The current Challenger is drop-dead gorgeous 

"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion) 03/08/2018 at 19:35 • Filed to: Bigmiata

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I don’t care if it has the build quality of Lincoln-logs, the visibility of a U-boat and the gravitational pull of a dwarf star. The body looks fantastic, the available colors beat basically every other non-custom vehicle currently in production and it just OOZES muscle-car-ness. 100% the best retro, or “throwback” design.

Now imagine a 3/4 scale version that is completely unchanged in the looks department but drops 500lbs, while retaining good interior space. *Swoon*

This started as a reminder post about the return of purple as an optional color, but somehow became a love letter.

daender > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 19:40

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Now imagine a 3/4 scale version that is completely unchanged in the looks department but drops 500lbs, while retaining good interior space. *Swoon*

Supposedly, that’s sort of what the Cuda may have been before the whole “SRT is its own brand” thing failed.

SmugAardvark > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 19:40

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I agree completely. They are fantastic looking cars to me as well.

LJ909 > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 19:41

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I think its the most muscle car like out of the 3 (Mustang,Camaro,Challenger) and the new retro colors make it even better. Go Mango, Yellow Jacket, Plum Crazy etc are all great. And they seem to be holding their value pretty damn well on the used market. You can’t find an R/T less than 20 grand in a lot of cases. But its old and badly in need of a redesign.

CB > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 19:43

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I agree.

AestheticsInMotion > daender 03/08/2018 at 19:47

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I’m nervously optimistic to see the Challenger on its new platform in a few years

AestheticsInMotion > LJ909 03/08/2018 at 19:49

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Agreed. The Camaro is pretty clearly the performance champ, the Mustang has that exotic flatplane V8 in the upper tiers but the Challenger... It’s just badass

Nothing > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 19:52

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A Sublime Green Scat Pack was the other vehicle I considered when I bought the Taco. I wish I would’ve done that and picked up an older truck.

Spanfeller is a twat > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 19:52

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The Camaro is a sports car.
The Mustang is a Pony car.
The Challenger is a muscle car.

But because they all have V8s and from a distance look a bit similar, we put them in a pile together, madness!

AestheticsInMotion > Spanfeller is a twat 03/08/2018 at 19:54

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Okay, what’s the difference between a pony car and a muscle car? I totally agree about the Camaro, but this generation of Mustang seems pretty firmly in sports-car territory

LJ909 > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 19:56

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Yep exactly. The Camaro is the sports car of the 3, the Mustang is more GT and the Challenger is just old school American bad assery. Not to mention it has the roomiest back seat out of the other 2. I would really want one.

AestheticsInMotion > Nothing 03/08/2018 at 20:01

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Don’t give up on your Scat Pack dreams

WilliamsSW > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 20:01

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Yeah, I’d say it’s the best looking probably, but it’s just too goddamn big - and when you see a base model with skinny tires and no side stripes, those slab-side fenders don’t look good at all.

But yeah, the higher end models in bright colors with stripes like the one above look fantastic.

Spanfeller is a twat > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 20:02

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Oh, just barely.....

A pony car according to wikipedia is

“The term describes an affordable, compact, highly styled car with a sporty or performance-oriented image.”

A Muscle car is, according to wikipedia

“Muscle car is an American term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles . [1] The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as “any of a group of American-made 2-door sports cars with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving.” [2] A large V8 engine is fitted in a 2-door, rear wheel drive , family-style compact , mid-size or full-size car designed for four or more passengers. Sold at an affordable price, muscle cars are intended for street use and occasional drag racing . [3] [4] [5] [6] They are distinct from two-seat sports cars and expensive 2+2 GTs intended for high-speed touring and road racing ”

AestheticsInMotion > WilliamsSW 03/08/2018 at 20:02

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Agreed. Also true with the 4 door version. The Charger looks SO much better as you climb the model level ladder

AestheticsInMotion > CB 03/08/2018 at 20:08

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Seems like everyone agrees. I’m a bit surprised

Milky > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 20:10

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Based off of the new Ram and Wrangler, I have hope.

WilliamsSW > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 20:22

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Also true, but I’m less of a fan of the Charger’s styling - it seems disjointed to me.

I WANT to like the Challenger, but between the weight and the cheesy interior, I can’t fully get there - but it sure looks good in the right trim and color.

average user > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 20:27

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It is good looking but it is not “gorgeous”. Sorry. Did we forget the original 911, the Miura and the ordinal LP400?

average user > average user 03/08/2018 at 20:28

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Or the original TT concept, or the aborted EBA218, or the “round door” Rolls Royce from the 20s.

ToyotaFamily > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 20:39

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I’d love to get one of these and travel cross country with it.

Big ol’ V8 behind an automatic (yeah, revoke my authorship whatever) with all the tech/comfort features you need. Doesn’t sound like a bad way to spend a couple of days.

AestheticsInMotion > average user 03/08/2018 at 20:40

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Original 911 looks good, but I wouldn’t call it anything special. Same for the Miura... Plenty of more attractive Lamborghinis. Unless we’re thinking of different concepts, I think the TT concept looks almost exactly like the first gen. Which is fine, I love the 1st gen TT. I also love the current one.

LP400.... Yes. 100%. Absolutely phenomenal. But a car doesn’t have to be on that level to be gorgeous.

