Some of the Coolest Dodge Concepts Ever

1994 Dodge Venom

Dodge built the swoopy looking Venom using its cab-forward design language of the time. The Venom had a 260-horsepower, 3.5-liter overhead cam V6 for power, a rear wheel drive layout, and it weighed in at a svelte 2,700 pounds. Amazingly enough, this Miata-esque two-seater was built on a Neon platform, converted to rear wheel drive. The result was a great looking, rather quick (with a claimed 5.2 second 0-60 time) compact sports coupe. Unfortunately, there was not a business case to be made for developing the unique platform this would have needed to see production.

1997 Dodge Copperhead

in 1997 Dodge tried its hand at sports cars again with the Copperhead, built to emulate affordable, compact, and fun roadsters like the Austin Healey of old, and the modern Miata. The sleek little concept utilized the same traditional layout as all classic roadsters - front engine, rear drive, and two seats - borrowing heavily from the Plymouth Prowler platform. Power comes from an aluminum block 2.7-liter DOHC V6 producing 220hp, and that distinctive front end styling (along with the snakeskin tire tread pattern) comes from - you guessed it - a copperhead snake. Unfortunately, Dodge already had the Viper, and management didn't think there was a case for a second cheaper two-seater that was so similar in size.

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2002 Dodge Dakota M-80

The M-80 was a compact pickup with some obvious Jeep and Power Wagon influence, but it was also designed with functionality in mind. The M-80 had flip open rear cab glass to extend the load length, numerous tie downs compatible with all sorts of racks, and a durable interior with water repelling material. The center console could be removed and used as a cooler, and even the seats were easily removable for outdoor use. Weighing in at only 2,500 pounds, the little pickup promised to be fun to drive as well, with 210 hp 3.7-liter V6 under the hood. Alas, the American truck market only seems interested in bigger and bigger trucks, so this never got made.

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2003 Dodge Tomahawk

When then-Chrysler COO Wolfgang Bernhard rode the Tomahawk out onto the stage at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show, every single jaw in attendance hit the ground. Perhaps the most insane concept vehicle ever produced, the Tomahawk was essentially just a Viper V-10 with wheels at either end and a seat on top. The bike has 4 wheels, all independently suspended, yet leans into corners like a bike through complex engineering and black magic. Amazingly, nine functional Tomahawk replicas were actually built and sold through the Neiman Marcus catalog. But they aren't street legal, and Chrysler recommended that owners simply admire them as works of art rather than actually ride them.

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SRT Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo

Now to another concept named Tomahawk... While it doesn't actually wear a Dodge badge, this virtual racecar is designed by the designers of the Dodge/SRT division of FCA. Designed as FCA's contribution to the Gran Turismo racing video game, the SRT concept features a hypothetical 7.0-L 144-degree V10 engine that can produce a between 693 HP and an insane 2586 HP with the X version. It also features some crazy active aero elements to aid the gamers' virtual on-track experience. 

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2004 Dodge Razor

The little Dodge Razor was an enthusiast's dream - a compact coupe with rear wheel drive, a six-speed manual transmission, and the turbocharged 2.4-liter engine straight out of the beloved Neon SRT-4. With 250 horsepower and little weight to push around, the Razor hit 60 miles per hour in less than six seconds, with a top speed of over 140 miles per hour. There were no frills on the Razor, either - no power windows, radio, or leather seats. Just a pure driving experience, one that sadly never came to fruition.

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1999 Dodge Charger R/T

Unlike most of our cool Dodge concept cars, some elements from the well-received 1999 Charger R/T concept actually made it to the production of the Intrepid, but the engine - a 4.7-liter V8 - wasn't among them. Ultimately, quite a few changes would have been needed to make this Charger on the Chrysler LH platform, which was only ever sold in V6 front wheel drive versions. Amazingly, some styling elements of this concept can actually be seen in the current Charger. The body-side character line and the window graphic are almost identical to those on the current generation of the 7th-gen Dodge Charger that went into production in 2010.

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1965 Dodge A100 Deora

The Deora was a highly stylized Dodge A100 pickup truck, but it technically wasn't built by Dodge. The designer was Harry Bentley Bradley, formerly of GM but then with Hot Wheels, and it was built by The Alexander Brothers, who also built the Beach Boy's Little Deuce Coupe. Rather, the squatty and sleek van/truck was such a sensation that Dodge embraced it once they saw it, and leased the Deora for two years so it could make its rounds on the auto show circuit. The Deora went on to win a ton of design awards, become an AMT model kit, and one of the first Hot Wheels cars ever produced life-size.

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