The AWD Dodge Challenger Is Now A Thing, But Where's The V8?
A few weeks ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made a bit of a boo boo by accidentally confirming the existence of an all-wheel drive Challenger. Now, the car has been revealed in full.
The bad bit? As anticipated, there’s no bit shouty V8 options. The newly christened Challenger GT comes only with a 3.6-litre V6, putting out a modest (well, in muscle car terms) 301bhp and 268lb ft of torque. Only comes as an automatic, too.
The GT gets the same all-wheel drive system as the AWD Charger (also only available as a V6 auto), meaning it’s rear-wheel drive most of the time, with the front driven wheels re-engaging when required.
It’ll set you back $34,490, and will do 18mpg city and 27mpg highway - with those curiously smaller American gallons, obviously.
While it’s just a V6 for now, who knows - if it does well perhaps FCA will be moved to make some V8 versions. Imagine a Hellcat with a slightly less ferocious appetite for rear tyres…
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Maybe they’ll make an AWD Mustang to save people at car meets…
crickets
Both my cars are manual. Grasping at straws again. Hahaha
Because they weren’t reasons. I thought you Europeans were smart?
Two words.
Hellcat. Swap.
Why someone didn’t do just a regular 5.7 with AWD 3 years ago is beyond me.
The Challenger and the Charger are more than close enough to make it happen, however you would probably have to fabricate just a few parts.
I guess that means we are going to have to supercharge it. 420 WHP AWD!!!
I mean it makes perfect sense 90% of them I see are V6s driven by young kids and moms so why not make an awd version to increase sales in the Northern U.S. I don’t want to see an awd muscle car anyways it ruins the formula. The challenger was never meant to be a road course car.
I love how the yanks are finally realising that the Europeans have had it right all along and are starting to build AWD, fully independent suspension cars with reasonably sensible engines
I drive in Europe in my Corvette C6 with modded Koni FSD. I salute you and LOL. Transversal leaf springs and rear wheel drive and a very low center of gravity …. I piss/pass most European cars …
that’s for police departments only
The death of the last muscle car, shame. Lets take away power and add weight with AWD :D
It now makes less torque than a civic
LMFAO