AestheticsInMotion > ToyotaFamily 03/08/2018 at 20:41

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I’ll take a manual, with a fantastic autopilot setup offsourced from another company. Best of both worlds

3point8isgreat > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 20:43

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Had one of these with the 5.7 as a rental last month. Definitely a nice vehicle. Felt more Grand Tourer than sports car, but that’s okay. Made me wish there was a new Magnum alongside it to replace my current one.

LongbowMkII > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 21:04

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I like it with the stripe. It makes the rear green house more vertical which is a nice change of pace these days

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 21:21

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AestheticsInMotion > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 03/08/2018 at 22:06

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It really is a good homage.

MM54 > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 22:54

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Rental spec 2017 Charger drives like a 15 year old crown vic

MM54 > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 22:57

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They are good looking for sure, but are really getting to show their age - they have been around relatively unchanged for quite a while. I forget when the next platform is due, but it can’t be too soon - hopefully it loses some weight in the process too.

I’ve not spent time in any of the higher-trim ones, but I have had rental (base model) chargers and challengers and it was nothing to write home about.

I’m all for real colors, though!

wafflesnfalafel > AestheticsInMotion 03/08/2018 at 23:36

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yep - agree, we had a beautiful lime green one go past the office today...

Tired89Bronco > average user 03/08/2018 at 23:46

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I think it’s way better looking than all of those, but I do prefer the look of American cars in general

46and2aheadofme > AestheticsInMotion 03/09/2018 at 02:46

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It’s reminiscent of the 60s version in a “draw a cartoon of it” kind of way. I don’t hate them, at least they’re not another crossover, but they’re enormous and their drivers tend to drive like assholes. Bro cars.

Long-Voyager > WilliamsSW 03/09/2018 at 07:26

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cheesy interior

Looks like every other modern car’s interior.........

Long-Voyager > Milky 03/09/2018 at 07:28

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So it’ll turn into one of these?

Long-Voyager > AestheticsInMotion 03/09/2018 at 07:30

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In all honesty, they are great cars to drive as well.

Even in V6 form they are a lot of fun to play around in.

CobraJoe > MM54 03/09/2018 at 10:09

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That sounds pretty good to me, 2003 was when the Vic got a rack and pinion steering and updated suspension.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > WilliamsSW 03/09/2018 at 10:14

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The biggest problem I have with the Charger (and the Taurus) is the inside seems so small for such large cars. Give some leg room in the rear and so width for my girth.

WilliamsSW > Long-Voyager 03/09/2018 at 10:17

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Yeah, there are a lot of cars like that, but I find the Challenger/Charger particularly offputting - probably because I like the outside so much, I want more inside.

Milky > Long-Voyager 03/09/2018 at 11:36

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Meaning the one talent Chrysler has is design.

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > AestheticsInMotion 03/09/2018 at 11:38

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Eh. The only ones that stand out to me are the ‘08 SRT-8 in HEMI Orange and the Demon in Octane Red.

Otherwise, I’d take a Mustang hands down.

Long-Voyager > Milky 03/09/2018 at 12:17

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Here I thought their talent was making great cars that the general population fails to maintain, then gets a bad rap because people are too cheap/lazy/stupid to maintain their shit............

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > AestheticsInMotion 03/09/2018 at 14:59

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I like you too much to tell you that you are wrong, but you are wrong.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > AestheticsInMotion 03/09/2018 at 15:10

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With its wildly inefficient use of space, shrinking the body will *not* allow you to maintain interior space. As it is, definitely more spacious than Mustang and Camaro, but it only has “passable” space for kids in the back.

Part of its appeal is the classic muscle car proportions. You lose that when you shorten the front and rear ends.

Another highlight of the Challenger is the Hemi exhaust note. It has the old-school  blat that no other modern competitors can mimic.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > AestheticsInMotion 03/09/2018 at 17:11

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It is. It’s much better than my 2004 GTO was to the 1964 GTO. But I still prefer the original Challenger.

MM54 > CobraJoe 03/09/2018 at 18:17

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I drove it in ‘17 and so the comparison is to my 2002, which does not have the good steering and suspension my old ‘03 had.

aquila121 > AestheticsInMotion 03/09/2018 at 19:51

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I will happily agree with your adoration of color options available on the Challenger, but I fall in the category that isn’t entirely enamored with the look overall. It’s certainly a good homage, as you said; the proportions are right and you can clearly identify the elements of inspiration that were carried over to the new car—that’s important and successful.

But the overall flat belt-line and trunk coupled with the slab-like shape of the sides of the car convey the curb weight (and then some) to me in a way that isn’t exactly flattering. I feel like the retro-inspired designs of the Mustang and Camaro both touch on elements familiar to their names without seeming so hefty.

Of course, I’m probably not the best person to chime in on this: I’d take a 370Z even though the car so old it’s been found in archaeological digs by now, and would have a hard time keeping up with the new crowd of muscle cars, to boot.

CobraJoe > MM54 03/12/2018 at 08:34

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Fair enough. I only have driven panthers from the 90s, so I wouldn’t even know what the rack and pinion would feel like.

MM54 > CobraJoe 03/12/2018 at 20:00

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I had an ‘03 briefly (some moron in a solara totaled it, his phone was more interesting to him than using his brakes to stop for construction traffic) and it was a huge difference compared to my ‘02. That suspension/frame/steering/brake revamp turned it into a modern-driving car.

CobraJoe > MM54 03/12/2018 at 22:48

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Awesome, glad to hear it helped. Next time I go for a Panther, I’ll try to get one ‘03 or newer.