The current-generation Dodge Charger is old, and by old, I really mean old. It’s been around since 2005 and while Dodge has managed to keep the fire simmering with new variants and special edition models, there are reports that Fiat Chrysler will keep the model going until after 2019. That’s an incredibly long time for one generation of a car, let alone a car with the status of the Charger. But don’t feel too bad Charger fans because once the next-generation model arrives, it’s going to be a very different car after reports came out that the model will lose close to 500 pounds in weight and could come with a four-cylinder turbocharged engine.
According to Automotive News, engineers and designers from FCA are working on making the new car lighter than the current model, which tips the scales at 3,960 pounds as its curb weight. The automaker plans to have the new model down to about 3,500 pounds, a weight that could come in handy when it’s combined with the same 300-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder that’s currently being developed for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler. There are also plans to switch the Charger from its existing platform to an extended version of the Alfa Romeo Giulia’s “Giorgio” platform, giving engineers and designers a more modern platform for the new model.
While this is all exciting news, don’t expect the model to burst into the scene for at least another five years. The 2019 facelift for the LX-generation model could last for another year or two so the early expectations for the new model would be around 2022 or 2023. It’s still a long way from today and with the evolving state of the auto industry, there’s no telling if today’s plans will be put to action when it’s finally time for the next-generation Charger to be built.
Still, FCA seems to be confident of its plans for the muscle car. It even showed an early styling buck of the next-gen model during a private show for dealers back in August 2015. The design was even compared to the 1999 Charger concept that was penned by former Chrysler design guru Tom Gale.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
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