SEMA 2009 Dodge Challenger Petty Garage

Challenger is the name of three models of Dodge cars, American brand founded by the Brothers Dodge in 1914 and acquired by Chrysler in 1928.

The first Challenger was a pony car built from 1970 to 1974 who became an icon of American car culture and a classic style that still serves as a reference for Dodge engineers. The name Challenger was subsequently assigned from 1978 to 1983 Mitsubishi Galant Lambda Coupe Imported from Japan by Chrysler. Finally, the name was repeated in 2008 for the new neo-retro Dodge just launched in 2009 to compete with the Ford Mustang and the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro.

The first Challenger was launched in 1970, is the late proposal of the mark on the pony car market in the United States, it appears six years after the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Firebird and Plymouth Barracuda.

It uses a maximum of common parts with the new Plymouth Barracuda, its twin in the Chrysler Group, which it shares the platform Chrysler E-Body but with a wheelbase lengthened by 51 mm and a specific body. The design of the bodywork is signed Carl "Cam" Cameron, the head of the exterior styling of the Dodge Charger in 1966, the grille of the Challenger in 1970 and draws its initial proposals for the Charger that he wanted to give of a turbo-compressed, which explains its characteristic line.

The Challenger has been well accepted by the public (with sales of 80 000 units for the year 1970 alone) despite the fact it has been criticized by the press and the pony car market faltered even before his arrival . The power of its engines, and therefore its performance have been reduced after the year 1971 to comply with pollution control standards imposed by the U.S. government.

Its production ceases with the model 1974, after producing almost 165 500 copies in 5 years.