The ‘Coke bottle’ styling remains, although it’s less pronounced than before, and there are now large scallops along the body sides. Continuing the theme, the aluminium bonnet also features dual scallops which replace the single air intake of the previous version.
Like the recently revealed 2011 Durango, the Charger also gets the new-style Dodge crosshair grille. But it’s around the back that the most striking change has taken place, an array of LED tail lights which is designed to accentuate the wide stance of the car.
Interior quality was an area where the old generation Charger didn’t score too highly. Bravely, though, Dodge is saying that ‘premium’ and ‘world class’ materials have been used inside the 2011 model. Less bravely, though, it hasn’t released any interior images yet - a strange tactic that was also deployed when the updated Durango was first unveiled.
In a further effort to enhance refinement, Dodge engineers spent a lot of time improving the sound quality within the Charger’s cabin. This was achieved by isolating wind, engine and road noise, together with other measures that included injecting the body cavities with silencing foam and fitting dual-pane acoustic glass to the windscreen and front doors. As a result, the bold claim is that the Charger will now stand comparison against the best in its class.
In SE and Rallye spec the 2011 Charger is powered by a new 3.6 litre Pentastar engine, while the R/T gets the familiar 5.7 litre Hemi V8. All-wheel drive is also available for the R/T, and the system features front axle disconnect. That basically means the car remains rear-wheel drive until extra traction is needed, at which point the AWD system kicks in automatically.
There is a faint glimmer of hope that the Charger could make it across to Europe, as Fiat’s 2010-2014 business plan said of Dodge that ‘Outside of the US, only models consistent with the strong American image of the brand, such as the Challenger, Charger and Viper, will be distributed.’
If the car is as good as Dodge says it is, it would be a shame if it wasn’t exported. Ominously though, the launch of the 2011 Charger coincides with the company ceasing to offer cars in the UK. The Journey, which was the only model still being sold here, has just been withdrawn.
In North America, the 2011 Dodge Charger will go on sale during the fourth quarter of 2010. Pricing has yet to be confirmed.
