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Looking back I have not only my grandfather and uncle to thank for my interest in mechanics (Grandpa had his own shop in the barn to work on his cars, while my uncle worked for Land Rover for several years), I also have my brothers and dad to thank for their enjoyment of the computer game franchise Need for Speed. While I may never have gotten the hang of driving with the keyboard, I did enjoy watching them and talking the various benefits of each car with my brothers.
One of the few cars that was brought up with regularity was the Dodge Charger, an incredibly long lived model that has been around since the mid 1960’s. It has gone through seven generations, including the current model which has been available since 2011. While it has undergone a few body changes, upgrades, and redesigns since then, the new 2018 Dodge Charger is perhaps my favorite of them all due to its practical four-door build, the the lean, low design, and the new technology that makes driving something like this even easier and way more fun. Dodge calls it “America’s only four-door muscle car”.
The 2018 Dodge Charger is available in a dozen colors from White Knuckle to Pitch Black. There are also nine models to choose from, ranging from the SXT to the SRT Hellcat RWD. Pricing goes from just under $29,000 to almost $70,000. Standard mechanics include a V6 or V8 engine, the TorqueLite 8-speed automatic transmission, and Five-Link independent rear suspension. The exterior resembles muscle cars from the 1960’s and 1970’s with its side scoops, angular headlights, and new grille design. The interior, however, seems to be most like a luxury sports car, which includes a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated leather seats in the front, individually folding rear seats, and a five-seat total with plenty of room to spread out.
The new Fuel Saver Technology (thanks to the Hemi V8’s ability to shut off half the cylinders when they aren’t needed), high-beam headlamps, blind spot monitoring, and active braking also make this model a practical decision (insofar as it’s practical to consider buying a muscle car). There are also other available safety features, including Hill Start Assist, all-speed traction control, adaptive cruise control, and rain-sensing wipers. If being safe and practical is important to you when purchasing a sports or muscle car, then the Dodge Charger might be something you want to look into.
Along with all these upgrades, new tech toys, and safety features, you can also customize your new Dodge Charger with several packages offered by Dodge. My favorite is the BlackTop package which just makes the Charger even cooler. Everything in the interior is blacked out, including the steering wheel and instrument panel, and on the outside, the decklid spoiler sports the same dark hue to match.
Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it. If you want to go take a look at all the 2018 Dodge Charger has to offer, you can do so by visiting Dodge.
