60's muscle cars were all about flash and performance, but some were certainly faster than others. Although the 1968 Dodge Charger 0-60 time was good for a car of its type, it had other qualities that have ensured its elevation to classic status. Chief among these were its eye-catching looks. Car and Driver magazine praised its "sensuous brute appeal" and described its styling to be some of the most dramatic ever to come out of Detroit.
The car's new look was the most obvious improvement when compared to its immediate predecessor. The semi-fastback design was low, long and sinuous, and made a bold statement about the taste and discernment of its driver. The motoring public recognized serious cool when they saw it and wasted no time in turning it into a runaway success.
Chrysler's management had expected sales to be in the region of 20,000, but were surprised by sales that went on to hit over 96,000. Production at the main Dodge plant in Michigan had to be increased three times over to keep up with demand. The company also introduced a special Charger production line at their St Louis plant to add even more capacity.
Stylistically, the Charger may have been a trend-setter, but mechanically it was standard Chrysler. It's base engine was the 318 cubic inch V8, supplemented by 383 and 440 cubic inch V8s. In addition, Chrysler's famous 426 cubic inch hemi was also available. This semi-race engine was largely hand built and was thus only of interest to a relative handful of customers. Just 467 were made in total.
More popular with buyers was the performance variant known as the R/T. This option pack introduced for the 1968 model featured a more powerful version of the 440 V8, uprated brakes and suspension, beefier tires and a double exhaust. By the end of the model year, R/T sales had accounted for fully one fifth of total production.
With 17 exterior and 6 interior colors to choose from, customers had plenty of scope for personalization when ordering their new car. They could also add a vinyl roof and choose between floor or column-mounted transmission selectors. The cabin featured a bench seat at the rear and bucket seats up front. These were criticized however by road testers who complained about their uprightness and limited range of adjustment.
Chrysler Corp management were reluctant to spoil a winning formula for the 1969 model year, so the design was carried over largely unchanged. Minor changes were made to the exterior, most notably a horizontal chrome strip that adorned the grill. Engine options were carried over unchanged, although a 6-cylinder model was added to the range. This proved unpopular, with only 500 sold out of total production of 69,000.
The 1970 car was also only slightly modified from the previous two years, the first significant re-design coming in the 1971 model year. This car was all-new and was lighter and shorter than its predecessors. It's sales (helped by a new lower base price) were strong and topped 82,000 units. This car did however mark the end of the performance era for the Charger, subsequent versions were largely emasculated by federal safety and emissions regulations.
The car's new look was the most obvious improvement when compared to its immediate predecessor. The semi-fastback design was low, long and sinuous, and made a bold statement about the taste and discernment of its driver. The motoring public recognized serious cool when they saw it and wasted no time in turning it into a runaway success.
Chrysler's management had expected sales to be in the region of 20,000, but were surprised by sales that went on to hit over 96,000. Production at the main Dodge plant in Michigan had to be increased three times over to keep up with demand. The company also introduced a special Charger production line at their St Louis plant to add even more capacity.
Stylistically, the Charger may have been a trend-setter, but mechanically it was standard Chrysler. It's base engine was the 318 cubic inch V8, supplemented by 383 and 440 cubic inch V8s. In addition, Chrysler's famous 426 cubic inch hemi was also available. This semi-race engine was largely hand built and was thus only of interest to a relative handful of customers. Just 467 were made in total.
More popular with buyers was the performance variant known as the R/T. This option pack introduced for the 1968 model featured a more powerful version of the 440 V8, uprated brakes and suspension, beefier tires and a double exhaust. By the end of the model year, R/T sales had accounted for fully one fifth of total production.
With 17 exterior and 6 interior colors to choose from, customers had plenty of scope for personalization when ordering their new car. They could also add a vinyl roof and choose between floor or column-mounted transmission selectors. The cabin featured a bench seat at the rear and bucket seats up front. These were criticized however by road testers who complained about their uprightness and limited range of adjustment.
Chrysler Corp management were reluctant to spoil a winning formula for the 1969 model year, so the design was carried over largely unchanged. Minor changes were made to the exterior, most notably a horizontal chrome strip that adorned the grill. Engine options were carried over unchanged, although a 6-cylinder model was added to the range. This proved unpopular, with only 500 sold out of total production of 69,000.
The 1970 car was also only slightly modified from the previous two years, the first significant re-design coming in the 1971 model year. This car was all-new and was lighter and shorter than its predecessors. It's sales (helped by a new lower base price) were strong and topped 82,000 units. This car did however mark the end of the performance era for the Charger, subsequent versions were largely emasculated by federal safety and emissions regulations.
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