Dodge 2006 Challenger Concept

The Chrysler Group stole the scene on the opening day of the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit yesterday when it revealed the Dodge Challenger concept car, upholding the Group’s reputation for extreme expressions.

Possessing all of the essential attributes of a muscle car, distinctly American; mega horsepower; pure, minimal, signature lines; aggressive air-grabbing grille; and bold colours and graphics, the concept coupe reignites the passion and rich heritage of the original and now highly collectible Challenger sold in North America in the seventies.

The Challenger concept uses the Chrysler Group’s advanced rear-wheel drive LX platform and its fabled HEMI® engine, both features of the recently launched Chrysler 300C, sits on a 2.95 metre wheelbase, which is slightly longer than the original, and is two metres wide giving the concept car a squat, tough, purposeful persona.

“Challenger draws upon the initial 1970 model as the icon of the series,” said Tom Tremont, Vice President- Advanced Vehicle Design. “The 1970 model is the most sought after by collectors. But instead of merely recreating that car, the designers endeavoured to build a Challenger most people see in their mind’s eye—a vehicle without the imperfections like the old car’s tucked-under wheels, long front overhang and imperfect fits.”

“During the development of the concept car,” says Micheal Castiglione, principal exterior designer, “we brought an actual 1970 Challenger into the studio. For me, that car symbolises the most passionate era of automotive design.”

Dodge 2006 Challenger Concept up close

The Challenger concept is a genuine four-passenger car—“You can sit up in the back seat,” said Castiglione. Compared to the original, the greenhouse is longer, the windshield and backlite faster, and the side glass narrower. All glass is set flush with the body without mouldings, another touch the original designers could only wish for. The car is a genuine two-door hardtop—no B-pillar-- with the belt line ramping up assertively at the quarter window just forward of the wide C-pillar.

The five-spoke chrome wheels-- 20-inch, front; 21-inch, rear—are set flush with the bodyside, giving the car the powerful muscular stance of a prizefighter eager to challenge the world. Wheel openings are drawn tightly against the tyres, with the rearward edges trailing off. To emphasise the iconic muscularity, the designers added plan view “hip” to the rear quarters.

One of the key characteristics of the original car the designers wanted to retain was the exceptionally wide look of both the front and back ends. To achieve this the designers increased both the front and rear tracks to 1625mm and 1653mm respectively, wider than the LX, wider even than the 1970 model. To realise the long horizontal hood the designers deemed essential, the front overhang was also increased.

Both the hood and the deck lid of the Challenger concept vehicle are higher than the 1970 in order to lift and “present” the front and rear themes. The front end features the signature Dodge crossbar grille and four headlamps deeply recessed into the iconic car-wide horizontal cavity. Diagonally staggered in plan view, the outboard lamps are set forward, the “six-shooter” inboard lamps slightly rearward. At the rear, the car-wide cavity motif is repeated, encompassing a full-width neon-lit taillamp. Both the grille and the front and rear lamps are set into carbon-fiber surrounds. Like the original, slim rectangular side marker lamps define the ends of the car.

Bumpers are clean (no guards), body-colour and flush with the body. “This is something we would have loved to do on the original Challenger,” said Jeff Godshall, who was a young designer in the Dodge Exterior studio when the first Challenger was created, “but the technology just wasn’t there. With the Challenger concept, however, the Pacifica Studio designers are able to realise what we wanted in our perfect world.”

The hood reprises the original Challenger “performance hood” and its twin diagonal scoops, now with functional butterfly-valve intakes. Designed to showcase the modern techniques used in fabricating the car, what look like painted racing stripes are actually the exposed carbon fibre of the hood material.

In contrast to the bright Orange Pearl exterior, the interior is a no-nonsense, let’s-get-in-and-go black relieved by satin silver accents and narrow orange bands on the seat backs. “Though the 1970 model was looked to for inspiration, we wanted to capture the memory of that car, but expressed in more contemporary surfaces, materials and textures,” said Alan Barrington, principal interior designer. As with the original car, the instrumental panel pad sits high, intersected on the driver’s side by a sculpted trapezoidal cluster containing three circular in-line analogue gauge openings.

“We designed the in-your-face gauge holes to appear as if you are looking down into the engine cylinders with the head off,” relates Barrington. These are flanked outboard by a larger circular “gauge” that is actually a computer, allowing the driver to determine top overall speed, quarter-mile time and speed, and top speed for each of the gears.

Inside the Dodge 2006 Challenger Concept

With its thick, easy-grip rim, circular hub and pierced silver spokes, the leather-wrapped steering wheel evokes the original car’s “Tuff” wheel, as does the steering column “ribbing.” The floor console, its centre surface tipped toward the driver, is fitted with a proper “pistol grip” shifter shaped just right to master the quick, crisp shifts possible with the six-speed manual “tranny”.

Specifications:

Length: 197.8” (5025 mm)
Wheelbase: 2945mm
Front Overhang: 989mm
Width: 1997mm
Height: 1449mm
Track, Frt/Rr: 1625mm/1653mm
Couple: 800mm

Color:
Exterior: Challenger Orange
Interior: Black

Key Performance Attributes
0-60 mph: 4.5 seconds
60-0 ft: 133 ft.
Standing ¼ mile: 13 seconds
Top Speed: 174mph
Range: 300 miles

Powertrain and Suspension:
Engine: 6.1L Hemi, 317kW (425hp)@600rpm/570 Nm (420ft.-lbs)@480rpm)
Drivetrain: RWD/ 6-speed-manual
Suspension: Short/long-arm Independent

Front Tyre Size: P255/40R20
Wheel Size: 20”X 9”
Outer Diameter: 777mm

Rear Tyre Size: P265/45R21
Wheel Size: 21”X 10”
Outer Diameter: (756mm

© Copyright 2006 Driveguide.com.au

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