Dodge rises to a new Challenger

The Dodge Challenger will roll off American production lines in 2008.

The Dodge Challenger will return to production after a nearly 35-year hiatus, sparking hopes that the muscle car may come to New Zealand and Australia.

The all-new Dodge Challenger will go into production in the United States in 2008 in left-hand-drive guise. Right-hand-drive production has not been confirmed, but given Chrysler Group's plans for more global models it's more than likely.

Reaction to the new Challenger has been passionate.

"We haven't seen this kind of spontaneous response to a car since we unveiled the Dodge Viper concept in 1989," said Chrysler Group chairman Tom LaSorda.

But it's easy to see what people like about the Dodge Challenger.

It's bold, powerful and capable. It's a modern take on one of the most iconic muscle cars, and sets a new standard for pure pony car performance.

Brad Fitzsimmons, sales general manager for Chrysler Group Australia/New Zealand, said: "We're excited that the Dodge Challenger is a go.

"The Chrysler Group is famous for two-door muscle cars in Australia, with the success of the Charger in the 1970s, and we would love to add the Challenger to the Dodge line-up that is coming.

"We will be putting our hand up for the Challenger. Whether or not it will be produced in right-hand-drive remains to be seen, it really depends on demand in other right-hand-drive countries for a solid business case."

The Dodge Challenger will feature the long hood, short deck, wide stance and two-door coupe body style that distinguished the iconic Challengers of the 70s.

The Dodge Challenger is another chapter in the Chrysler Group's long history of bringing concepts quickly to production, including the Dodge Viper, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Jeep Compass and Plymouth Prowler.

The Dodge Challenger made its debut in the US as a 1970 model. While it shared the E-body platform with the Plymouth Barracuda, the Challenger's wheelbase was 5cm longer, creating more interior space.

The Challenger was originally offered as either a two-door hardtop or convertible.

And, befitting the brand's performance heritage, the Dodge Challenger went racing in its first year, competing most notably in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Trans-Am series and National Hot Rod Associations Pro Stock class.

Although it was produced only from 1970 to 1974, the Challenger earned a reputation as one of the most desirable of the original pony cars, with meticulously restored and rare examples today selling for six-figure sums.

In its first year, the Challenger was offered in a limited-edition T/A model to meet homologation requirements for SCCA Trans-Am racing.

In 1971, a Challenger raced in the Indianapolis 500.

New front-end styling in 1972 featured a larger, egg-crate grille.

In April 1974, Challenger production ceased. Over a five-year span, about 188,600 Dodge Challengers were sold.