Dodge Challenger Coupe Not Destined For Oz

We only recently reported on some sightings of the upcoming Dodge Challenger coupe, arguably the prettiest of the current crop of retro American muscle in or nearing production.

Fervently hoping that the new Challenger coupe would be Chrysler Australia’s headline act in the near future we have today had our hopes dashed by the folks at GoAuto. Gerry Jenkins the managing director of Chrysler Australia has informed GoAuto that the Challenger will only be a limited run, left-hand drive domestic market only vehicle. What a shame.

If the 300C’s acceptance in Australia is anything to go by, then the Challenger would have raised the bar significantly. Muscular, sleek and retro-cool in a way that no 300C will ever be, the Challenger could have commanded a significant premium and been the envy of Australian GM and Ford fans.

Gerry Jenkins believes that production will be limited to 50,000 units with Chrysler looking to keep them exclusive and sell them at a premium. However, while the door has been well and truly closed on an Australian delivered Challenger, the window has been left slightly ajar. Chrysler’s international product senior manager Kevin Tourneur said that while the Challenger has not been engineered for right-hand-drive that’s not to say it won’t happen at some time in the future.

“It is primarily for the US market, but it is the same as the others, we launch something and if a market says they really need that car, who knows what happens in the future? It does make it harder, but it doesn’t mean it is impossible” , said Mr Tourneur

Hmmm… that’s all but dashed our hopes. Hopefully one re-born muscle car that we will see will be the General’s new Camaro, due for North American release in 2008. While there is no doubting the Camaro is cool, it doesn’t ooze quite as much cool as the Challenger. But, as the saying goes, beggars can’t be choosers.

Steane

[Source: GoAuto]