Many successful cars owe a lot to their appearance in popular movies or TV series. For instance, Herbie likely helped Volkswagen to sell more of its iconic Bettles than any other advertisement. And the sales of the sleek Alfa Romeo Spider sky-rocketed after it was driven by Dustin Hoffman in the Graduate. But probably the most recognizable among cars featured on our TV screens is General Lee. This 1969 orange-painted Dodge Charger was, and still is, the prime star of the famous The Dukes of Hazzard series. Furthermore, this muscle car appeared in classics such as The Bullit or Fast and Furious. But what makes the Dodge Charger so popular among car enthusiasts and film directors?
The story behind the original Dodge Charger
The US automotive market in the 60s was a vivid and fast-paced place. With the economy bombing at an unprecedented rate, buyers had a lot of cash in their pockets. And what many of them wanted for their money was exciting and fun cars. For the manufacturers, this meant building vehicles that were just reliable and practical was not good enough anymore. They’ve responded to this new trend by inventing all sorts of new types of cars. One of them was Ford, which came up with the Mustang, which consequently set the foundations for a whole new breed of vehicles – the pony car. And as it proved to be a huge hit, every other car maker was rushing into the new market segment.
Chrysler, one of the biggest names in the industry, however, was late to pick up the trend. To rectify the problem, they’ve commissioned Dodge to design and make a rival to cars such as Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro. And Dodge had just the right thing for the job – the concept car called the Charger. But this wouldn’t be just a generic copy of the existing models on the market. Instead of going head-to-head with its competition, Dodge decided to outgun them. And they’ve concluded this would be best done with sleek styling and eye-catching features. In essence, the upcoming Dodge Charger aimed to build its own niche. The new car would position itself just between Ford Mustang and its more luxurious cousin, the Thunderbird.
The first-generation Dodge Charger
The first-ever Dodge Charger was unveiled to the world in 1966. Being late to the muscle-car game, engineers and designers had to cut some corners while developing this car. Instead of building it from scratch, they’ve reused the mechanical underpinnings and the front end of a larger, mid-sized Coronet. But the rest of the exterior was a clean-sheet job, with most of the design based on the Charger Concept car from the previous year. It was only available as a 2-door fastback, a body style that would later become hugely popular among muscle cars. Besides a sleek, streamlined silhouette, this gave the car a practical hatch-back-style tailgate. At the back, designers fitted full-length rear lights with CHARGER inscribed into their surface. This looked spectacular, especially during the night. Finally, the front end received its signature mark grille, which Dodge referred to as an electric shaver due to its looks. This detail gave the car a unique appearance and made it significantly different from the Coronet.
There were several amusing and innovative details on the inside, as well. For instance, the dashboard was illuminated by something called electroluminescence. Instead of having regular bulbs, the numbers and letters would glow on their own, creating a fascinating spectacle. Furthermore, the driver and passengers would cruise around in four comfortable yet supportive bucket seats. And there was a center console running throughout the entire cabin, giving it a spaceship appearance.
Under the hood, several V8s in different sizes were the only engine option. The most powerful of them all was the famous 426 Street Hemi, which produced 425 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque. Depending on the engine choice, the Dodge Charger was available either as a manual or automatic.
Despite all its advantages, the Charger hasn’t sold as well as Dodge hoped it would. This was, for the most part, due to its price, which was noticeably higher than its main rivals. Fancy details and features provided by the extra money were just not enough to attract buyers in sufficient numbers. So, by the end of 1967, after less than two years of production, it was time for a serious rethink.
Dodge Charger in its second generation
After analyzing what might be slowing the sales, Dodge introduced a redesigned, second-generation Charger in 1968. The design, although completely reworked, was quite similar to the outgoing car. There was no need for drastic changes here, as Charger’s overall shape was well-liked by the automotive world. Instead, the manufacturer decided to cut down on different exquisite features that, despite looking nice, were expensive to make. For instance, the original car had swiveling headlights that would rotate and hide within the grille when not turned on. But the mechanism that operated them was quite complex and prone to failures. So, the engineers redesigned this by introducing a more robust and less expensive configuration.
The price cuts, however, were most visible inside, where things like rear bucket seats were replaced by a more conventional bench arrangement. In addition, the electroluminescence-style dashboard gave way to traditional bulbs, as in other cars. Lastly, apart from big V8s, there was a straight-six engine as an option. This created an entry-level version for those buyers who liked the car but couldn’t afford the hefty price tag.
Luckily for Dodge, all these tweaks and updates did have an effect, and the sales did go up noticeably. The second-generation Charger stayed in production for the next two years, during which it became one of the best-known muscle cars on the market.
The third-generation Dodge Charger
In the early 70s, Chrysler had to re-engineer most of its lineup to meet the new road safety regulations. This meant many cars would receive a thorough makeover, and Dodge Charger was one of them. Its third generation, how sitting on a completely reworked chassis, was introduced in 1970. It was designed significantly differently from the outgoing car, with several crucial changes. The most notable was the front grille, which had been split into two. Additionally, the front end received a conventional headlight setup.
The swiveling configuration, which made the previous cars so recognizable, was now an extra-cost option. The front hood had an air scoop, whose shape would differ depending on the model. Among them, a feature called Air Grabber was the most interesting. This massive scoop would pop up from the hood when the driver pressed the button on the dash.
Mechanically, there weren’t many differences between the new Charger and the outgoing one. Engine choices included a straight-six and several V8 in combination with a manual or automatic transmission. Engines were tweaked over the years and received upgraded carburetors, which helped up the power. Different gearings for the rear axle were available, ensuring better acceleration or higher top speed.
The third-generation Charger remained in production until the end of 1974. And by that time, it was evident the muscle-car era, glorious as it may have been, was coming to its end.
The following Dodge Charger generations
With its original market segment disappearing, the new, fourth-generation Charger would have to be a different kind of car. So Dodge decided to make it more luxurious, so it could compete against models such as Chevrolet Monte Carlo or Pontiac Grand Prix. But this revamped muscle car wasn’t well received by the public, and Dodge finally dropped this famous model in 1978.
Dodge did try to revive the name in the 80s on their L-body cars. These were small, front-wheel-drive subcompacts with four-cylinder engines. But this, predictably, didn’t go well with the buyers, and the model was eventually killed off.
Dodge finally came to their senses in 2006 when it released a car worthy of the famous nameplate. Sure, the current Dodge Charger is a 4 door saloon, but apart from that, it’s a real muscle car in every way.
How much does a Dodge Charger cost today?
Over half a million original Dodge Charges were made during its 8-year-long production run. This means it’s not rare, although many have been crashed and destroyed over the years. Still, finding an example in good condition is not too difficult. Prices for these cars start from between $10,000 and $15,000, depending on the model year and condition. But fully restored, low-mileage examples with known service history can cost more than $200,000.
Dodge Charger – in short
The original Dodge Charger was a muscle car manufactured between 1966 and 1974. There were three generations, all sharing the same 2-door coupe body shape. The V8 was the most common engine choice, although a straight-six was also available. In addition to competitive performance, Dodge Charger offered stunning looks that set it apart. This helped it to become one of the most famous muscle cars of all time.
