Analysis: The Dodge Charger Sports Its Cleanest Design in 20 Years
The Ghost of 1968 Inspires, But Remains In The Past
The modern Dodge Charger returned in summer 2005 with clean styling that evoked its greatest ancestors, yet clearly was a forward-looking design. Unlike the Challenger coupe that simply returned from the dead, the Charger had an evolutionary look that suggested where the muscle car would have landed—had it not been killed off.
Since the Charger’s return 20 years ago, Dodge has gussied it up with scallops, throwback taillights, widebody variants, and of course, all kinds of wheels, vents, and wings to accommodate the various performance models, from SRT8 to Hellcat. Some of it was necessary—designs change—and the Charger had a long lifespan.
After the LX cars finally reached the end of the line in late 2023, the Charger then returned as a coupe and sedan, an EV, and now an ICE-powered muscle car.
It’s a lot to unpack. But the looks, harking back to the 2006 model, are once again smooth and clean. Perhaps as the special models, trims, and variants arrive, the Charger will get busy in appearance, though at the moment, it’s downright clean shaven.
“We wanted a pure design, “ said Scott Krugger, Stellantis' head of North American design.
That said, the new Charger is attractive but a bit nebulous. From some angles, it could even be the next-generation Camaro. While the ‘06 cars have held up, that car was the successor to the Dodge Intrepid. The front fenders and long hood go a long way toward making those cars Chargers.
The new models will probably land in a similar fashion thanks to their wide proportions, narrow grill angled stance.
Krugger, who was promoted on July 31 to oversight of the region’s styling, said some of the younger designers in his crew wanted to roll in the iconic 1968 Charger for inspiration, but he nixed the idea.
Ryan Nagode, Stellantis vice president and head of interior design, said his team briefly looked at the ‘68 model, but “tucked it away” quickly.
“Felt the essence of the car, but didn't feel we’re doing a full-on resto mod,” he said.
The idea, the Stellantis designers said, was to modernize the Charger’s looks, without being overtly retro.
By the end of their run, the LX cars had grown a bit cartoonish, while the 2006-2010 Chargers held up for their simplicity. Cars designed at the turn of the century were indeed cleaner, avoiding the trim, chrome, and overly wrought lines their successors would wear.
And for a Dodge muscle car, it’s all about the power. Regardless of how it looks, the designers left room for a Hemi under the hood. Perhaps that’s the best look of all.
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Greg Migliore is AutoGuide's Editorial Director. He has covered the auto industry for two decades, most recently as editor-in-chief of Autoblog. He's also been an editor at Automobile and Autoweek. He's a graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University and the Yale Publishing course. Greg is a member of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards jury.
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I know eveyone is pining for the return of the Hemi and that would be great. But I can't help but feel what they really need is the return of the 3.6 Pentastar V-6 for fleet sales. That's what's going to save Dodge and Chrysler.
These are nice looking cars, they will do well once they get the ice powertrains.