The Dodge Charger is an all-American vehicle
manufactured by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Company. The original
Dodge Charger was officially on the roads in 1965 and since then has undergone
many revamps and remodels. Each couple years, the Charger has been
modified or redesigned, and this year the world got to see an amazing concept
version of the Charger at the Detroit auto show.
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger has
always been considered somewhat of a muscle car because of its powerful engine
and very “mean” look. It was produced originally as a concept car in 1964
and was actually put into production in 1965 after which it came in 3 main body
types. The first was a mid-sized body with two doors which was produced
until 1978, after which the company began to manufacture subcompact bodied
Chargers from 1983-1987. The last iteration of the Dodge Charger’s body
came in 2006 when the Dodge Charger became a full sized four door sedan.
In between these three main model types, there have been several redesigns,
concept cars, and revamps of the Charger.
Concept cars
Concept cars are exactly
what the name suggests. The vehicles which are considered to be concept
cars are built primarily to showcase new car designs or technology or even
both. Concept cars are designed and showcased at auto shows which
may never actually be manufactured for the public. The main reason they
are shown is to showcase the different car companies and pique interest, as
well as to gauge the reactions of customers towards new and often radical
designs. The origin of this tradition dates back to the 1950’s Motorama shows where Harley Earl, one of the best
designers for General Motors “invented the concept car.”
Dodge Charger Concept
The Dodge Company is no
stranger to concept and regular car shows, and the unveiling of the Dodge
Charger concept car at the Detroit Auto Show was big news. The Dodge Charger Redline is one of the
hottest concept cars attracting the most attention. It is a racing, and
highly accessorized version of the Dodge Charger. It came in 3 stages.
Stage 1 was completely
cosmetic, and included the carbon fiber and aero add-ons as well as some
interior designs. Stage two was where it got interesting. The Dodge
Charger concept has a low- backpressure exhaust system, race quality brakes,
and a strut tower brace. The third stage was truly what was being
showcased. The car had a hand built aluminum block engine. It was a
V8 hemi engine with a forged crank, a high lift roller, and an amazing 11:1
compression rate. This beast of an engine, with all its other noteworthy
parts, boasts a massive 590 horses!
This car is obviously
not something to drive to work in on the highway but it sure is an amazing
testament to the Dodge Charger. The only problem with this car is that
you cannot drive it on a daily basis. If you were looking for something
for illegal street races or a weekend track day, then this would be a great
choice, but alas, we cannot all live in the world of The Fast and Furious.
Conclusion
While concept cars can
be absolutely amazing, the truth of the matter is that most of these vehicles
will never make it onto the streets with some of the crazy additions
displayed. We would all be so lucky to have these futuristic cars among
us and while you can buy them for ridiculous amounts of money, most of us need
to stick to the normal vehicles. If you are looking for a van, car,
truck, or minivan, there are many great places to look. Just because it
is not a concept car does not mean it is any less great. Look for your vehicle
at the best dealers of Dodges, Chryslers, Jeeps, and RAM
trucks near you for quality, dependability, and amazing deals.
Author Bio:
Written by Jenifer
Odette of Brandl Motors, your full-service dealership for new
Chrysler, Jeep Dodge and Ram vehicles.