Dodge delays next-generation Charger and Challenger to 2020
Dodge will keep the current Charger and Challenger on the ageing LX platform until at least 2020, shelving plans for a Giorgio-based successor and a new inline-four engine.
Dodge has pushed back the introduction of its next-generation Charger and Challenger models until at least 2020, according to reports citing company sources. The current Charger, which launched in 2011 and last received a substantial update in 2014, will continue on the Chrysler LX platform well beyond its original replacement schedule.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) had originally planned to move both muscle cars onto the Giorgio rear-wheel-drive architecture, which underpins the Alfa Romeo Giulia. This transition was expected by 2018 and would have brought substantial changes, including the introduction of an all-new turbocharged inline-four engine, codenamed "Hurricane," targeting around 300hp with a twin-turbo setup.
LX platform to remain for Charger and Challenger
With the postponement, both the Charger and Challenger will continue to use the LX platform, which dates back to the mid-2000s and has underpinned multiple Dodge and Chrysler models. The last major refresh for these cars came in 2014, and FCA is now expected to rely on further incremental updates to maintain buyer interest until the new architecture arrives.
The decision means Dodge’s large saloon and coupe will go nearly a decade without a full platform change, a rarity in the segment. The move also delays the arrival of the new inline-four engine, which would have marked a major departure from the V6 and V8 powertrains that currently define the Charger and Challenger line-ups.
Implications for Dodge and FCA
