...hmmmm....

More than likely the SRT will be either a 6.1 with more HP or the rumored 6.4 with over 500 HP. I don't know any "real" muscler car owners who would prefer the V-10 over a V-8.

Love the looks of this car, but with gas prices ever increasing this car better offer some decent MPG.

Depends on what you consider good gas mileage. The Charger V-6 gets 19/27, V-8 gets 17/25 and the SRT8 gets 14/20. With slight variance for a manual transmission, we can probably expect similar numbers from the Challenger, which puts it about even with the Mustang.

There won't be a V-6 for this one and it will remain fairly limited compared to the mass produced stangs and cams.

Expect 30-40k prices.

Yeah they said they would not be making a V6 version as of yet... it will only be available in a V8. Going into the air force I will definitely be financing one of these through a bank. I can't freakin wait. Insurance is going to be a killer though :(

I want a buy dodge challenger v10 viper engine

Callenger Concept Car: Instrument panel needs some work/redesign, especially area where the radio is located. Looks too cheap - like stamped plastic. Everything else looks great.

i heard the challeger is going to have 3 engine choices the 3.5 v6 the gas mileage engine

acouse the 5.7 engine 345 horse
and the 6.1 but not 425 horse they are going to power it up a little to 450 this beats the new camero

Fugly. I hope the retro trend ends here; if muscle cars are gonna be revived for the 21st century, Detroit really needs to get some imagination and come up with some designs that belong in this time period.

I have always wanted a 1970 Challenger, but I think I could settle for something as gorgeous as this car. Who cares what kind of gas mileage it gets, Dodge is finally going to produce something with some character and backbone to it. It's about time Dodge starts realizing that there is still a muscle car market out there.

From a Mustang lover, this one rocks. I might just have to see If I buy one of each. Long Live the Retro look. Let see more. Still love my Mustang but Ford better get its stuff together when this one hits the street.

This may be one of the dumbest concept ideas I've seen in years. The new Challenger concept will be no more than a niche car when it goes to production. This shows me that Chrysler is running out of ideas. If I wanted a 70's Challenger, I'd buy a 1970 Challenger. At least the new Camaro concept is different than the first-gen Camaro's - it only borrows styling cues rather than being a complete rip-off of the original. The biggest difference between the Challenger concept and the Camaro concept is that Chevy can build on the Camaro platform when the new body style is ready for a redesign because it doesn't look EXACTLY like a '69 Camaro. You won't have that with the Challenger - all it is is a 70's design with modern components. How do you update a completely retro car? You don't - you have to start with a clean slate. Ford will have the same problem with Mustang when it's due for a redesign. Ford has even admitted publicly that the next Mustang will be completely different and won't have retro styling. Challenger will be on the market for 2-3 years, and then it'll be done.

I just saw the 2008 Challenger at the San Diego Car Show a few hours ago. It is one badass looking ride. You bet they took a lot of the body lines from the old Challengers, that's a good thing. It you are going to build a car that will use old body lines and looks from an older car than call it what it is. I hate when car companies build a new version of one of their older cars, use the same name, and it looks nothing like the original. If that's the case why don't they just make up a new name instead of trying some lame ass marketing gimick?

My girlfriend was surprised by the new Challenger. She kept telling me how much it looks like my '71. Now if I can just find out the paint color on the new Challengers...... How cool would that look? A '71 and a '08 Challenger side by side with the same orange paint? Time to call the dealer ;)

I for one am glad the Detroit automakers are doing what they did best, muscle cars.

I can almost hear the marketing slogan for this car "Once your reverse mortgage check clears head on down to your local Dogde dealer!". Have the folks at Chrysler lost their minds? They need some new testing groups if they're going to sell this car as pictured. That design doesn't look retro. It just looks old.

Dodge did a great job on the Challengers retro look, you look at this car and know right away what it is, a challenger, this is where chevy went with the new Camaro. I'm a chevy guy at heart, but will have to buy the new Challenger for a true retro muscle car. GM could learn something from Dodge when it comes to the retro muscle cars. The new Challenger will be my next car in 2008.

I really think the v-10 would be nice, i hope that the hemi cuda has the v-10 also.

