Here we go again! The rumor mill is churning with rumblings of new Challenger models coming soon. Some 100% confirmed, like the soon to be available Challenger T/A (which we LOVE!) and some still not officially confirmed, like the Challenger ADR wide body Hellcat and the AWD Challenger.
Some will say this is simply a manufacturer looking for their final way to cash in on an outgoing platform. And you know what… they are 100% correct! But why does “cashing in” have to carry the negative connotations it typically finds dragging behind itself? Let’s take a minute and analyze these two potential last hurrahs for the chassis many of us love.
If we can’t have the AWD Hellcat, why not throw on some fat fenders allowing for some properly massive rubber at each corner? If the current Fiery Feline is capable of low 11 second quarter miles then let’s find more grip through a massively widened contact patch! Visions 335 rears and 305 fronts are dancing through our heads and we like what we see! 1.7 60ft. times and sub 11 second passes on street tires sounds like a great way to send the current Challenger into the automotive history/record books!
We received this pic from an anonymous source. Look close and you can see the bodywork has been tweaked and the tires/track width are definitely altered from stock. Is this an ADR test mule? It’s definitely a Challenger from the factory and we sincerely hope our massive tire dreams come true!
With the possible Challenger Flagship changes addressed, let’s move on to more tired putting the power to the ground!
An AWD Challenger is intriguing for a bunch of reasons. The First coming to mind is simply… TRACTION. If the rear wheels are spinning too easily and you can transfer some of that power to the front wheels, why not? AWD has its place in inclement areas of the country and at the track. How many folks up north put their Challengers to bed for the winter? Sure, you can get through some fairly nasty winter weather with RWD and the right tire. But, a decent AWD system will always make driving in treacherous conditions easier and safer. Plus, AWD snowy burnouts are EPIC 😈! It makes sense for Dodge to drop the tried, tested and refined AWD system from the Charger into the Challenger. A little bit of driveline resizing and it’s basically a drop in fit. If you’ve driven an AWD Charger in snow and ice, you know how effective this system is. We hope there is at least an AWD 5.7 R/T option. Give us the same wide body from the Challenger GT AWD we saw at SEMA last year with the torque