2011 Dodge Charger Unveiled - UPDATED!

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Many might remember the sneak peeks we brought you a couple weeks ago of the new, yet to be revealed 2011 Charger R/T. Well, sink your teeth into these (see below)! Many groaned at the very non-retro grille and front clip while others continued to cry foul over the Charger's four doors. Since the four-door Charger has been a hit for the brand, cutting the two portals is very unlikely, but, what struck us as a good sign was the strong shoulder lines that hearkened to memories of the 1999 Charger concept vehicle that so many loved.


Image: InsideLine.com

The driver's door has the same alcove as the concept vehicle of over a decade ago as well. There's going to be plenty of changes under the skin too. First of all, Chrysler's new Pentastar V6, a slightly larger 3.6-liter V6 generating nearly 300 horsepower and at least 25mpg will take over as the primary plant. The 5.7-liter V8 (370hp) continues to serve for the R/Ts while the SRT8 model gets the anticipated 6.4-liter V8 making 450hp.

This Charger strikes us as being significantly more sporty and that is a very good thing. We'd love to know what you think and what your impressions are. Is this a good sibling to the uber-retro Challenger? Is this closer to the retro-Charger that you so crave?

Original Post:
When Dodge first brought the Charger back into the lineup, it created something of a firestorm. A four-door Charger? "Blasphemy," cried the Mopar faithful. But those cries were drowned out as droves of buyers rushed to get their hands on the muscular-looking sedan. Chargers quickly became the cornerstone of many private fleets and police forces, and the R/T and SRT8 models offered outstanding performance for a full-sized sedan. But that was five years ago, and since then, rumors have swirled about the Charger's impeding redesign. Will it look more retro? Will it look like the '99 concept debuted so long ago?


Pictures: KGP Photography

Well, fret no more! AutoBlog has put up some pretty revealing pictures from KGP photography of the 2011 Charger; particularly its front fascia revealed for the first time to an impatient public. There has been a lot of speculation about what the next Charger would look like. Five years without a refresh is a long time, though given Chrysler’s dismal financial situation and numerous ownership changes (three different companies in four years) it is somewhat understandable as to why it has been so bloody long. Even so, it has adversely affected Dodge’s lineup, and the Charger started to look, well, dated.





We’ve had just a single, side-long view of what would be the new Charger last fall, and not much since. The side view showed a side faux louver that hearkened to the '70 Charger's single shroud. It also showed that the obtuse curve in the rear quarter has been smoothed to a more "coke bottle" curve similar to the '68-'70 models. Leaked pics from months earlier revealed a blacked-out rear tail light valance, although we can't confirm that this will be a production vehicle option.





What these images reveal is a major nosejob for the new Charger. Still residing on an unchanged LX platform, the new Charger is expected to tout improved suspension and running gear, but alas, that information has yet to be confirmed. For right now, we're left with a more angular nose design pretty familiar to the NASCAR loyal and a hood that might strike some purists as a nice nod towards the second-generation Chargers; namely the twin faux louvers found on the '68, '69 and '70 with significantly more aggressive fender shoulders and angry-as-hell headlights.



Oddly enough, the Dodge “Ram” symbol is readily apparent, despite reports that the emblem was scheduled to be stripped from the Dodge vehicles and reserved for the newly coined RAM brand. Obviously, this might be a working prototype, so there's bound to be changes made along the way. We like the blacked-out rims, but doubt they'll be standard equipment. So one has to ask; is this REALLY the 2011 Charger? And if so, when is Chrysler going to make an announcement? Keep your fingers crossed.




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