Photo: Vero Beach Chrysler
It’s been more than half a decade since we’ve heard rumors about the return of the Barracuda or ‘Cuda to the Mopar family, but not under the Plymouth brand. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles re-trademarked both names in July 2015, and at a dealer meeting in August 2015, FCA has apparently promised a Dodge drop-top convertible with rear-wheel drive.
Still, Dodge failed to deliver in 2018 when we were supposed to see the Barracuda in all of its glory. Given that a soft-top version of the modern Challenger never materialized, you can easily understand why ‘Cuda rumors tend to come back every now and then to get our hopes up.
Mopar Insiders has joined the party, citing “sources” who suggest that "the next-generation Challenger is indeed being engineered and designed with a convertible version in mind.” Not the most assuring of statements, but Dodge is indeed developing replacements for its full-size buff boys.
Fiat Chrysler invested a lot of money in the Giorgio platform of the Giulia and Stelvio, a vehicle architecture with Ferrari know-how and plenty of potential. Having driven the Giulia as a turbo diesel and the Giulia Quadrifoglio, I can tell you that the driving dynamics are world-class indeed.
The late Sergio Marchionne let it slip that the WL Grand Cherokee is the perfect candidate for the Giorgio, along with the sub-Levante crossover from Maserati. But platform sharing is expected to go beyond those two brands, and this gets us to next-generation Dodge muscle and the long-rumored revival of the Barracuda.
Yes, the Challenger and Charger need modern underpinnings and more fuel-efficient engines. Using the Italian platform would recoup some of the money that FCA poured into the Giorgio, and Fiat Chrysler knows that both redesigns would sell like hot cakes.
Marchionne’s successor – Mike Manley – also made it clear that “electrification will certainly be part of the formula that says what is American muscle in the future." The head honcho of FCA added: "What it isn’t going to be is a V8, supercharged, 700-hp engine.”
A strong seller in 2019, beating out the Chevrolet Camaro, the Challenger definitely needs to reinvent itself in order to survive the 2020s and increasing demand for SUVs. With this reinvention, there’s no denying the Barracuda would be welcomed too.
The S650 Mustang has been confirmed as a 2023 model, so here’s hope we’ll find an answer to the question in the headline of this story by the end of the calendar year 2022.
Mopar Insiders has joined the party, citing “sources” who suggest that "the next-generation Challenger is indeed being engineered and designed with a convertible version in mind.” Not the most assuring of statements, but Dodge is indeed developing replacements for its full-size buff boys.
Fiat Chrysler invested a lot of money in the Giorgio platform of the Giulia and Stelvio, a vehicle architecture with Ferrari know-how and plenty of potential. Having driven the Giulia as a turbo diesel and the Giulia Quadrifoglio, I can tell you that the driving dynamics are world-class indeed.
The late Sergio Marchionne let it slip that the WL Grand Cherokee is the perfect candidate for the Giorgio, along with the sub-Levante crossover from Maserati. But platform sharing is expected to go beyond those two brands, and this gets us to next-generation Dodge muscle and the long-rumored revival of the Barracuda.
Yes, the Challenger and Charger need modern underpinnings and more fuel-efficient engines. Using the Italian platform would recoup some of the money that FCA poured into the Giorgio, and Fiat Chrysler knows that both redesigns would sell like hot cakes.
Marchionne’s successor – Mike Manley – also made it clear that “electrification will certainly be part of the formula that says what is American muscle in the future." The head honcho of FCA added: "What it isn’t going to be is a V8, supercharged, 700-hp engine.”
A strong seller in 2019, beating out the Chevrolet Camaro, the Challenger definitely needs to reinvent itself in order to survive the 2020s and increasing demand for SUVs. With this reinvention, there’s no denying the Barracuda would be welcomed too.
The S650 Mustang has been confirmed as a 2023 model, so here’s hope we’ll find an answer to the question in the headline of this story by the end of the calendar year 2022.
Google News