Dodge announced the end of an era at the M1 Concourse Monday night as they revealed that its Charger and Challenger production would end in 2023.
The company says the current production of the two muscle cars will end at the Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada, in December of next year.
“We are celebrating the end of an era — and the start of a bright new electrified future — by staying true to our brand,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer for Stellantis, in a news release.
“At Dodge, we never lift, and the brand will mark the last of our iconic Charger and Challenger nameplates in their current form in the same way that got us here, with a passion both for our products and our enthusiasts that drives us to create as much uniqueness in the muscle car community and marketplace as possible.”
As Dodge readies itself to join the ranks of the electric vehicle makers, they will be going out with a splash – several of them. In announcing a “last call” for the Charger and Challenger, the plan is to have seven unique new special edition models, plus a few additional goodies spread out among the rest of the lineup, according to Road and Track.
Each of the s[ecial edition models will have a special “Last Call” plaque under the hood. Six of the new models will pay homage to the heritage of Dodge muscle cars – including the Demon, Hellcat, Redeye, Scat Pack, Shaker, and Jailbreak models.
The seventh and final special edition is being touted as the “Last of its kind” and will be unveiled at the Las Vegas Specialty Equipment Market Association show, scheduled to run from November 1 through November 4, 2022.
For now, these Chargers and Challengers are being displayed under car covers that hint at the identities of the models underneath.
Those not getting a special edition Charger or Challenger will still get a “Last Call” branded plaque under their hood, plus the option to choose among returning heritage colors like Plum Crazy purple, Sublime green, and B5 Blue. Jailbreak, the designation that allows buyers to option a much wider variety of color combinations, is now available for the standard Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcats. It initially debuted on the Redeye Widebody variants.
Dodge has also been able to juice profits from the vehicles, which have starting prices ranging from the low-$30,000s to nearly $90,000 for its infamous Hellcat models that produce more than 700 horsepower.
“Dodge, with the Challenger and Charger, they really found a way to really get to that muscle car root. These cars definitely expressed it … and were able to hold onto that essence,” said Stephanie Brinley, principal analyst at S&P Global, reports CNBC News. “Having that clear DNA and clear expression of what they’re supposed to be is helping make the transition to electric.”
