The Charger looks OK to me. I just think they could have done a better job on the nose.

Anyone crying about how Charger isn't suppose to be a sedan, I ask: Where were you all in 1999 when Chrysler brought out the concept Dodge Charger with 4 doors? No one said a peep!

If you didn't say anything then, you have NO grounds to say anything now methinks.

 

What I said then was "Wow that's gorgeous!" followed quickly by "Too bad it has 4 doors"

 

You are one of the few that even noticed.

You mean all those MoPAR fans that throughout the 80s stuck around as Chrysler became a FWD 4 cylinder company and their only RWD cars became police cruisers that the CHP famously called "dog cars"? Any the ones that were left in the 1990s as the Viper (which 99% of Mopar fans can't afford) was Chrysler's only performance car as Intrepid & Stratus R/Ts were nothing but badges and exhause tips (it should be "tip" because they weren't even dual tips).?

The old Charger was nothing more than a 2 door Coronet. Most Chargers sold did NOT have a manual transmission. Most all weren't R/Ts, and 99% didn't have Hemis. Very few had anything other than 318, 340, or 360 V8s.

I'm honest enough to say that the car's looks is just OK. It needs a new front end, and after the 300 & Magnum's ground breaking design, the Charger looks bland. If it had come out 1st, my opinion of it's design would probally be better.

It will do very well in the market if Dodge prices it where they are indicating they are going to (at least a couple of thousand under the 300). If the Hemi Charger R/T is priced in the neighborhood of the current Impala SS or marginally above the new Mustang GT, you probally won't be able to find one on the lots.

Regardless, it's still going to have a big visual impact when you see one on the streets. It's 5.7 hemi tuned to be quicker than the 300 or Magnum.

Like me, you'll probally want to hold judgement on this one before making a final decision.

 

As far as the 99 went, it was so gorgeous it could get away w/4 doors. You could barely tell that it was a sedan, this thing, on the other hand is blatantly a four door, poor man's 300C, with no MT. So what if the majority had ATs in the 60s, at least a 4 speed was AVAILABLE. IMHO it should just be called a Cornet if they want to stick a heritage name on it.

I really had very high hopes that the 99 concept would come out, I would have preferred 2 doors, but thats about the only compromise I would have made. Honestly I would rather have the Magnum wagon; hey I just though of something!! Call the Charger the Magnum Sedan!

 

One thing IS for sure about the Charger. If it is offered to police depts (which i believe we discussed a while back it would be), you will see them used everywhere. When stacked up against the older than dirt crown vic and the fwd impala, the Charger looks mighty nice to many departments across the country methinks.

 

you know, honestly, I have a feeling that Chrysler will use their marketing ploys to make the ugly new 4 door Charger sell. I mean who else, can revive a nasty STATION WAGON, and it be successful!?!?!? HEMI power...um yeah, and Station wagon big slow ***!

 

lol at least that ugly wagon looks good and looks rather unique.

 

First, what reviving took place? The previous magnum was NOT a station wagon. Second, you cant judge by your taste if something is "Nasty". A lot of people think it has a bad *** rod look to it. Its definitely not slow. Drive one then talk.

 

1. The Charger is not a Magnum sedan. It has quite a different look.

2. Chrysler has already stated why they couldn't build the '99 prototype, and there's not much reason to rehash that.

The new Charger is a much closer match to the '60s Charger than it is to the Coronet (not Cornet -- another good reason not to bring back that name -- too many people mispell it).

The Coronet was the vanilla family car (think Stratus today). The Charger was the more expressive car, bought by enthusiasts. The fact that the new one has four doors just reflects the demands of today's market. Even though there are rabid two-door enthusiasts on this board, they apparently don't buy enough cars over the lifetime of a model (five-plus years) to make it worth doing for D-C.

So Dodge's plan really does make sense. Dieter Zetsche mentioned that about 2000 people fans of the old Charger really don't like the new one, due to too many doors, lack of heritage styling, etc. Of those 2000, maybe 200 would have bought a two door. So they give up 200 sales to those people, but appeal to a much broader market because of four doors.

 

I found a good looking 06 Charger:
Allpar.com

For once, the car looks half way decent.

 

That darker color does look good on it.
Hopefully they will one day do a swoopier two door to please those who want one.

 

The pics at dodge.com are very nice as well. This car grows on me more every day.

BTW, the Charger IS a Magnum sedan. Saying it is not is completely wrong. DC themselves stated this many times. Look at the interior and other shared parts.

 

Actually, it's the new Durango that amazes me in that it sells extremely well despite looking IMHO pretty awful.

I don't think you'll find anyone outside of enthusiasts who prefer 2 doors that will call the new Charger ugly. I have no doubt whatsoever the Charger is going to sell very well. Not "I-gotta-have-a-Chrysler-300" well, but no doubt better than the already pretty good selling Intrepid did.

 

I know what you mean about that Durango. I just dont get that. The old durango was a tuff looking truck. One of the best looking suv's. The new one looks like someone inflated the old one. No matter how great the reviews, I would never drive one.

 

They've also indicated differently, so it's pretty silly to be so absolutist about it. It's related to the Magnum, obviously, but it's obviously not a Magnum sedan, since it doesn't really share any sheetmetal. Chrysler's intention is to fill three different niches with the cars, but that may be splitting hairs.