The American car industry gave birth to some of the most breathtaking cars in the world. Ford revolutionized the manufacturing process in the first quarter of the 1900s. Years later, American car companies like Oldsmobile would start allocating their resources toward designing lighter cars with larger and more impressive engines.
Things changed since the release of the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 in 1949. In the late '60s and early '70s, the American muscle was unlike anything seen before. One of the most notorious nameplates in the domestic car scene is Dodge's mighty Charger. The Charger went through several transformations since 1966. One thing that never changes is the fact that the Charger was always equipped with some of the best iconic American V8 engines.
10 1966 Dodge Charger
The very first Dodge Charger was made available to the public in 1966. The Charger shared the Chrysler's B platform with other Mopars such as the four-door and station wagons under the Plymouth brand. The very first Charger was meant to compete directly with AMC's Rambler Marlin. Dodge clearly won that fight.
The 1966 Dodge Charger is one of those iconic classic American from the '60s. Unlike most new nameplates, the Charger did not have to go through trial and error. The muscle car was destined to be a bully on and off the track. Dodge offered the four-barrel 426 cu in Street Hemi V8 rated at 425 hp at 5,000 rpm and 490 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm for its new Charger. Only 468 Chargers with the 426 were made in 1966.
9 1968 Dodge Charger R/T 500
Dodge released the second-generation Charger only two years after the introduction of the nameplate. The updated Charger offered a body made for racing. Dodge was determined to build a car that would beat Ford and Chevrolet in NASCAR. The regular Chargers were great, but Dodge needed something with bigger muscles.
Extremely similar to the normal Charger R/T of the same year, the Charger 500 was built in limited numbers. Only 392 Charger 500s rolled off Dodge's assembly lines. Out of that number, only 20 came with the 426 engine. The rest of them came with Chryslers' 440 cu in RB V8 rated at 375 hp at 4,600 rpm and 480 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. Despite being remarkable, the Charger 500 was no match to Ford's and Mercury's cars.
8 1969 Dodge Charger Hemi Daytona
Despite being a terrific car, the Charger R/T 500 failed to perform in NASCAR. To add insult to injury, Dodge's number 1 driver at the time left Dodge and started driving for Ford. As Dodge faced multiple failures in NASCAR during the second half of the '60s, the carmaker worked on designing a freak of nature that would end this streak of bad luck.
The head-turning Charger Hemi Daytona was meant to beat the competition on an oval track. Dodge made only 503 Daytonas in 1969. Out of that number, 70 were equipped with Chrysler's 426 Hemi. The other 433 Daytonas received Chrysler's 440 cu in RB V8. Though less powerful, the 440-powered Daytona is a sought-after collectible, just like the 426 Daytona.
7 1970 Dodge Charger R/T SE
The second-generation Charger is gorgeous. Dodge offered a couple of variations for the second-gen's last year. In 1970, the Charger's look completely changed thanks to a handful of alterations. What resulted was a mean muscle car that packs enough power to shut down any critics. The 1970 Dodge Charger is still perceived as the greatest Charger ever made.
The 1970 Dodge Charger R/T SE is one of the best classic American cars that defined an era. On top of being pleasing to the eye, the Charger R/T SE also received a variety of engines ranging in power output from 375 to 425 hp. It is fair to say that the 1970 Dodge Charger R/T SE is the last great classic Charger.
6 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee
Dodge offered a revisited Charger for 1971. The third-generation Charger is easily recognizable by its split and chromed front grille. Usually forgotten by car fans, the third-generation Charger looks tamer than its predecessor. The 1971 Charger makes up for its lack of physical aggressiveness with outstanding options and packages.
In 1971, the most valuable package for the Charger was the Super Bee. Dodge made four trim levels with engines ranging from 383 cu in to 440 cu in. The smallest engine developed 275 hp at 5,000 rpm and 340 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. The most powerful engine, the 426, developed 425 hp at 5,000 rpm and 490 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. The production of the Super Bee only lasted one year.
5 1972 Dodge Charger Rallye
1972 was an odd year for the domestic car industry. Formerly great cars were showing signs of fatigue. It was the first symptom of what was about to come. It is fair to say that the golden age of the American car ended in 1972. That year, Dodge offered a version of the Charger that would keep muscle heads happy.
The 1972 Dodge Charger Rallye is the replacement of the Charger R/T. Dodge removed the 426 Hemi from its catalog. The Charger Rallye was offered with engines ranging from 318 to 440 cu in. The entry-level Rallye claimed a disappointing 150 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The top-line 440 cu in V8 developed 330 hp at 4,800 rpm410 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. This would be the last great Charger made for a long time.
4 1987 Shelby Charger GLHS
The state of the American industry during the 1980s was appalling. Domestic car companies were being attacked on every front. Leftovers of the malaise era combined with the invasion of import cars prevented American carmakers from counter-attacking. Things were so bad that Dodge's second most popular car, the Challenger, ended up becoming a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant Lambda.
Gearheads tend to forget that Dodge brought back the Charger in 1981. Unlike the Challenger, the Charger kept its all-American identity. In 1983, a collaboration between Shelby and Dodge led to the creation of the Dodge Shelby Charger. A couple of years later, Shelby revisited the Shelby Charger. The Charger GLHS comes with a turbocharged and intercooled 2.2-liter inline-four engine that develops 175 hp at 5,300 rpm and 175 lb-ft of torque at 2,200 rpm. About 1,000 GLHSs were made.
3 2008 Dodge Charger SRT-8 Super Bee
When Dodge brought back the Charger in 2005, muscle heads everywhere were wondering if it was some kind of joke. The Charger went from being a two-door coupe to becoming a sedan. Most gearheads were furious. Dodge had several tricks up its sleeve to get car fans to love the Charger. Its main trick was to offer trim levels that had not been seen in decades.
The sixth-generation Charger quickly became popular among piston heads when the R/T and SRT-8 trim levels were announced. In 2007, Dodge brought back the Super Bee package, based on the SRT-8. The SRT-8 comes with a 6.1-liter that pumps out 425 hp at 6,000 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. Only 1,000 2008 Dodge Charger SRT-8 Super Bee in metallic blue were made in 2008.
2 2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Daytona Hellcat 50th Anniversary Edition
The muscle car scene was in a pitiful state throughout the '90s and early 2000s. Compared to European sports cars of the same era, American muscle cars were laughable. Things started changing in the mid-2000s. Muscle cars across the board got more powerful and stylish. Dodge decided to go all out when it released its Hellcat series.
Hellcats took over the muscle car scene like a tsunami. Following their success, Dodge maintained Hellcat-powered cars in its lineup. For 2020, Dodge offered a limited 50th Anniversary Edition for a handful of lucky petrol heads. The 501 Charger 50th Anniversary Editions come with the supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 factory rated at 717 hp at 6,100 rpm and 650 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. The Dodge Charger Daytona Hellcat is one of the best American cars for performance and comfort.
1 2022 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak
The latest Dodge Chargers are very popular for obvious reasons. They are fairly affordable and pack an insane amount of power. It is fair to assume that Hellcats that did not end up getting wrecked will be worth a sizable chunk of money in the future. Regular Hellcats are amazing, but these Jailbreaks are likely to earn the number 1 spot.
The Charger Hellcat Redeye is a serious monster. With a power output of 797 hp, the Redeye is more powerful than several supercars sold on the market. Dodge upped the ante by offering the Jailbreak package for the Redeye. The package includes a power increase from 797 to 807 hp — far more power than most Hellcat owners can handle.