Dodge Unveils 2015 Charger R/T Funny Car at SEMA
Dodge and Mopar have revealed the 2015 Charger R/T Funny Car at SEMA, introducing a new carbon fibre and Kevlar body developed with Don Schumacher Racing for the 2015 NHRA season.
Dodge and Mopar have pulled the covers off the 2015 Charger R/T Funny Car at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, revealing a new competition body set to debut in the 2015 NHRA season. Developed in partnership with Don Schumacher Racing, the car features a one-piece shell crafted from carbon fibre and Kevlar, designed to improve both performance and driver visibility.
The new Charger R/T Funny Car body is more than a cosmetic update. Dodge’s engineering team, which also works on the production Charger and Challenger, collaborated with Don Schumacher Racing to refine the shape and position of the windshield and greenhouse. These changes are aimed at giving drivers better sight lines, an important factor at the speeds Funny Cars reach on the drag strip.
The previous generation Mopar Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car has already built an impressive record in NHRA competition, with 68 national event wins, two Funny Car World Championships and 44 No.1 qualifier positions. It also became the first Funny Car to break the three-second barrier in NHRA history. The new model is expected to continue that legacy when it makes its competition debut at the opening round of the 2015 season.
Technical changes for 2015
The most visible change is the new one-piece body, which uses a combination of carbon fibre and Kevlar to keep weight down while withstanding the stresses of drag racing. The revised shape is not just for show: the altered greenhouse and windscreen position are designed to help drivers spot the finish line more easily, a critical advantage in a class where races are decided by thousandths of a second.
The engineering team behind the Funny Car is the same group responsible for Dodge’s road-going muscle cars, linking the competition project closely to the brand’s production models. This collaboration with Don Schumacher Racing aims to ensure the new body is both aerodynamically efficient and practical for drivers and teams to run during a full NHRA season.
On-track debut and expectations
Dodge plans for the new Charger R/T Funny Car to make its first competitive appearance at the 2015 NHRA season opener. The unveiling at SEMA gives fans and industry insiders the first close look at the car before it lines up on the drag strip. Given the success of its predecessor, expectations are high for the new model to deliver results for Dodge and Don Schumacher Racing in the coming year.
