When Dodge first unveiled its Challenger concept in 2006, the auto market was a vastly different place. Trucks and SUVs were king, and Americans still had a lust for powerful passenger cars. However, times — and gas prices — have changed during the Challenger’s development from concept to reality and Dodge marketers are now faced with the challenge of promoting a muscle car in a $4 a gallon world.
In order to combat the Challenger’s lack of green credentials, Dodge brand director Mike Accavitti says the Michigan-based automaker will heavily promote the base SE model for its low cost of entry and better fuel economy. “We can’t be all about the monster Hemi and smoking tires, and we realize that,” Accavitti told Automotive News. “Nobody wants to be the gas guzzler brand. There’s not a real secure future in that type of marketing strategy.”
However, Dodge expects the Challenger R/T equipped with a 370 horsepower 5.7L Hemi V8 to be the volume model of the range. Dodge has yet to release fuel economy figures for the Challenger R/T, but a rating in the neighborhood of 16/22 mpg city/highway is expected.
In addition to the R/T, Dodge also produces a high-performance SRT version of the Challenger, complete with a 425 horsepower 6.1L Hemi V8 and an EPA rating of 13/18 mpg city/highway.
It remains to be seen if the buying public will be able to look past the Challenger’s poor fuel economy but, as with most performance car buyers, Dodge is going after a niche market that still values performance over fuel economy.
