2009 SEMA Preview: Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320
The most exciting (to me) concept of the 2009 SEMA Show Mopar
display to be announced so far is the Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320. The
base vehicle of this concept was not a production vehicle, but rather
the track-only Dodge Challenger Track Pak and in the artist’s rendering
the Challenger 1320 shows off a yellow (they call is Acidic Hue) and
flat black scheme. A large hood scoop, widened police style wheels
wrapped in Nitto drag radials, and special graphics help to define the
exterior but the real news about the Dodge Challenger 1320 is the
drivetrain. Mopar began with an all-aluminum 426 cubic inch Hemi crate
motor decorated with Mopar valve covers.
This 556 horsepower Hemi is
equipped with a set of Mopar long tube headers and a high flow exhaust
system to help the 426cu engine breath, and for better flow at the
track, the Challenger 1320 features electric exhaust cutouts that open
to bypass the exhaust system. The power from the Hemi is sent through
a 6-speed manual transmission into a custom locking Dana 60 rear
differential, although Chrysler doesn’t mention what gears will be in
that Dana 60. Inside of the Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320, we expect to
find the bare essentials. The rear seat area, sound system, and center
console have been removed to keep the weight down, and a set of Dodge
Viper seats add comfort and class.
Stay tuned to the Detroit Autos Examiner for
complete 2009 SEMA Show coverage, including high resolution images of
this awesome concept the day that it is introduced to the world!
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From the Chrysler Group LLC statement:
Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 Image Vehicle: Exploring a Street-legal Drag Pak Challenger
The
Dodge Challenger 1320 began life as a Mopar Drag Pak Dodge Challenger.
The current Drag Pak option is a light-weight, stripped-down,
race-only, special-order version of the Dodge Challenger designed for
competitive drag racing.
For the street-legal design, Mopar’s design
team took the vehicle back to its roots with styling reminiscent of
vintage Mopar muscle, updated with today’s technology. The Dodge
Challenger 1320 image vehicle, named for the 1,320 feet on a
quarter-mile drag strip, features Mopar’s 426 cubic-inch, all-aluminum,
HEMI® V-8 crate engine that generates 556 horsepower. The engine is
equipped with unique Mopar-designed valve covers and a dress-up kit.
Mopar’s long-tube headers and exhaust system allow the cubic inches to
breathe. Electric cutouts allow the exhaust to bypass the muffler
system, which exits through custom side pipes for added rumble at the
dragstrip. Power is put to the ground via a six-speed manual
transmission through a custom Dynatrac rear housing with Mopar Dana 60
internals and a selectable, ARB locking differential. Mopar police
wheels, widened in the rear, are strapped with Nitto street-legal drag
radials to provide extra grip at launch. A four-corner, adjustable
coil-over kit is provided by Mopar as an option for the Dodge
Challenger. This system improves the handling of the vehicle under
extreme loads of 556 horsepower and 540 lb.-ft. of torque.
Following
Mopar’s high-impact color heritage, the design team layered the 1320 in
Acidic Hue, a non-metallic yellow paint and added matte black graphics.
The body is lightened with the following carbon-fiber components from
Mopar’s design team and Seibon:
• Bulged hood with HEMI scoop
• Front spoiler
• Grille panel/headlamp surround
The
interior is equipped with bare necessities–Dodge Viper seats, a sport
steering wheel and a Hurst shifter. The rear seat, center console and
radio have been removed in order to reduce vehicle weight and maintain
the 1320’s no-nonsense theme.
