Dodge Challenger Gets The Mopar Treatment For SEMA

Wicked. That's what me and my friends would have said way back when about the new Dodge Challenger you see here that's been loaded down with nearly $12,000 worth of Mopar goodies for the SEMA show. Sure, not all of them are go fast parts, but back in the day, a car like this was something not to be trifled with.

See, even though I'm a sportscar guy, and grew up in a sportscar family most of my friends, hell, everybody around me, was all about American muscle. And when you got down to it, arguing about who was better, Ford or Chevy was simply arguing over second place. If you were serious about your racing, and in this case, that would be drag racing, there was only one brand of car that counted: Chrysler. And by serious, I mean if drag racing was what you did as a job, it was what you did to make money so you could afford rent and buy food, it was Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth and nothing else.

Trust me on this, I know whence I speak. The father of good friends of mine, his "job" was running a break and muffler shop. But his JOB, was being a semi-pro bracket dragger on the weekends. And the tools he used to make money to feed his family was a Barracuda with a fully built 426 Hemi.

So here comes Chrysler, ready to show off not only the new Challenger, but also to let us know that Mopar, as a parts division is still around, and SEMA is just around the corner. So, it's easy to put two and two together here and see what Chrysler did. Which is basically coat the Challenger in glue and roll it through the Mopar catalogue.

The list of stuff they added to the stock Challenger is 24 items long, and no, I'm not going to read through whole thing for you, but the highlights are pretty impressive:

Custom-designed, matte black Go-Wing Rear Spoiler MSRP: $316 – looks very similar to what you'd see on Challengers back in the early 70s.

Mopar Nostalgia Wheels are a throw back to Mopar's heritage with 20-inch, 5-spoke forged-aluminum wheels featuring both a polished and clear-coat finish. MSRP: $583/each – very nice, very retro.

Black 5.7-liter HEMI® Engine Cover with HEMI logos show off the powerplant in a not-so-subtle style. MSRP: $326 – THE plant, all others bow before the master.

Cold-air Intake Kit provides noticeable gains in horsepower MSRP: $371 – the key word here is "noticeable".

Stainless-steel Cat-back Exhaust features a free-flow system that provides gains in horsepower and torque in addition to improved fuel economy and a deep-toned exhaust note. MSRP: $1,190 – not a cheap add no, but you still have to get it, now don't you?

Custom Strobe Stripe Graphic adds a black stripe that begins on both front fenders and fades out midway through the door panel for an added performance look. MSRP: $182 – when the Challengers came out, you had to have one of these then, so why not now?

Chromed T-handle Shifter featuring a Mopar logo enhances the interior appearance by replacing the stock shift knob on the automatic-equipped Dodge Challenger. MSRP: $137 – even more nostalgia!

Mopar's Stage II Coilover Suspension Kit allows up to a 1.625-inch ride-height drop for a low, custom look while maintaining a sporty, comfortable ride. MSRP: $1,750

Made from heavy gauge, powder-coated steel, the Strut Tower Brace reduces body flex in the front end and improves handling and drivability. MSRP: $359

Hood Pin and Cable Kit adds an extra touch of exposed chrome to Dodge Challenger's front end. MSRP: $71 – And yeah, you need this.

Source: CarScoop