I would like to see the new Challenger with the new Viper V10 engine. That would be something for Chevrolete to bite on,

What a beautiful car! Darrin is right to a point, but with 1970 Challenger prices sky high and the fact that the older cars lack creature features I'll take the 2008. Just think 1970s look with modern technology. I think Dodge might want to chrome the front bumper a little, it looks like a '71 Cuda.

The 2008 Dodge Challenger is sweet. I can't wait to get my hands on this car. Check out more at info on the Car at www.NewDodgeChallenger.net

I was wondering if you might know what the price on the 2008 SRT8 Dodge Challenger will be with 425 HP, and do you know how hard will it be to get one. My email address is jonatind@aol.com.

Thank You
Jon McGuire

i think this car is hot!,somepeople dont get the retro look, but it this way, the cars being built today are better made, safer and built to go 150k miles atlest. Im 50 years old i had a 68 amx,girlfriend hada 68 mustang, in all truth ive seen cars like these years later and they just cant compare to build quality that these new retro cars have. when all of our detroit cars are looking like stamped jap
cars as they look today its great that somedesigners are looking outside of the box
and borrow the designs of yesteryear updating them as they should look maybe 30 years later
ford got away from the true mustang look in the early seventies it took them 30 years to get the design right! the 2005 mustang looks like a updated mustang..not a ripoff!

chrysler needs to build the brakes were you can change the wheels to 15" Not every one likes 18" or 20" wheels.or make a smaller brake caliper.ford as this same problem on mustangs and it is costly and a lot of work to make it were you can put 15" wheel on them.

Hi Guys, any Mustang guys here need to take a look at the RSC-GT Mustang.
Retrobuilt.com
This is the Mustang version of the Challenger...

Hi Guys, any Mustang guys here need to take a look at the RSC-GT Mustang.
Retrobuilt.com
This is the Mustang version of the Challenger...

This one is for Darrin, who according to his comments, must have been born in the 80s or 90s and doesn't know what a muscle car is. As for BUYING a 70s Challenger, get real - were you born with a silver spoon in your mouth ?
Also, should Ma Mopar decide to build it for only a few years, then it's only going to APPRECIATE - not depreciate like your volkswagon. I appologize for slamming your opinion. Everyone has one. You just happen to be a loner with yours. Now that I have gotten this off my chest, I will heed to my parents teaching of,
"If you can't say something nice......don't say it at all"

I THINK DETROIT IS FINALLY GETTING SMART. DODGE DIDN'T RETRO THE CHARGER ENOUGH, WHICH IS WHY EVERYBODY BUYS THE MUSTANG. THIS CAR IS JUST WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED WHEN I WAS 16, BUT I CAN NOW HAVE.

I love the new challenger,but i think chrysler will never build it this car has been coming since 2006. They will proble make a 4 door like the charger so dream on.

"This may be one of the dumbest concept ideas I've seen in years. The new Challenger concept will be no more than a niche car when it goes to production. This shows me that Chrysler is running out of ideas. If I wanted a 70's Challenger, I'd buy a 1970 Challenger...."

"....Have the folks at Chrysler lost their minds? They need some new testing groups if they're going to sell this car as pictured. That design doesn't look retro. It just looks old."

Y'all are exactly right. It's totally inexcusable for Detroit's auto execs to rudely try to satisfy thousands and thousands of auto enthusiasts who have been wishing and dreaming how awesome it would be to have bad ass old 60's and 70's muscle cars, but with CURRENT technology, in "off-the-lot" quality condition. Those auto execs, and so called marketing "experts", should be punished, and publicly humiliated, for trying to provide a solution to the problem that it's a massive undertaking, and can require a string of miracles, to restore a decades old automobile to anywhere close to brand new, and still be lacking so many of the characteristics of today's brand new cars. How dare they. I really, really hope they seek you out, and request your permission next time they consider bringing anything to market. The world is a lesser place, because of this disgusting behavior of the automakers.

By the way, one of you mentioned that if you wanted a 70's Challenger, then you'd by a 1970 model Challenger. I'm shocked to find out that that production of a 2008 Challenger prevents you from doing this! Chrysler must have gone out and gobbled up all the 1970 year models in existence, in a diabolical plot to force you to purchase the 2008! Oh my Goodness, what's the world coming to?!?!

IM A MOPAR NUT,SO....THIS IS THE MOST BADASS CHALLENGER YET!!!