The New Year brought new exterior and interior appearance packages from Mopar for Dodge's reborn Challenger muscle car. Available as a factory production option, the exterior kit includes a unique body-color hood with scoop, body-color rear "Go-Wing" spoiler and strobe stripe performance graphics. The exterior package can be yours for $1,995.
For the interior, Mopar's set includes a Mopar-branded T-handle shifter, bright pedal kit (only for automatic models), bright door-sill guards, premium carpet floor mats and a full vehicle cover. Dodge prices the interior package $945 for Challenger's equipped with an automatic transmission and $780 for cars fitted with a manual gearbox.
Both styling packages are available on Challenger SE (3.5-liter V6) and R/T (5.7-liter HEMI V8) models but only with these exterior colors: TorRed, Bright Silver Metallic, Brilliant Black Crystal and Bright White.
A talented modeler named Robert D. came up with the wacky idea of creating a scale-model that combines elements from the latest editions of Detroit's pony cars: the body of a Chevy Camaro, the front end of a Dodge Challenger and the rear-end of the Ford Mustang. And this here is the result.
"I like the main body of the Camaro better than the Challenger. I like the Challenger front end better than the Camaro. Once the idea was in my head to add Mustang to the equation, it all came together, because I found out pretty quickly that the three could combine into one," Robert stated in a forum for model cars.
We don't have to tell those of that you have ever attempted to make a custom model that it's easier said than done. Nevertheless, after four painstaking months of work, Robert pulled it off.
And even if you disagree with the aesthetics or the parts of the three muscle cars that were chosen for the model, you can't but admire the result from a technical point of view.
Now, any ideas what the tri-pony car should be named?
A little over a year ago, we showed you some conceptual designs for a modern day successor to Plymouth's 1971-1975 Road Runner based on today's Dodge Challenger. The concept was penned by Michael Leonhard and featured in the August/September issue of Mopar Enthusiast magazine. Then, it was nothing more than a vision of what the car would look like.
However, Leonhard got in contact with julino billym to inform us that he has put the design up for auction on eBay with the intent to build a one-off model that if all goes well, will be displayed and delivered to its owner at next year's Los Angeles Auto Show.
Leonhard's proposal, which looks pretty neat in the computer generated images, is essentially a reskinned 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 that takes styling cues from the '71-'72 Plymouth Road Runner.
The designer's plans also include a modified interior with new seat covers, door trims, headliner and rear-quarter trim while maintaining the Challenger's dashboard and console.
Underneath the skin, it is proposed that the one-off 2010 Plymouth Road Runner will get a turbocharged version of the SRT8's 6.1-liter HEMI V8 engine with 620HP and 650 lb-ft of torque for an estimated 0-60mph time of around 3.8 seconds and the quarter mile sprint in 11.9 seconds - all in theory of course.
It all sounds very nice until you read the eBay Motor's 'Buy it Now' price of US $950,000 (for the completed vehicle) combined with the fact that Leonhard has not revealed the name of what is described as, "the world leading and renowned company specializing in coach building and concept car manufacturing" that will handle the build of the car on the auction page.
Not to generalize, but even if we were passionate enough to spend the same amount of money as it would cost us to buy, let's say, a new Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, (around $350,000), a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S ($132,000), a Maserati Quattroporte Sport GTS ($133,700) and still have enough cash left around for half a dozen of 2010 Corvette Grand Sports ($55,000 a piece), for a car that's in essence, a rebodied and modified $44,000 Challenger, we would like to see it in the flesh, let alone know every single detail about its build.
Naturally, those interested, may contact Leonhard for more information directly through his website here.
All the same, since we really like the project, we'd like to wish him the best of luck in his attempt to make the 2010 Plymouth Road Runner Concept a reality.
Back in the late 1960's, Dodge developed the Charger Daytona race car to compete in NASCAR but to comply with the rules, they also had to build at least 500 copies to sell to the public and thus was born the Charger Daytona, the most outrageous musclecar of the time. Taking a step back into the good old days, the guys over at Heide Performance Products created the modern day successor to the road-legal racer with the Dodge Challenger-based Daytona concept that was shown at this week's SEMA.
The concept model gets all the design features that made the original Daytona look special such as the 'mile-high' rear wing, the elongated front nose piece, the hood scoops and the front fender trims.
Other highlight of the Dodge Challenger Daytona include the Vortech supercharged 5.7-liter V8 engine that should be good for around 600 horsepower or more, the KW Automotive sport suspension and the Magnaflow sport exhaust system.
For the interior, Mopar's set includes a Mopar-branded T-handle shifter, bright pedal kit (only for automatic models), bright door-sill guards, premium carpet floor mats and a full vehicle cover. Dodge prices the interior package $945 for Challenger's equipped with an automatic transmission and $780 for cars fitted with a manual gearbox.
