The Challenger Makes Turning 50 Look Good
Experts agree that Dodge didn’t necessarily invent the muscle car, but general consensus indicates that the brand certainly perfected it. The Dodge Challenger entered the market in 1970, making a lasting impression that automotive fiends still experience today. It’s now been 50 years since the original Challenger debut and Dodge is ready to celebrate. Not much has changed in the Challenger’s formula in 50 years, including design lines that are almost as heritage-based as the design cues on the Jeep Wrangler. The 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show proved the perfect place for the automaker to debut its limited edition 50th Anniversary Challenger model.
It wouldn’t be a special edition Challenger if it didn’t have some unique accents and features and Dodge spared no expense when it came to this model. Available in one of seven retro colors, the 50th Anniversary Challenger is so unique that the manufacturer is only making a total of 1,960 units, in one of four available trims — GT, R/T Shaker, R/T Scat Pack, and Scat Pack Shaker Widebody. Production is limited to 80 vehicles, per trim, per color. Dodge offers the 50th Anniversary Challenger in a new Gold Rush color to celebrate the car’s golden anniversary, along with TorRed, Sinnamon Stick, Go Mango, Hellraisin, Frostbite, and F8 Green.
Color options and trims are just the tip of this unique iceberg as every 50th Anniversary Challenger has a Shaker hood scoop, with the Scat Pack and Widebody trims offering a Shaker hood scoop for the very first time in the car’s existence. Dodge also added Shaker graphics to the hood, with a “50” adorning the air catcher headlights for a distinctive touch. Buyers can opt to disregard the Gold Rush exterior paint color if it does not suit them, but Dodge added other accent features throughout the vehicle in the same shade. There are Gold Rush accents, including a Challenger 50 badge on the fender and spoiler.
All 50th Anniversary Challenger edition, regardless of trim, will ride on a set of 20-inch “Gold School” wheels. On the inside, the 50th Anniversary Challenger features heated and ventilated seats that are adorned with suede inserts and “50” embroidery. Dodge added carbon fiber along the console bezels and accent stitching. The startup animations were changed as well to include a 1970 Challenger with yellow accents on the gauges.
Fans on a budget can indulge in the 50th Anniversary Challenger as none of the packages are too extravagantly priced. The 50th Anniversary Challenger RT trim package starts at an additional $4,995, while the V8-powered R/T Shaker trim offers the same package at $5,495. Both the Challenger Scat Pack Shaker and Widebody trims will set buyers back $5,995 if they opt for the 50th Anniversary edition. Dodge is slated to open the order books in the Spring of 2020 if all goes as planned.
For the latest news from the 2019 La Auto Show, follow University Dodge on social media. In the meantime, check out the existing Dodge Challenger inventory — including limited edition trims — here at University Dodge and schedule your test drive today!