Dodge News: Rumorpile: Farewell Challenger, Hello Barracuda?

[William Maley]

William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

February 20, 2012

Motor Trend is reporting that Chrysler may say farewell to the Dodge Challenger and in its place, bring back the Barracuda. Sources tell the magazine the car will ride on a new RWD platform that will be smaller and lighter than the current Challenger.

Design will take cues from the Barracuda's three separate body styles from 1964 to 1974.

Expect to see the new Barracuda sometime in 2014 or 2015.

Source: Motor Trend

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[67impss]

I've always liked the 67-69 'Cuda's they're sweet!

[fullmoon97]

i am a HUGE fan of the cuda i can say it is my #1 favorite muscle car. i just kinda wish they would not get rid of the challenger. idk i will have to wait and see the designs. if they get a lighter platform with the same engines or better then it will be really nice.

Edited February 20, 2012 by fullmoon97

[Robert Hall]

Hmmm...with Plymouth gone, how would it be branded? As a Chrysler?

[ocnblu]

Sweet, a RWD platform smaller and lighter than the current Challenger...

[Camino LS6]

This could be interesting!

[balthazar]

Seems clear it would be a 'Dodge' in looking at the respective lineups.

Interesting to see the guesswork sketches before something real is seen.

Could a huge backlight -ala the '66- be pulled off today?

[Camino LS6]

Maybe it will just be branded as an "SRT" like the Viper is supposedly going to be.

Fiat seems to want to kill the Dodge brand, the wackos.

[67impss]

Yeah Camino that's what I feel(fear) too

[Turbojett]

I'd love to see a new barracuda, about the flavor of the '69 (my favorite), but like fullmoon, I don't want to see them discontinue the Challenger. Maybe if the kept the Challenger as a Fullsize coupe as it is now, and made the Barracuda as the smaller, lighter ponycar.

[Blake Noble]

This particular rumor has been floating around for a bit and the majority of it isn't exactly certain.

What is certain is that the Challenger's replacement will be smaller and lighter. It’s interesting to listen to the rumors of what platform they’ll use next. Some people say the CUSW-Plus platform can accept a rear-drive layout, other people say it’ll be the new LH-like E-Evo platform that we’ve yet to see, others think it’ll be on a heavily revised LX platform.

It's also true Chrysler's styling department has had many sleepless nights wondering where they can take the Challenger's design. The current car draws owes its entire design to the original and gets all of the cues perfect. How can you update a design like that and still keep it familiar?

It's understandable then why someone can put a lot of stock into the idea of a Barracuda revival — the original fish car spanned three generations and that offers you plenty of different styling cues to mix and match from. It’s therefore less of a challenge for Chrysler’s design team to style a new Barracuda than it is a brand-new Challenger.

However, I don’t think that’s really the end-all-be-all here. I’d say it’s also true that ChryCo’s aware of how Porsche has evolved the styling of the 911, how Volkswagen evolved the styling of the old New Beetle into the new New Beetle, and even how they evolved the styling of their own Viper. I’d say nothing’s off the table just yet and the Challenger can certainly progress in the same fashion the 911, Beetle, and Viper have.

We have about a year, give or take, until we know what they’ve decided to do.

Footnote: I should also mention Chrysler's had plenty of agony trying to resecure the rights to the 'Cuda nameplate. A smaller company now holds the rights to it and have refused to let Chrysler get their hands on it. This might also play a very minor role in if the Barracuda is revived or not.

Edited February 21, 2012 by black-knight

[LosAngeles]

"Chrysler Barracuda" has a nice ring to it. I don't think it or a new Challenger has to be retro. Why not a sleeker, modern-looking, lighter GT that still packs raunchy 300-400+ hp raunchiness? The retro pony cars were good for reboot (Mustang)/reentry (Challenger and Camaro), but it's time to expand what these cars can look like, add to the heritage.

[G. David Felt]

I see the Barracuda song making a come back!

[G. David Felt]

Long Live Heart and Barracuda!!!

[crash900s]

It was kinda confusing to have the Charger and the Challenger names at the same time.

[Delta Force79]

It was kinda confusing to have the Charger and the Challenger names at the same time.

How so? The Charger and Challenger co-existed together in the early 70's just fine. I love the current Challenger minus the interior, so I'm not too thrilled at the prospect of the Challenger going away. With that being said, if a 'Cuda does take it's place, I have faily high hopes it will be a winner given Chrysler's recent turnaround.

[ocnblu]

I've heard the names used interchangeably by ppl in the general populace more than once. It's difficult not to want to correct them.

[Robert Hall]

I've heard the names used interchangeably by ppl in the general populace more than once. It's difficult not to want to correct them.

Yeah...I've heard that also..esp. with the younger crowd that don't know of the older cars..though the older ones have been featured in many movies over the years, so some have seen images of 'em..

Edited February 25, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

I dont see how keeping 'Charger' & 'Challenger' distinct is any more difficult than keeping the numeric gumbo that is BMW distinct.

[ocnblu]

To you and me, yes sir, no problemo. But srsly, I have heard ppl call a Challenger a Charger, and vice versa. They're dopes, yes, just sayin'.

[Delta Force79]

To you and me, yes sir, no problemo. But srsly, I have heard ppl call a Challenger a Charger, and vice versa. They're dopes, yes, just sayin'.

That is something I would expect during their original runs, considering back then they were both 2 doors, but given the fact the Charger has been a sedan for 7 years now, it's just ignorance at this point to confuse the two.

[balthazar]

There are a given handful of people who would call a mercedees a BMW & vice versa- that does not mean that there is a problem to be addressed.

[Camino LS6]

It's just that the names both start with C-H-A, I think. I put it down to momentary brain farts.

Rather than an actual confusion of the two cars, that is.

Edited February 26, 2012 by Camino LS6

[knightfan26917]

It's just that the names both start with C-H-A, I think. I put it down to momentary brain farts.

Rather than an actual confusion of the two cars, that is.

I'd certainly hope so.

Course, it's always been amazing to me how, in the 73-77 GM A-bodies, people always seemed to confuse these, particularly the Malibu, Grand Prix, Cutlass and Regal. Maybe not so much the Grand Prix, because it, like the MC, were very distinctive in styling, particularly the front and side panels.

*shrugs*

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