Ford was left alone in the muscle car game for a couple of months as both Chevy and Dodge pulled the plug on the Camaro and Challenger, respectively. The latter company also dropped the old Charger muscly sedan, yet it's been only a few hours since they brought back both body styles.
Some may be surprised to learn that instead of the Challenger, Dodge opted for the Charger name. The reason is simple: it is related to its electric nature, as both the coupe and sedan feature zero emissions and will be joined by ICE-powered models.
But where does this put the Challenger nameplate? Could Dodge resurrect it and use it on a different muscle car, perhaps one based on a smaller platform from Stellantis, given that the all-new Charger is a very big and heavy boy? Dodge's CEO, Tim Kuniskis, answered this question during the muscle car's unveiling.
"We own the Challenger nameplate. We own a whole bunch of nameplates we got in the drawer," Kuniskis said in front of the media. "So, I don't know what we'll do with it if we ever do anything with it, but [we're] not using that on this car."
Photo: Dodge
Thus, there you have it. Dodge will keep this moniker on the shelf for now, and chances are it will do the same in the foreseeable future. Since the Charger nameplate sounds greener, we reckon the next-gen muscle car will keep using it, so we don't expect the Challenger to return at all.
Some might think it would be a good idea to use it on a different product, something other than a muscle car, and they might just do that. After all, Ford has the Mustang Mach-E in its portfolio. It has nothing in common with the pony car, as it is a battery-electric crossover with completely different underpinnings.
We wouldn't be surprised if Dodge chose a similar recipe, and it seems very plausible at the moment, as EV high-riders have become very popular these past few years, and we reckon the Stellantis-owned brand might want to cash in on it eventually. As a result, a rumored upcoming electric crossover from Dodge could be christened the Challenger.
Mind you, this is our two cents on a possible revival of the Challenger moniker and should be taken accordingly for now, especially since Dodge keeps playing the "we'll see" card in regard to this topic. But what is your idea about it? Should they keep the nameplate in the drawer, or should they use it on a potentially new product that might just be an all-quiet crossover? Who knows, maybe a high-ranking executive from Stellantis will see your comment and decide to use it for inspiration.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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