2014 Dodge Charger and Challenger Celebrate 100 Years of Dodge

One hundred years after the Dodge boys—brothers John and Horace—first starting building their own cars, the brand that still bears their name will launch special 100th Anniversary Editions of the 2014 Dodge Charger and 2014 Dodge Challenger. According to Tim Kuniskis, president and CEO of Dodge, the two were chosen for the honor because: “The Dodge Charger and Challenger are the perfect foundation to celebrate 100 years of Dodge style and performance. Over the last century, the Dodge brand has seen its biggest success when we’ve combined head-turning designs with ingenious engineering and world-class performance. These two iconic muscle cars do all of that and more. They represent the Dodge brand’s heart and soul.”

Providing some context for Kuniskis’ claims, both the Charger and Challenger have realized plenty of sales success already this year: The 2014 Dodge Charger is coming off an October sales performance in which its deliveries jumped by 60 percent, while the Challenger pushed deliveries up by 21 percent last month; on a year-to-date basis, sales of the former are up by 19 percent, while the latter was ahead of last year’s pace by 26 percent at the end of October.

The two new variants of the 2014 Dodge Charger and Challenger will be looking to continue that momentum—and kick off the brand’s next century—by offering …

2014 Dodge Charger 100th Anniversary Edition

The century-celebrating 2014 Dodge Charger will be orderable in either SXT Plus or R/T Plus configurations, with the major differences being the powertrains. It’s the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 for the Charger SXT Plus, providing 305 hp and up to 31 mpg in highway driving, and the R/T Plus packs a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 that develops 375 horses and 395 lb.-ft. of torque, and runs the 0-60 sprint in under six seconds. Both naturally offer the Chrysler Group’s advanced eight-speed automatic transmission, too.

The 100th Anniversary Package—priced at $2,200—can then be ordered in a choice of eight exterior colors, including a model-specific High Octane Red Pearl Coat, and the car rides on 20-inch polished five-spoke aluminum wheels that are themselves complemented by Granite Crystal pockets. Granite Crystal also highlights the car’s grille, with some nifty retro badges in the mix as well.

In the cabin, according to the brand, “designers were inspired by the rich history of Dodge and sought to outfit the interior with premium attributes that reflect the patina and machinist legacy of John and Horace Dodge.”

Helping matters are heated Nappa leather seats available in either Foundry Black or a newly introduced Molten Red, with either choice boasting an exclusive overprint graphic design. Brass-colored accent stitching adds to the industrial flavor of the cockpit, and other interior enhancements include:

• The automaker’s Uconnect infotainment/connectivity system with an 8.4-inch screen (showing an anniversary-themed startup image) and premium audio from Beats by Dr. Dre
• An exclusive flat-bottomed steering wheel that also hosts die-cast paddle shifters
• Die-cast “Dodge Est. 1914” badging and anniversary embroidery
• Revised instrument panel/gauge cluster graphics, with the speedometer’s “100” mark picked out in in red

Buyers of the 2014 Dodge Charger 100th Anniversary Edition also will be presented with a celebratory owner’s package that features goodies like special-edition key fobs and a “100 Years of Dodge” commemorative book.

2014 Dodge Challenger 100th Anniversary Edition

Following the same template set out by the 2014 Dodge Charger, the Challenger will celebrate the brand’s centennial by offering limited-edition models in both SXT Plus and R/T Plus trims, deploying either the 31-mpg Pentastar V6 or the 370-hp HEMI V8. The Challenger also gets many of the same package improvements as the anniversary version of the 2014 Dodge Charger, including:

• Exterior finishes in Molten Red, Pitch Black, Bright White, Billet Silver, Granite Crystal, Ivory Tri-Coat, Phantom Black Tri-Coat, or Header Orange
• A “machine look” cabin with performance steering wheel, anniversary accents, and exclusive graphics
• Five-spoke 20-inch aluminum wheels with a polished finish and Granite Crystal pockets
• The customized owner’s kit with 100th Anniversary key fobs and exclusive book

However, there are some differences between the packages for the 2014 Dodge Charger and Challenger. For example, the Challenger showcases a different premium audio system, in this case a 368-watt setup by Boston Acoustics, and it also adds “Challenger” sill plates and a bright pedal kit from the Chrysler Group’s after-service brand, Mopar. In addition, its transmission choices include either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic (with the die-cast paddle shifters), with both assisted by a performance-tuned suspension and “sport” driving modes.

The pricing is a bit different as well, with the MSRP of the Anniversary Edition package for the Challenger set $300 higher, at $2,500.