Dodge Declares 2014 the Year of the Challenger, Introduces Shaker and Mopar ’14 Models

FROM CD

Dodge’s gigantic Challenger muscle coupe hasn’t put up much of a
challenge to the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang since, well, the
original run of models fizzled out in the mid-1970s. The Challenger
isn’t as athletic or as capable as the smaller Chevy or Ford, taking a
truly old-school approach to big-inch muscle. Yet Chrysler says last
year was the current model’s best sales year ever, so clearly the big
coupe fills the bill for some folks. Capitalizing on this momentum,
Dodge is introducing a pair of special Challengers for 2014: The R/T
Shaker and the latest Mopar model, the Mopar ’14.

2014 Dodge Challenger R/T Shaker

The Challenger R/T Shaker isn’t all that different from a regular Hemi
V-8–powered R/T, save for its one key upgrade. As its name implies,
the Shaker gets a big ol’ hole cut into the hood, through which Dodge
sticks an engine-mounted “shaker” air scoop. Fire up the 5.7-liter
V-8, give it some revs, and you can bask in the glorious pastime of
watching the engine buck to and fro from the comfort of the driver’s
seat. Of course, Dodge added several other goodies to the Shaker
model: a Mopar cold-air intake, the R/T’s Super Track Pak
(high-performance steering gear, brake lines, shocks, and Goodyear
Eagle F1 Supercar tires), and a bevy of cosmetic cues to announce the
Shaker’s specialness. These include a satin-black stripe package
($500), a rear spoiler, and five-spoke 20-inch wheels, as well as a
body-color surround and retro-awesome cursive “Challenger” script for
the grille.

Inside, there are Shaker logos on the seatbacks, plus one that appears
on the Uconnect touch screen upon engine startup, as well as a
numbered dashboard plaque. Buyers can order Dark Slate Gray or Radar
Red Nappa leather interior schemes, and exterior color choices include
Billet Silver Metallic, Bright White, Pitch Black, Plum Crazy, TorRed,
and Header Orange. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, while
a five-speed auto is optional. The R/T Shaker goes on sale early next
year at $37,990, which makes it the most expensive non-SRT-branded
Challenger model, but also the shakiest—er, coolest.


[b:028addbaf5]Mopar ’14 Challenger[/b:028addbaf5]

Just over three years ago, Chrysler started an annual tradition of
releasing limited Mopar-branded models, starting with the ’10
Challenger and moving to the ’11 Charger, ’12 300, and ’13 Dart.
Typically marked by black and blue color schemes, this year’s Mopar
’14 breaks from tradition with a new look and also introduces a new
customization angle. Just 100 Mopar ’14 Challengers will be built, and
each can be built to an individual customer’s specification. While not
representing the entirety of the individualization options, in a major
departure from past Mopars, the ’14 can be had in two colors: Bright
White or Gloss Black. Of course, there’s the Mopar-signature blue
stripe package, but the ’14 gets three available designs. It also gets
the R/T Shaker model’s hood scoop, which is neat. Mopar blacks out the
grille surround, fuel door, rear spoiler, and the 20-inch wheels. The
dark theme carries over to the interior, which is trimmed with Dark
Slate Nappa leather. The seatbacks get blue embroidered Mopar “M”
logos.

The customization options really get crazy, however, when it comes to
the accessories Mopar is offering to Mopar ’14 buyers. Stuff like a
short-throw shifter, cat-back exhaust, performance suspension,
lowering springs, a vehicle-tracking system, and hood pins can all be
ordered and fitted to the car pre-delivery at the Mopar Custom Shop.
To commemorate this new model’s limited status, each one will come
with a special Monroney, owner’s kit, numbered instrument-panel
plaque, and Mopar-branded key fobs. Pricing is still being worked out,
but eager Mopar fans should mark their calendars: The order books open
in March 2014.

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