The 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack. |
When the 1972 models were introduced a month later, the party was over, Thanks to a double-whammy of emissions regulations and insurance surcharges, the Hemi was dead and the most muscle a Challenger could muster was 240 horsepower from a 340-cubic inch V8.
Instantly, anything prior to that moment was regarded as "The Golden Age of Muscle Cars".
We were right, for a while. Turns out we just had a 45-year intermission. In fact, the 60s and 70s were just a warm-up by comparison.
The 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack. |
2016 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack instrument display. |
$37,995 is all it costs to access that kind of brute power. That's about $6,000 in 1971 dollars...which is about $2,000 more than the base price of a '71 Hemi Challenger...but for that, you get a well-equipped, fully-realized car, not a bare-bones stripper with a big engine.
Standard equipment: Active exhaust, Brembo 4-piston high-performance brakes, a Bilstein high-performance suspension, sport mode, electronic stability control, all speed traction control, hill start assist, rain brake support, ready alert braking, rear parking assist, a backup camera, keyless entry and start, a theft deterrent system, a 7-inch display with Uconnect, and a six-speaker, 276-watt AM/FM/SiriusXM audio system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity.
There's also integrated voice command, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, a tilt/telescoping steering column, dual-zone automatic temperature control, a six-way power driver's seat with four-way power lumbar adjustment, bright pedals, 20-inch polished aluminum wheel with black pockets, all-season performance tires, automatic projector headlamps, projector fog lamps, a Scat Pack 6.4 L fender badge on either side of the car, dual rear exhausts with bright tips, a satin black rear spoiler, satin chrome grille and a bright fuel filler door with that oh-so-cool 1970s Chrysler font spelling "FUEL".
2016 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack seats embossed with the Scat Pack logo. |
Our tester only had four options, the Interior/Exterior Scat Pack Appearance Group (a satin black fuel filler door, gloss black grille, high-intensity discharge headlamps, a Scat Pack bumblebee stripe, Scat Pack premium floor mats, and a performance steering whee) for $1,195, UConnect Nav with GPS Navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM NavTraffic and SiriusXM Travel Link for $795, 20-inch Hyper Black II forged aluminum wheels for $1,095 and the TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters for $1,400.
Remarkably, the combination of the 6.4 Hemi and the eight-speed automatic keep the fuel economy in reasonable territory for the performance....an EPA-estimated 15 city/25 highway (which is only one mile per gallon less in the city and the same in the highway as the 5.7-liter R/T the Phoenix bureau tested last year...and that engine packs 109 fewer horsepower).
All told, with $995 destination charge, our Challenger R/T Scat Pack rang in at $43,475. There are many lesser cars out there for much more money. This may be the sweet spot in the 10-model Challenger lineup. And it won't surprise me if 45 years from now, someone who's getting their learner's permit now ends up writing about it.