The history of the Dodge Challenger

The Camaro and Mustang were two fierce competitors in the muscle car lineup. Dodge needed a car that would get them into this horsepower war. The answer was the Challenger. The first generation was hugely popular, having a wide variety of engine and exterior selections. The 426 hemi was the most powerful engine and was a racing favorite. Sadly, the 1974 gas crisis hit and the Challenger was discontinued because it did not meet the standards of 1974. The Challenger came back in 1979, but it was a rebranded Mitsubishi and was not a muscle car. Finally, the Challenger made a comeback in 2008. It was completely redesigned, but still had the same retro styling as the original car. It was a huge success and was loved instantly. The Challenger stayed the same with a few minor tweaks until 2015, where the Challenger received a facelift. The Hellcat was the most powerful production muscle car ever made. It had 707 horsepower and could hit almost 200 miles per hourMore small tweaks were added to the Challenger, but the most significant improvement was the Demon. It was the quickest acceleration production car, with a 0-60 mile per hour time of 2.3 seconds. This was a hardcore drag racing model and wasn’t really intended for street use. These days, the Challenger is the second best selling muscle car behind the Ford Mustang. While it may not be as good looking as the Chevrolet Camaro or as high performance as the Ford Mustang, it still is a great choice for a muscle car.