Dodge Charger R/T Concept

Dodge Charger R/T Concept

DETROIT - Mopar performance fans, your prayers have been answered -- in concept at least. Dodge has finally built a V8-powered, rear-drive hot rod, and it wears the old Charger R/T nameplate. But don't look for it to be in dealerships or racing in NASCAR soon -- it's only a show car for now.

This is no "Dukes of Hazzard" rut-jumper with its doors welded shut. The Dodge Charger R/T Concept is a stylish, coupe-like, four-door fastback riding on a modern LH platform that has been modified to accept the Prowler's rear-drive unit. It's powered by DaimlerChrysler's all-new 4.7-liter V8 (which will be available in the 2000 Dakota Quad Cab), but this particular motor has been bumped to 325 horsepower, thanks to the use of a supercharger.

The Charger R/T is also as green as it is mean: Because it runs on compressed natural gas, which burns cleaner than gasoline, the concept car produces so little pollution that it would meet California's tough Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standards. Yet it is said to perform in the same spirit as its namesake, one of the '60s most powerful and respected muscle cars.

Better still, unlike other CNG vehicles -- whose heavy, bulky fuel cylinders take up the entire trunk area of most cars -- the Charger's pressure cells fit inside all-new and much lighter composite tanks that are little bigger than the size of a normal gas tank.

As sinister-looking as the bad guy's car in Steve McQueen's film "Bullitt," the Charger R/T Concept is bold and innovative. It's both an engineering and marketing credit to the new R/T brand effort at Dodge, which performs the same halo-effect role for mainstream vehicles as Ford's Special Vehicle Team does with its SVT Contour, Mustang Cobra and F-150 Lightning.

A couple of days after the Charger R/T's debut, Dodge unveiled Intrepid R/T and Neon R/T production models, and promised to expand the R/T performance brand theme across its model line. Dodge already builds a 1999 Neon R/T variant and the Dakota R/T sport truck, as well as DaimlerChrysler's high-performance flagship, the Dodge Viper R/T 10 roadster.

The 2001 Neon R/T has a 150-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine coupled to a five-speed manual transmission. A sport suspension, with special springs and antiroll bars, rides on 16-inch wheels and tires. Unique front and rear facias, plus a front air dam and rear spoiler, help the R/T model distinguish itself from lesser Neons. The Neon R/T goes on sale in the spring of 2000.

By the summer of 2000, Dodge will begin selling the 2001 Intrepid R/T. Its 3.5-liter V6 puts 242 horsepower through DaimlerChrysler's AutoStick transaxle, which allows manual or automatic gear selection. The big sedan also gets bigger brakes and performance-tuned suspension. Other goodies include fog lamps, unique taillights, rear spoiler and dual chrome exhaust tips.

Like Ford's SVT, Dodge is looking at applying the R/T formula to other mainstream models including the Caravan minivan and midsize Stratus. So Mopar performance fans, stay tuned.