All-Wheel Drive Dodge Challenger Coming by Year's End
Update: The original version of this story claimed that the Challenger Hellcat would be getting all-wheel drive. This is incorrect and was the result of a misinterpretation of the source story. The report and headline has been changed to reflect this.
Before they move over to a lighter platform, Dodge’s muscle cars are in for a few changes, the largest of which is an all-wheel drive system for the Challenger.
In 2018, both of Dodge’s famous muscle cars will move over to FCA’s new Giorgio platform, helping the Charger and Challenger drop 400 and 500 pounds respectively, despite staying the same size. This platform change was originally planned for 2017, though the delay doesn’t mean that FCA is leaving the cars untouched.
According to Automotive News we will see an all-wheel drive Challenger introduced before the end of 2016 known as the GT AWD model, a car that was teased at the 2015 SEMA Show as a concept. The all-wheel drive setup will be hooked up to a V6 engine.
In its final year before moving away from its current platform, a widebody rear-wheel drive Challenger, badged as the Challenger ADR, will be introduced as a special track-ready variant.
SEE ALSO: Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept Gains Traction at SEMA
As for the Charger, no major changes are planned besides some special edition models, including a new Charger Daytona that will debut before the end of this year.
The Dodge Barracuda, which will be a two-door convertible also based on the Giorgio platform, is still in the works, though it isn’t expected to be released until 2021.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
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All I can say is: It is about time! All the muscle car purest have put pressure on the manufacturers to keep it only RWD with no AWD options for decades. But now, sales are down and Dodge has step up and has AWD as an option! Bravo for Dodge. I would buy one if the interior was a little more luxurious and re-sign the center stack to look more modern instead of looking like the 1970s. Also, AWD will make these muscle cars driveable in winter - where there is snow, ice and rain. That means more sales in these northern states and Canada!
So I'm going to star a war and say I want the AWD in 6 cyl, so I can bump it up an inch or so and stick light truck tires under it, weld on a bull bar/brush guard, and mad max the he!! out of it. But that's just me.