Dodge Charger History: The Bad Boy of the Muscle Car Scene

15. Dodge Charger Pursuit

After decades of using the Chevrolet Impala or Ford Crown Victoria, many law enforcement agencies in America turned to the Dodge Charger in 2006. For over 12 years, it was one of the most popular police cars in America. In fact, Dodge even exported the Charger to several foreign markets. And even though you may see this car daily, it is undeniable this is one of the best police cars in the world.

The specs of the latest models are simply unbelievable. Fleet buyers have the choice of a 3.6-liter V6 engine or the fantastic 5.7-liter Hemi V8. Buyers can order Chargers with rear or all-wheel drive for demanding road conditions. All cars come with special chassis reinforcements, front bull bars and heavy-duty components.

That includes the suspension, braking, cooling and electrical system for running advanced communication equipment and computers. Also, the Charger Pursuit comes with bullet-resistant front door panels, which could save lives of officers on the job.

16. Dodge Charger Concept 1968

The success of the Charger is what inspired the Chrysler designers to develop the idea of a Dodge performance model. The original Charger had power, performance and countless racing wins, but it was still a big, heavy and not an aerodynamic muscle machine. However, the 1968 Charger III concept was something different.

The Charger III was no longer a muscle car, but a pure two-seater sports machine. It had compact dimensions and a low profile. Also, it was lightweight and had several unusual features. There were no conventional doors, but the whole top of the car opened to allow access to the interior.

The steering column tilted, along with the steering wheel to make entry more comfortable. On the back of the car were massive airbrakes similar to ones on the airplanes that deployed under heavy braking. The whole car was extremely futuristic, and that doomed it from any real production.

17. Dodge Magnum R/T

Dodge never built Charger station wagon or factory Charger convertible and this model was always a two or four-door car throughout its history. However, if you have an irresistible urge for a station wagon Charger there is a way to enjoy the power of the Hemi engine with the practicality of a long roof body. Simply, look for Dodge Magnum R/T.

Equipped with 6.1-liter V8 Hemi engine pumping out 425 hp and glorious soundtrack through twin tailpipes, the SRT-8 was a really fast and capable long roof. The design is typical Dodge and since the rest of the mechanics is identical, this car can be considered a station wagon Charger.

18. 18. Dodge Charger Concept 1999

Charger purists were shocked in 1999 when Dodge presented the first four-door Charger R/T concept. Until then, most Mopar muscle cars were strictly two-door models. In fact, nobody even thought of the possibility of a muscle car heart in a sedan.

However, despite the controversy, the 1999 Charger Concept was a highly-successful and inspired Dodge that brought buyers the current Charger. Of course, the original concept came with a 4.7-liter V8 since the modern Hemi was not available yet.

18. 18. 19. Dodge Charger from “Fast Five”

In the fifth installment of the popular movie series, Fast and Furious, the Dodge Charger was once again the star of a film. But this time, it was not the classic 1970 Charger but the current version. Dodge specially prepared it for the crazy stunts they featured in the movie, Fast Five.

This dynamic movie was filled with excitement and driving scenes. It features numerous black Chargers, which they equipped with bull bars, heavy-duty suspensions, tuned engines and off-road tires. In fact, the mind-blowing action scenes became the standard of the genre, making the Charger an even more popular car.

18. 18. 20. Dodge Charger GT AWD

A proper muscle car should be V8 powered and rear wheel drive, right? However, the new Dodge Charger GT AWD breaks that mold as a 300 HP sedan with intelligent, all-wheel drive and sublime driving dynamics.

Since the AWD system requires more space underneath the engine and cabin, the Dodge engineers could only install a V6 engine, which is still good for 300 HP. But the handling characteristics and usability puts this muscle sedan on another level. Not only does the Charger AWD lack any domestic competitors, but it is also more than capable of beating many imports, as well.

This is a list of Dodge Charger history. It was and still is the bad boy of the muscle car scene. Which one was your favorite? Hopefully, you’ll be able to find one at a reasonable price and in top-notch condition.