The name of a car can make or break it, and Dodge struck gold when they thought up “Challenger”. The name is tough…you picture the up-and-coming, ready to knock the current champion on their ass and take over. The current Dodge Challenger has been an excellent halo car for Chrysler/FCA, with a lot of influence brought in from it’s E-body fore bearer. Even with all of the focus on the weight and size of the LX Dodge, you still get images of Kowalski’s white R/T when you see one, and they have more than enough power to make you forget their size altogether.
And yes, we understand that there was another, much less fondly remembered Challenger, the 1978-83 version, which was a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant Lambda that was brought in as a captive import as part of the agreement between Chrysler Corporation and Mitsubishi. While gear heads generally deride it (if they even remember it), there’s still a good amount to like about the second-gen Challenger: it packed a 2.6L Mitsubishi four-banger that had counter-rotating balance shafts that killed off vibration, and for it’s size and class (and for the era) it could hustle pretty well. Unfortunately, the second-gen car was killed off before someone bolted a turbocharger to the engine and figured out that the Mitsu block could make some seriously interesting power.
But our question of the day is a bit of a trick: How many Dodge vehicles came with the Challenger name? We know that you guys are quick for the rare and odd stuff, so good luck and let’s see who gets it first.
There was the ’58-’59 Silver Challenger trim level on the Coronet too.
Dodge Silver Challenger (1958 – 1959)
Dodge Challenger (1970 – 1974)
Dodge Challenger (1978 – 1983)
Dodge Challenger (2008 – Present)
For the 1970 – 1974 Dodge Challenger there were:
Challenger
Challenger SE
Challenger R/T
Challenger R/T SE
Challenger T/A
Challenger Deputy
Challenger Rallye
One could argue that the Conquest was the second generation Challenger all grown up and allowed to develop into what it could have been. I’m not sure if it was the exact same chassis or simply the next generation, but it was closely related.
It was an evolution of the Galant Lambda GSR, which was the 2nd gen Challenger, so it very well could have been. Which, in hindsight, would have the Dodge Stealth as the next generation.