The All-New 2011 Dodge Charger: Current Information and Rumors

The 2011 Dodge Charger four door sedan will be made in Brampton alongside the 300C, Alfa Romeo 169, the Challenger, and a Lancia 4-door sedan. Substantial revisions may need to be made due to the Daimler situation; Daimler has apparently been holding some components for the Grand Cherokee as a negotiating chip, and plans to change the automatic transmissions for the Charger may be voided to keep key Daimler parts flowing. Alternatively, Chrysler could, at no small cost, delay introductions of new products and engineer out any trace of the former owners.

Flashes of the Charger are expected to be shown in the Dodge Super Bowl advertisement.

(The lead photo is from the Five Year Plan and may or may not be the Charger. Jeff Tramontano pointed it out.)

The production launch is scheduled for late November 2010, the same time as the refreshed 2011 Challenger. The official unveiling will take place sometime in 2010. Pilots were built in late 2009 for the usual crash-testing, ride and handling tuning, HVAC tuning and testing, and testing of the new Pentastar V6. Pilot models with the new 6.4L engine are expected to be built during the 1st quarter of 2010.

The W5A580 5-speed automatic will be the only transmission offered when the 2011 Charger is launched. Two rumors are currently floating — one that a ZF-designed, joint-venture-built eight-speed automatic will eventually join the fleet, and one that Chrysler is working on or licensing a seven-speed variant of the W5A580. The latter would presumably be less disruptive and require fewer tooling changes and less training of dealer mechanics, and would presumably share many parts and require less of the electronics people.

Spy shots floating around in December 2009 imply that the grille has been restyled and enlarged, with the crossing of the crosshairs moved forward; while the greenhouse has been smoothed out (cutting drag?). The curve from front to rear has been made more curvacious, moving up at the front fenders, which seem to bulge out. In back, the tail lights appear to follow the Challenger's style more. The cars roaming the streets of Detroit are heavily camouflaged.

The Charger in this photo was, in the summer of 2009, believed to be remarkably accurate with regard to the sides and hood. The drawing at the top of the page was based on revised information.

Sergio Marchionne indicated that Chrysler was seeking a vendor to replace the expensive Mercedes automatic transmissions currently used in the LX and rumored to be in the original 2011 plans. This appears to be a long term plan, though.

Aerodynamics. The Charger will be less boxy, to improve noise and gas mileage; Styling now reports to Engineering’s Frank Klegon, and aerodynamics has taken a more advanced position.

Fuel efficiency. Expect modified axle ratios, made more practical by the greater power from the V6 and V8 alike. All-around performance is to go up; the revised V6 and the 6.4 Hemi will make this possible. (Possible weight reductions and/or aerodynamic changes could help 5.7 Hemi performance as well.)

Pentastar V6 engine (née Phoenix Engine). The 3.6 liter will pump out at least 280 hp with better mileage than the current 250 hp 3.5 liter — more quietly than the Toyota V6. The restructuring plan tells us it will reach at least 25 mpg highway. A turbocharged and twin-turbo V6 will be made, but might or might not be in the Charger. The 3.6 will gain Fiat’s MultiAir and was already slated for direct injection.

More gears in the transmission: an eight-speed is being studied, but one source has the five-speeds continuing. We’re betting on the five-speed with either engine; the eight-speed doesn't seem to add much benefit but might be swapped in later regardless, to help with marketing and avoid dependence on Mercedes.

Better interiors. The next generation will set a new standard, going up against the best sedans.

Comfort features. New entertainment systems and driver comfort options will appear - no surprises there.

SRT-8s were expected to eventually use a production version of the 392 (6.4) Hemi with about 450-475 hp and MDS for better gas mileage. This appears to be in the works. Some estimates of power have gone up t0 500 hp but this is likely higher than production cars would produce.

The LY was to be used as the basis for three Mercedes classes: E, CLS, and R (starting in 2010-2012), when Daimler still owned Chrysler. We don’t know that status of that deal.

The next generation Charger is expected to merge the styling of the current version with a more classic look from the famous 1968 Chargers, one of the most stylish vehicles ever built. We expect that most of the “look” will be based on the current Charger rather than the 1968s. The official image shows a faux-Coke-bottle side view, with integrated front tail-light but separate rear tail-light. Note that it will be more different from the 300C; and that the following illustration is not based on rumors or speculation or personal knowledge.

The Challenger convertible is on indefinite hold; a Chrysler rep asserted that the 2010 and 2011 Challengers are both in the “definite” category, with the 2010 getting “certain” changes. The Chrysler 200C will provide a stablemate with the same wheelbase.

“Dodgeguy1961” reported the following engine list in early 2009; the diesel may or may not be sold in North America.

• 3.0 liter Phoenix V6 (possibly for export)
• 3.0 liter Mercedes turbodiesel V6 — same as current version
• 3.6 liter Phoenix V6 — around 280 hp
• 5.7 liter Hemi MDS/VCT — around 340-360 hp
• 6.4 liter Hemi (SRT) — we’d guess around 400-440 hp

Transmissions were up in the air. A Mercedes five-speed automatic appears to be standard at launch, as with the Grand Cherokee; a better automatic was discussed for fuel economy reasons, but gas prices have fallen, and agreements with Daimler require the Mercedes automatic.

In August 2009, “o4major97” wrote:

I may have been behind a “new” Charger this morning, on the beltway in Alexandria VA. The Charger in front of me looked very different. The tail only had the word Charger, it had round taillights and slanted from outside to inside back up lights. The trunk lid also was more rounded where it meets the bumper. It took off before I could get a look at the front or side. It had Michigan plates and an extra antenna with a cord running inside the door.

Other Dodge Charger pages at Allpar

General	Engines	Variants
Classic Dodge Chargers	New Hemi	Dodge Charger squad cars
2011 Dodge Chargers	426 Hemi	Charger Daytonas: 180 mph
2006-2010 Dodge Charger	440 Six-Pack	Australian Valiant Chargers
Dodge and Plymouth at NASCAR	318	South American Valiant Chargers
Classic Charger creation story	383	Dodge Omni Chargers
Charger birthday party	440	Magnum (Charger SE)
Charger Sidelights	Other Engines	1999 Dodge Charger R/T
Charger forums	Torqueflite	Dodge Charger model review

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