Live Open Thread: The New Charger
Let's talk about the biggest news in a while. Open to everyone.
I’m sure there’s some sort of wacky Substack new feature that would be better for this purpose, but I’m going go old school. The new Charger will be released in about thirty minutes. If you want to talk about it today, let’s do it here. And we’re going to do comments in “new first” mode, so the discussion stays current.
Having seen the “leaked” images, here’s what I’m most interested in: Stellantis is forthrightly acknowledging that the outgoing “aero nose” Charger, introduced a full nine years ago, has become perhaps the iconic American-branded car in current production. This new vehicle doesn’t look like a “classic” Dukes Of Hazzard Charger, it looks like the Hoodville Hellcat.
When was the last time that an American automaker didn’t treat their previous model as a mistake to be sharply repudiated? Other than trucks, when have we gotten a continuity of style in a domestic vehicle?
It’s nearly impossible for me to care much about any EV, and today’s Charger is almost certainly going to be 100% EV. But if there really is a proper powertrain coming, then it’s important to pay attention to what we see today.
Last but not least, a funny photo from when Brother Bark and I rented the same car accidentally. Yes, we 40-rolled them.
Exhibit A of the near-limitless power of the current government: A public corporation abandoned a product whose design and tooling was paid off decades ago, yet was still responsible for printing money nearly at a rate to make a production manager at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing envious.
And this was done "willingly" to appease, and avoid punishment from, the Powers in Charge.
On another Charger article today, one guy called the fake engine sound 'Fartsonic.' I laughed so hard I almost shot a mini cinnamon roll out my nose.