Chrysler muscles in with revamped Challenger

The Dodge Challenger's racing stripes are actually the exposed carbon fibre of the bonnet

The Dodge Challenger is back - and it could come to New Zealand.

Developed in response to complaints that last year's four-door Charger was too boring, the show-stopping muscle car is based on a shortened version of Chrysler's 300C rear-drive platform.

The aim was to blend historic cues and bold graphics to build a vehicle with the attributes people remember - but without the flaws. .

To aid the design task, a 1970 Challenger was parked in the Chrysler Group's West Coast Pacifica studio and Jeff Godshall, a young designer at the studio when the first Challenger was created, was drawn into the project.

Vice-president of Advanced Vehicle Design, Tom Trement, said a key was to avoid the old car's tucked-under wheels and long front overhang. Thus this car sits on a 2946mm wheelbase.

It's 152mm longer and 50mm wider than the original car, with track increased to 1625 and 1651mm to enhance that purposeful look.

Principal exterior designer Michael Castiglione said, "We wanted to stay pure, with simple, minimal line work, but with everything just right."

Just right includes 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels sitting flush with the body. Up front there's that long bonnet, with the signature crossbar grille and deeply recessed headlamps tucked in carbon fibre surrounds.

Godshall especially likes the bumpers that sit flush with the body.

"It's something we'd have loved to do on the original Challenger," he says, "but the technology just wasn't there."

Take a look at that hood. The twin diagonal scoops include functional butterfly-valve intakes; and the apparently painted racing stripes are actually the exposed carbon fibre of the bonnet.

So far so good. Will it be built?

It's certainly driveable - given it's based on a shortened 300C platform, and powered by the SRT8 engine soon to come to NZ in a performance version of the 300C.

The business case is being presented to DaimlerChrysler management for production next year.

Given that it was voted top concept by a panel of independent judges at the Detroit Show, it looks promising, particularly since Dodge is launching outside the US this year, and could use a headlining car.

Caliber is due here mid-year. What about Challenger? Only if it's built in right hand drive, which means markets like Britain would have to show an interest.

Would it sell in New Zealand? Given our penchant for muscular cars, the answer has to be yes. Watch this space.