The more things change, the more they stay the same. It’s true that the Challenger nameplate has come a long way since the days of the second-generation model. It is now used on what some believe is the quintessential American muscle car, currently in its third, and possibly final generation.
Dodge has been selling this iteration of the Challenger (with various upgrades) since 2008, although today’s car is considerably more powerful than those very first units. Come to think of it, flagship Challengers nowadays have nearly twice as many horses as older SRT8 variants.
Just imagine, you had a then-new 6.4-liter HEMI V8 unit producing 470 hp and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque, good enough for a quarter mile time of 12.4 seconds at 110 mph (177 kph). Good by 2010 standards, but mediocre nowadays.
Anyway, since Challengers weren’t among the fastest cars in the world back then, there was little to no need for Dodge to invest in wider fenders, different tires, stuff like that. Things stayed the same even after the introduction of the Hellcat – the Challenger didn’t get wider fenders until the Demon was unveiled in April of 2017 at the New York Auto Show.
However, it wasn’t until the 2019 model year when buyers could order a factory-standard widebody package for the SRT Challenger Scat Pack, SRT Hellcat and SRT Hellcat Redeye, adding the flared fenders, 20x11 alloy wheels with 305/35ZR20 Pirelli rubber, three-mode Bilstein adaptive suspension, six-piston calipers and stiffened anti-roll bars (standard on Hellcat and Hellcat Redeye versions).
Some will tell you the Challenger looks better without wider fenders, and while that may be true, the car’s brutish nature is represented perfectly by its more aggressive visuals. Today’s flagship model is the SRT Super Stock, which produces 807 hp – such a muscle car really should look as menacing as possible, otherwise, what’s the point?
Photo: Kasim Tlibekov / Instagram
Speaking of menacing, say you’re not particularly fond of Dodge’s Wide Body package and would rather call upon an aftermarket specialist. While there are multiple options available, one particularly interesting tuner (Krotov) hails all the way from Russia.
You can see how the Challenger looks with their Widebody Kit in these renderings courtesy of designer Kasim Tlibekov. It’s very Liberty Walk-ish, if you ask us, which some of you might appreciate, while others will not.
In terms of numbers, the Russian tuner will increase the width of your Challenger by 2.56 inches (65 mm) per side at the front and 2.75 inches (70 mm) per side at the rear, while also adding a set of custom side skirts. The new components are made from ABS plastic and will ship worldwide to any Challenger owner willing to part with $3,200.
Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration. Full profile
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