New Dodge Challenger T/A and Charger
Daytona
Dodge returns with the new 2017 Challenger T/A and Charger Daytona. Dodge reckoned this year’s Woodward Dream Cruise would be the
perfect time and place to reintroduce the brand’s two famed, race-bred
nameplates, adding even more blast from the past to its naturally aspirated
HEMI V8 line-up.
The Dodge Challenger T/A model builds on
the legacy left by the original variant, initially constructed for the Sports
Car Club of America’s (SCCA) Trans Am racing series in 1970. Only 2,399 units
were ever built, making the T/A one of the most sought after muscle cars of all
time.
The new model uses the 375-horsepower
Challenger R/T as a base, adding a plethora of performance hardware into the
mix, including new “Air Catcher” headlamps with LED-illuminated T/A logos;
NACA-ducted hood that actually feeds air to a modified SRT Hellcat air box with
Mopar conical filter, an all-new 2.75-inch electronically controlled active
performance exhaust system, and a set of wider 20 x 9-inch Mopar lightweight
forged-aluminum wheels finished in Hyper Black II.
If that’s not enough,
Dodge added the Super Track Pak, which comes with a long list of chassis
upgrades for the driving enthusiast, including a 0.5-inch suspension drop,
high-performance Bilstein shock absorbers, performance brake linings,
three-mode electronic stability control (ESC) calibration with “full off”
settings, and high-performance Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.
Then there’s the Plus model, which
comes with heated and ventilated Nappa leather performance seats and all the
creature comforts you can imagine.
Created in 1969 as a 501-unit,
purpose-built production run for NASCAR, the Charger Daytona set records with
its distinct aerodynamic styling and legendary power. The new model has nothing
to do with NASCAR, but it delivers even more performance in the 5.7-liter
Charger line-up by offering almost the same hardware enhancements as the T/A.
Instead of a “Plus” variant, there is
the Daytona 392, which comes with even more upgrades, including an ultra-high
performance Brembo six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes with vented
rotors.
Production for both models will commence
this fall. The Challenger T/A and T/A Plus will have a starting price of US$ 37,390/US$ 40,140, while the Charger Daytona and Daytona 392 will cost at least US$ 39,890/US$ 44,995.
