American car manufacturer Dodge is a titan of the industry. The brand isn't really known for making cars for the average buyer or the daily commuter merely looking to get from point A to B. Furthermore, if one is a hard-core, ardent Dodge fan, chances are even the brand's own vehicles might not do the trick unless there's something that really sets them apart. Bearing in mind that there are always customers who want something truly special and unique, car companies do come out with special editions of their most popular models from time to time, and Dodge has been no different.
While Dodge has created some truly unique and memorable cars over its 122-year history, there have also been certain special-edition models that have gone down in history as the coolest ever. Unsurprisingly, when they came out, these models sold like hotcakes in the market. There are always unique and one-off elements in these special-edition models that cemented them in automotive history, an X-factor which justifies the 'special' in their name. That being said, let's take a look at the absolute coolest special edition cars that ever came off the Dodge assembly line.
10 2017 Dodge SRT Viper 1:28 Edition ACR
The Dodge Viper is one car that has set numerous road course records. One of the most incredibly successful cars for the Michigan-based carmaker, the Viper set the record on the Laguna Seca Raceway by mastering the track in a mere 1 minute 28 seconds during development.
Dodge commemorated this achievement with the special SRT Viper 1:28 Edition ACR, and this special edition of the Viper came with its own distinct flavor and features. It had distinct decals and the iconic Viper stripe that was now red and thick, with a smaller black stripe running through it. For the 28 seconds past the minute mark, it took for the Viper to cover the Laguna Seca, only 28 models were ever made, and each owner got to have their name painted on the driver's door as well.
9 1963 Dodge 330 Ramcharger
Dodge has been an indelible part of the muscle car segment in American automotive history. The segment itself has flourished for decades now, owing to the competitiveness among brands. Each car-maker, for decades now, has raced each other to make the lightest muscle car with the most massive engine, hoping their car is the one that reaches the 60 mph mark before the rest.
The 1963 Dodge 330 Ramcharger was no different. Over half a century ago, the 330 Ramcharger was blisteringly fast for its time, and the minute it hit the streets, it became an instant classic. Customers loved this special edition, and the fact that Dodge only launched 162 units of this car from their assembly line made it even more of a collector's car.
8 2006 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T
When Dodge decided a produce a new, limited-edition Charger in 2006, and announced this intention in 2005, fans went into a frenzy. This was all because of the name they decided to give this new Charger, harking back to the brand's racing days. The 2006 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T was announced at the Daytona International Speedway, during the Speed Week. The timing simply couldn't have been better.
With a unique front fascia with its distinct chin spoiler and a front grille with a blacked-out honeycomb design, the 2006 Charger Daytona R/T definitely called for attention. The car also had black Daytona and Hemi decals on the front and sides. The trunk lid came with a black spoiler that stood out in a good way, and signature heritage R/T badging made this special edition Charger the talk of the town.
7 1970 Dodge Challenger Trans Am
One of the rarest muscle cars out there and the dream of collectors and gearheads alike, the 1970 Dodge Charger Trans Am was actually released in 1969 and was engineered mainly for SCCA Trans-Am racing. While they were rated for 290 horsepower, it is estimated that the '70 Challenger T/A actually made 350 horsepower or more, with 345 lb-ft of torque.
Dodge bestowed this Challenger with the most gorgeous of styling, which truly makes it one of the best-looking cars ever. Sadly, the cost of developing this special-edition Trans Am was too much to justify, which led to its discontinuation. The limited number of these models makes it all the rarer today.
6 2010 Dodge Viper SRT10 Voodoo Edition
By the time 2010 rolled around, Dodge and customers alike were uncertain about what the future would hold for the Viper. The Gen IV models were getting older every day, and Dodge didn't seem to have any plans for their succession. 2010 was also a very low-production year, and only 500 Vipers came off the assembly line.
