A new Charger on the way?
By James Stanford
19mar04
ONE of the biggest names in Australian muscle car history could be about to make a comeback.
A new Charger is expected to be added to the Dodge line-up in 2006 according to US company officials who do not want to be identified.
But unlike the Valiant model that has become such a cult car in Australia, the new model is unlikely to be a coupe. Instead, the Charger is expected to be built off the same base as the rear-wheel drive Chrysler 300C, which is a V8-powered four-door sedan.
Dodge has played with the idea of a new Charger before, releasing a four-door concept car in 1999, but it is unknown how much the new car will have in common with it .
Chrysler group's chief designer Trevor Creed would not comment on the Charger rumours, but told Autoweek a fast Dodge V8 was on the way.
“We will be looking at a very sporty version of this (300C) platform for Dodge,” Creed says.
He said the Dodge model will look quite different from the Chrysler 300C and that the cars would not share any sheet metal.
“We will not do badge engineering any more,” Creed says.
Unfortunately for Charger fans, a coupe is currently out of the question.
“You've got to have a four-door, there's no market for a coupe,” says Creed.
Chrysler Jeep will launch the Dodge brand here in 2006 although a possible Charger model is not a certain starter.
Chrysler Australia spokesman Simon Johnson said the company was unaware of any plans to bring back the Charger, but says it would be interested in any such model.
“Any new products in the pipeline are most welcome,” Johnson says.
“The name Charger is filled with an enormous amount of memories for a lot of Australians.”
The first hurdle for the new Dodge model is its left-hand drive origins, but Chrysler in the US has previously claimed all new models would be engineered for right-hand drive as well.
Just as news of the new Charger surfaced in the US, a 1969 Dodge Charger was named Hollywood's top star car. The orange General Lee, hero of the TV show Dukes of Hazzard, was voted the most popular Hollywood car in a national survey.
Steve McQueen's Ford Mustang from Bullitt was second, with a 1967 Shelby Mustang from Gone in 60 Seconds third.
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i think as long as they get a coupe profile into the bodywork, they can make it sell regardless of it being a 4 door, but saying they cant sell a coupe in the american market is BS, the GTO should be living proof of that
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. any way it would be cool if they made it as long as it's in the u.s. 
