Photo: seansmithdesigns/instagram
Dodge is not alone in its effort to revive as many of its classic muscle stars as possible, with the aftermarket industry and the digital art world also on a similar mission. Case in point with this particular rendering, which imagines a modern-day incarnation of the Challenger Mopar Missile.
Back in the early 1970s, the popularity of Pro Stock drag racing exploded. And a group of Chrysler engineers became a dominant force after putting together a program that was backed by the company, going down in history as the "Missile" racing era.
It all started with a 1970 Challenger upgraded to a 1971 model, which was joined by a '72 Plymouth Barracuda and Plymouth Duster from the same year, which eventually got 1973MY updates.
The initiative actually started out under the "Motown Missile" label, but, to avoid confusion with the well-known Detroit operation of Motown Records, the name was changed to Mopar Missiles, with this obviously covering all three Chrysler-backed race cars.
Chrysler's program was a success, allowing the company to grab plenty of laurels at drag strips across the country. However, with the NHRA changing the rules to allow smaller vehicles from Ford and Chevy to compete in the Pro Stock class and the oil crisis kicking in, the company put the initiative on the back burner in 1974, with the vehicles landing in private hands.
Meanwhile, there have been plenty of tributes to the Missile cars, which brings us back to the modern Challenger in this rendering.
The starting point for the 2D work was the now-retired king of the Mopar hill, namely the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, of which just 3,300 units were built.
Unlike the production model, which can deliver a 9.65s quarter-mile pass with the supercharger lurking under the hood, this one sees its blower sitting higher. Of course, with Pro Stock regulations prohibiting forced induction, this is a walk down fantasy lane.
Upgraded muscle aside, the Challenger Demon gets an elongated tail section, which is just what the aero doctor ordered for high-speed runs.
Of course, the rear axle features small beadlock wheels securing those Hoosier slicks, while the skinny front units reduce rolling resistance.
As you'll be able to see in the Instagram post below, this rendering is a doodle coming from Sean Smith. And you might already be familiar with the business hour project of the California-based design consultation, not least thanks to his collaborations with names such as Saleen, The Ringbrothers, and Speedkore.
It all started with a 1970 Challenger upgraded to a 1971 model, which was joined by a '72 Plymouth Barracuda and Plymouth Duster from the same year, which eventually got 1973MY updates.
The initiative actually started out under the "Motown Missile" label, but, to avoid confusion with the well-known Detroit operation of Motown Records, the name was changed to Mopar Missiles, with this obviously covering all three Chrysler-backed race cars.
Chrysler's program was a success, allowing the company to grab plenty of laurels at drag strips across the country. However, with the NHRA changing the rules to allow smaller vehicles from Ford and Chevy to compete in the Pro Stock class and the oil crisis kicking in, the company put the initiative on the back burner in 1974, with the vehicles landing in private hands.
Meanwhile, there have been plenty of tributes to the Missile cars, which brings us back to the modern Challenger in this rendering.
The starting point for the 2D work was the now-retired king of the Mopar hill, namely the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, of which just 3,300 units were built.
Unlike the production model, which can deliver a 9.65s quarter-mile pass with the supercharger lurking under the hood, this one sees its blower sitting higher. Of course, with Pro Stock regulations prohibiting forced induction, this is a walk down fantasy lane.
Upgraded muscle aside, the Challenger Demon gets an elongated tail section, which is just what the aero doctor ordered for high-speed runs.
Of course, the rear axle features small beadlock wheels securing those Hoosier slicks, while the skinny front units reduce rolling resistance.
As you'll be able to see in the Instagram post below, this rendering is a doodle coming from Sean Smith. And you might already be familiar with the business hour project of the California-based design consultation, not least thanks to his collaborations with names such as Saleen, The Ringbrothers, and Speedkore.
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