Dodge then chose to release a limited-edition Viper, which was a very rare lineup of merely 20 units. They dubbed this the Viper Voodoo edition. This special edition replicated the Viper which was housed in the head of FCA head Ralph Gilles' house. A lot of ACR tech and gear came together to form the Viper Voodoo edition, and the car was painted black, with gray and red pinstripes running along the body. This was one of the rarest, most special Dodge Vipers out there, and it looked the part.
5 Dodge Challenger Mopar V10 Drag Pak
Mopar, which used to be the parts and service division for FCA, used to churn out special editions of Dodge Challengers every once in a while. These special-edition Challengers were hand-built, with a lot of love going into crafting them specifically for one purpose. The Mopar Challengers were built to compete in the National Hot Rod Association's and the National Muscle Car Association's races.
Mopar packed these Challengers with massive V10 engines underneath, which, more often than not, also resulted in these Challengers not being road-legal. Nevertheless, they succeeded at their mission, which was to set fire to the drag strip. In 2021, the last Challenger Mopar V10 Drag Pack housed a supercharged 354 cubic-inch Hemi V8 engine, and even though it was rated at 630 horsepower, it likely produced over 1000 horses.
4 1968 Dodge Dart GTS 440
The compact Dodge Dart was launched in the twilight of the '60s, and with it, Dodge had one of the lightest muscle cars on its hands. Naturally, this also made it one of the fastest. However, despite coming with 340 or 283 cubic-inch V8 engine options, gearheads seemed to want more, and Dodge listened, leading to the birth of the GTS 440 edition of the Dodge Dart.
The car-maker only developed a handful of these special editions of the Dodge Dart, collaborating with Hurst Performance to fit in a 440 cubic-inch V8 power unit in the car. As a result, this spelled victory for the 440 GTS Dart in several NHRA races. Consequently, the 1968 Dodge Dart GTS 440 became a symbol of the need for speed that can never be satiated, and it remains a unique special edition in Dodge's history.
3 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee Hemi
Another extremely rare Dodge Charger, the Super Bee Hemi special-edition was originally made for the brand's Coronet model lineup. In 1971, though, Dodge moved it over to the Charger, since the Coronet stopped offering a two-door body model. With special equipment, exclusive livery and decals, and a 383 V8 engine, the '71 Dodge Charger Super Bee Hemi was a recipe for success.
It even came with a 426 Hemi as optional, which churned out 425 horsepower. With the 426 Hemi engine option, Dodge only ever made 22 Super Bees, making the car ultra-rare and one of the most collectible Dodge special-edition vehicles of all time.
2 1998 Dodge Viper GT2 Championship Edition
The Viper brought home so many victories and records for Dodge that it sprouted plenty of special editions. In fact, this is the third Viper on this list alone, which only goes to show just how special this car has been for Dodge. In 1997, the Viper GTS-R won the FIA GT2 championship, and Dodge decided to celebrate by bringing the race-only car onto the streets with a special edition street-legal model.
The color of the '97 Viper GT2 Championship Edition was white, with two blue stripes running down the middle, standing for the colors of the winning team. Dodge packed the special-edition car with all the decals of the racetrack model. They even went one step further and installed a five-point harness in the GT2 Championship edition to mimic the feeling of sitting in the actual race car, developing only 100 units of this special Viper.
1 Ram SRT10 Night Runner
The only pickup truck on this list, the Ram SRT10 Night Runner is without a doubt one of the most ridiculous pickup trucks to ever have come off the assembly line. As the name suggests, the Night Runner came with a Viper's power unit underneath its massive hood. This was, of course, an insane combination, since the engineers put a V10 engine from a supercar that made 500 horsepower, and fitted it into an RWD pickup.
The V10 engine in question was birthed in a joint effort by Chrysler and Lamborghini, mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. With only 9,500 units ever made, the Ram SRT10 Night Runner has even fewer numbers remaining functional today, and the truck is undoubtedly one of the most whimsical and insane vehicles Dodge ever produced.