SNEAK PEAK: 2011 Dodge Charger – New, More Muscular and Exciting

By Mike Blake, Carlisle Events

Monday, July 05, 2010

While Chrysler is eager to show off a logo change for its Dodge line, it is secretive in its expected launching of the next generation of Charger, its signature muscle car that hearkens back to the Pony Car wars and street machines of the late 1960s and early ’70s.

Chrysler resurrected Charger in 2006, after a 28-year hiatus to pay homage to the marque which was first seen in 1965, as a Coronet-based muscle machine. The ’06 reincarnation was the sixth generation of Charger and it combined retro muscle with 21st century electronics and savvy. While the original version got its power from a brawny 318c.i. (about 5.1 liters) V-8 combined with a 3-speed manual transmission that reached about 230hp, the 21st century Charger stampeded out 250hp in its 3.5-liter version mated to a 5-speed tranny, and galloped out more than 400 horses in its SRT8 Charger.

A favorite of Hollywood, various Chargers have been screen stars in such productions as “The Dukes of Hazzard” in the original television series from 1979-1985 and the motion picture (2005), “Bullitt,” (1968), “Thunder Alley” (1967), “Speedway” (1968), “Dirty Mary and Crazy Larry” (1974), “Cannonball” (1976), “CSI,” “CSI: Miami” and CSI: New York” (2000 to present); “NCIS,” (2005 to present) and countless other appearances in movies and TV shows for six decades.

The new evolution of Charger is part of Chrysler’s redefinition of Dodge. The repackaging toward new lifestyle packages, new ads, events and sponsorships, and a new racing-inspired logo is part of its new message: a "forever young" attitude and performance-driven history that will drive the brand into the future. The new Dodge brand logo, will apparently not make its way onto the vehicles, but will be used in communications, advertising, internet and merchandising. The lynchpin of the new insignia is the name “Dodge,” from which twin red racing stripes emerge, to provide a vision of speed and agility.

Fresh for 2011, and expected to be available by year’s end, is the Ram-adorned Charger. It’s new look will smooth out the current Charger’s square jaw, as its signature cross-hair grille will move high in the center, symmetrically bordered by twin horizontal headlights with up upward/outward slant. The hood is confident, with indentations to each side blending into raised shoulders. The profile lines are sweeping and athletic, and the lower intake will be larger as the lower bumper has a glower appearing from it to create an intimidating facial appearance head-on, adorned by circular fog lamps to either side of the “mouth.”

In the rear, all-new LED taillights are recessed in a manner similar to that of Challenger, and along the side, we have seen huge tires … 19 or 20-inchers glistening and adding another dimension to Charger’s demeanor of strength, confidence and athleticism.
Size should not be affected much, and the new Charger should be close to the last model’s measurements of 200.1 inches long, 74.5 inches wide and 58.2 inches high with a curb weight of about 4200 lbs.

As Charger has been all about muscle for 45 years, we expect the 2011 model to be powered by the new Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 engine that should rate at 290hp and 260 lbs-ft of torque; though a 300hp minimum tweak might be an excellent marketing point.
The upscale trims, including the R/T and SRT8 are sure to thunder out 400 horses or more, with the R/T probably going with a 400hp turbo V-6 … an increase in muscle and decrease in weight from the 5.7-liter V-8 on the 2010 model. It is likely that the top of the muscle-line SRT8 version will get its thrust from a 450hp 6.4-liter V-8, a move up from the current 6.1-liter HEMI that pops 425 horses.

Early buzz indicates that the 2011 Charger may be as much about interior as exterior and hood muscle. Combing the rekindled 1960s cabin feel, look and character with current-day electronics and trendiness, Charger’s new das is dominated by a large new LCD screen at the center, complemented by large, retro analog gauges. The center stick or automatic shifter on the console offers another homage to the 1960s, but the cockpit will also be adorned with such new age advances as a CD-based navigational system (why else would they have the huge LCD screen?), cloth or leather bucket seats, power front seats, driver and passenger manual lumbar settings, speed sensitive power locks, power accessory delay, leather-wrapped tilt/telescopic steering wheel, keyless entry, dual-zone air conditioning, front and rear climate control, rear window defroster and an upgraded sound system similar to or better than Challenger’s with 276-watt amp, six Boston Acoustics speakers, a navigational system touch-screen, and Sirius Satellite radio.

Production is expected to begin at Chrysler’s Brampton, Ontario, Canada plant in October, and prices should begin at $25,000 for the base model, all the way up to the mid-$40s for the brawny, bells and whistles packages.

The 2011 Charger brings muscle and good looks into the second decade of the 21st century.

Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

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