2006 Dodge Charger

When it came to cars last year, Chrysler sizzled while others fizzled. Chrysler was the only one of the Big Three to gain market share in passenger cars in 2004. Sales for the brand rose 36 percent, largely on the strength of the classy 300 sedan and the high profile Hemi V-8. It's been quieter on the Dodge side, though they've made some noise with Magnum, the car that gave people a reason to get excited about station wagons.


Now, Dodge looks to keep the fires stoked with the roll-out of a four door to replace the outgoing Intrepid. The name they chose for their new sedan is as interesting as when it was named. Dodge dusted off one of its most revered badges from the musclecar era—Charger—for this new 2006. But, the name came late in the game—after the car was substantially complete—and that's key. Dodge makes it clear that this is a new interpretation of their stylish, '60s coupe. Call it muscle for the new millennium, call it a reincarnation, but don't call it retro.

The rear haunches are beefy; the decklid ends with a slight, upturned lip.

Of course, any old gearhead could tell you that this is no retro car, and they'd start by counting doors. The four portals on the new Dodge are exactly two more than you ever found on classic '60s muscle cars like the original Charger. Why four doors? Dodge reasons that most potential buyers either don't know the old school two door tenet, or they don't care. We are mostly a nation of four doors these days, even some performance cars (consider the "pocket rocket" segment of subcompact street burners). Also, those old enough to remember the two door tenet are now of an age where they also have to appreciate the four door factor—the older one gets, the less inclined one is to squirm past the front seat to get in or out of the back. Another consideration is sales. Big two doors are perennially slow movers in the showroom, a fact that has more to do with practicality than pizzazz. Finally, when you go retro, you run the risk of painting yourself into a corner. For example: if Dodge had styled the 2006 Charger as a tribute to their classic, 1968 models, what would they do next year? Design a '69?


The new Charger most closely resembles its brother Magnum and Dodge's corporate DNA is visible from all angles. Up front, angled headlamps squint down on either side of the crosshair grille. Alongside, wheel wells are tightly pulled over rolling stock. The car's beltline gradually drops as it runs from north to south along the body, and the rounded roofline curves coupe-like before merging with the abbreviated rear hatch and steeply angled hindquarter. The rear haunches are beefy; the decklid ends with a slight, upturned lip. It's a strong shape, and one that all seem to agree looks better live than in pictures.

Charger seats five, with comfortable, six-footer room in front and back.

A big shape too—and that size pays benefits inside the new Dodge. The tale of the tape shows that Charger stretches 200.1 inches over a 120-inch wheelbase, and tips the scales anywhere from 3,727 to 4,031 lbs depending on just how much bling you can spring for. Charger seats five, with comfortable, six-footer room in front and back. Row two seats spilt and fold forward, adding cargo carrying options to the generously sized (16.2 cubic feet) trunk.