Evolution of the Dodge Charger

Peter Bouchard

Evolution of the Dodge Charger

• The Dodge Charger is one of the most iconic and raw muscle cars that is still very popular to this day

• Since the very creation of the Charger in 1966 Dodge knew it had a winner and knew it would be a model that would stick around and appeal to generations down the line

• Since I love the car so much I wanted to take this opportunity to give you all a brief history on the Dodge Charger

Generation 1• The Charger was brought into production in 1966 with

their first generation model• The first generation model featured a two-door body with

bucket seats on the interior• The car comfortably seat four people with high quality

upholstery and vintage designs• The engine was a whopping 318 cu in, 5.2 L V8 with a 3-

speed floor shifter• This was the base model but there were others produced

at this time that featured larger and more powerful engines

Generation 2• The Dodge Charger underwent a slight

change in its design for its second generation model

• The new model cause an increase in sales for Dodge due to its interior and exterior design changes, including a new grill, round tail lights, and almost invisible headlights

• Generation 2 was a definite improvement and one of my personal favorite models

Generation 3• In 1971 Dodge rolled out the third

generation Charger that was available in 6 different packages with even more changes than generation 2

• The grill was split, there was a semi fastback rear window, and featured a ducktail spoiler that added to the aerodynamics of the car

• Again Dodge saw an increase in sales from the new model and the third generation Chargers lasted in production from 1971-1974

Generation 4• The fourth generation of Chargers were

mass produced by Dodge during 1975 and went until 1978

• Another re-styling of the iconic muscle car was made in an attempt to dip into the luxury car market and appeal to a new audience

• Dodge also saw the money in the luxury market and produced another new model to help out known as the Magnum

Generation 5• One of the longest lasting production periods for the

Charger allowed for some of the most interesting and diverse versions of the original Chargers

• In 1982 the Charger resurfaced as a hatchback coupe with front-wheel-drive and had a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission

• In 1983 the Shelby Charger was offered and then a turbo version was made available in 1984 which produced 148 horsepower and 160 pound-feet with a torque of 3200 rpm

• Towards the end of the generation the electronics were given an overhaul however the power output remained the same

Today• Since 2006 the Dodge Charger was rolled out to the public as a

sedan• The car currently is offered as a four-door or a two-door coupe

style automobile and has undergone major cosmetic changes• There are currently multiple versions of the Charger available

including ones with hemis, the R/T version, and the Charger SRT8 to name a few

• The Dodge Charger has become a staple car for many people that have grown up with them throughout the years and continue to drive them

• I personally have loved the evolution of the car and really enjoyed experiencing the different generations one after another