Dodge believes the golden age of performance cars is now, thus reintroduces the brand’s two famed, race-bred nameplates — the new 2017 Challenger T/A and Charger Daytona, muscle cars that deliver even more performance and precision to the naturally aspirated HEMI V-8 lineup with unique powertrain induction and exhaust enhancements, chassis upgrades for greater handling and braking, plus functional performance styling appointments inside and out.
The new 2017 Dodge Challenger T/A and Charger Daytona models are available with the 6.4-liter “392” HEMI V-8 naturally aspirated 485-horsepower engine, or the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 with up to 375 horsepower with the all-new electronically controlled active performance exhaust system. Production for both Challenger and Charger models will begin this fall with Charger Daytona models available for order in September, followed by Challenger T/A models this October.
New 2017 Dodge Challenger T/A models
Initially built for the Sports Car Club of America’s (SCCA) Trans Am racing series in 1970 with only 2,399 ever built, and considered one of the most sought after muscle cars of all time, the new 2017 Dodge Challenger T/A model lineup builds on this legacy with three track-capable models loaded with unique appointments and performance hardware – Challenger T/A, Challenger T/A Plus and the Challenger T/A 392.
Challenger T/A
For drivers who want to be a part of the Dodge T/A legacy, the new 2017 Challenger T/A builds on the standard content of the 375-horsepower Challenger R/T model, adding functional performance hardware, which includes the new “Air Catcher” headlamps with LED-illuminated T/A logos; an all-new 2.75-inch electronically controlled active performance exhaust system; and 1-inch wider 20 x 9-inch Mopar lightweight forged-aluminum wheels finished in Hyper Black II.
The Super Track Pak is added for a full complement of race-bred chassis upgrades, including a 0.5-inch lowered suspension, high-performance Bilstein shock absorbers, performance brake linings, three-mode electronic stability control (ESC) calibration with “full off” and high-performance Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. The Tremec six-speed manual is standard, while the innovative TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission is available and includes Sport mode with paddle shifters, plus Fuel Saver Technology with four-cylinder mode and interactive Decel Fuel Shut Off (iDFSO).
Challenger T/A Plus
Expanding on the Super Track Pak’s capability, the Challenger T/A Plus adds a shortcut button to the Dodge Performance Pages embedded in the class-exclusive and all-new Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen fourth-generation radio, which provides visible performance information, such as a programmable shift light indicator, reaction time, 0-100 times, G-force indicator and lap times in the 7-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) customizable cluster display. This new Uconnect system also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to further smartphone integration.
Challenger T/A 392
The new Challenger T/A 392 ups-the-ante with its best-in-class 485 horsepower and 644Nm of torque, delivering up to 113 more horsepower and a 102Nm leap in torque compared with the 5.7-liter Challenger T/A models, representing more than a 30 percent jump in horsepower and 18 percent jump in torque. The coupe’s best-in-class power enables it to turn mid 4-second 0-100 km/h times and low 12-second quarter mile times.
The new 2017 Dodge Challenger T/A 392 model has a starting U.S. MSRP of $43,995 (excluding gas-guzzler tax).