Dodge goes back to 1970 with ‘Plum Crazy’ paint for the Challenger and Charger

By Stephen Edelstein Published August 12, 2015

In the early 1970s, Dodge muscle cars were known not just for their powerful engines and super-cool styling, but also for their iconic paint schemes. As the muscle-car era reached its peak, Dodge’s parent Chrysler Corporation began introducing colors that seemed to be the product of an acid trip.

There was “Sublime,” “Panther Pink,” “Top Banana,” and many other hues vivid enough to cause permanent retinal damage, but the most iconic is arguably “Plum Crazy” purple. And for the 2016 model year, Dodge is bringing it back on the Challenger and Charger.

This isn’t the first time Dodge has revived Plum Crazy. The color has been offered on limited editions of the modern Charger beginning in 2006, and the Challenger in 2008. Now, though, the retro color will be available across the board, not just on limited-production collector bait.

Plum Crazy will be available on every Challenger and Charger model, from the rental-grade V6 SXTs to the 707-horsepower supercharged HEMI V8 Hellcats. There will be a time-based restriction, though, as Dodge will only take orders for the color through the end of the year. Requests for pre-sold orders begin in September, while regular dealer orders begin in October. Production of the cars begins in November.

While the Charger has taken on a more modern look and has grown an extra set of doors since its glory days, the Challenger looks like it came out of a time warp. Combine Plum Crazy paint with the deliciously-retro Shaker hood reintroduced last year, and you’re pretty much obligated to grow sideburns or wear bell-bottoms.

Both the Challenger and Charger were significantly updated for the 2015 model year, so they remain basically the same for 2016. Buyers still get to choose from the base, 305-hp Pentastar V6 and three HEMI V8 options. That includes a 345-hp 5.7-liter, 485-hp 6.4-liter, and the 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat engine.

The 2016 Dodge Challenger and Charger in Plum Crazy will debut at the 2015 Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit, but expect to see them in plenty of other places soon as Dodge looks to cash in on fan nostalgia.

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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Electric Muscle Misfire? Dodge Pulls Charger Daytona R/T from 2026 Lineup

electric muscle misfire dodge pulls charger daytona r t from 2026 lineup all new

The Dodge Charger Daytona R/T, once hailed as the vanguard of Dodge’s electric muscle car future, is being dropped for the 2026 model year.
According to a report from MoparInsiders, the Scat Pack variant will now lead the Daytona lineup, marking a significant pivot in Stellantis’ EV strategy.
Originally introduced with bold ambitions, the Charger Daytona R/T was designed to offer an accessible gateway into electric performance. With its 456-horsepower dual-motor setup and optional 509-horsepower Direct Connection stage kit, it seemed poised to excite both muscle car fans and EV newcomers. However, market realities have painted a different picture.
Industry and media reports highlight the core issue: buyers just weren’t biting. Despite its impressive specs and nostalgic design cues, the R/T struggled to justify its price tag, starting near $60,000. At that level, buyers expected either more performance or more premium features. Without strong sales traction, Dodge made the tough call to shelve the R/T variant for 2026, opting instead to focus on trims that resonate better with customers.
As we reported in December, the Charger EV was launched with an off-beat marketing message to “save the planet from self-driving sleep pods.” The goal was to retain Dodge’s brand identity—muscle, aggression, and driver engagement—even in the electric era. The Charger Daytona R/T was supposed to be the perfect balance of price and performance, but it seems the target audience wasn’t ready to make that leap at that price.
Importantly, this doesn’t spell the end of the Charger Daytona altogether. Higher-performance models like the Scat Pack and Banshee are still in the pipeline and, interestingly, are being adjusted for price competitiveness. Several trims are reportedly seeing price cuts, suggesting Stellantis is serious about making these vehicles more appealing and accessible.
For enthusiasts, the takeaway is clear: the electric muscle car isn’t going anywhere, but automakers are still figuring out how to sell it. The demise of the R/T is less a failure and more a recalibration—proof that even the boldest plans need to stay flexible in the face of consumer demand.

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The all-electric Cadillac Vistiq makes the Escalade redundant

2026 Cadillac Vistiq front-quarter view.

Cadillac wants a full lineup of electric vehicles, and it’s nearly there. It has a standard crossover SUV (the Lyriq), an entry-level model (the Optiq), an electric version of its flagship Escalade (the Escalade IQ), and even a baroque showpiece (the Celestiq). But something’s missing.

For a modern luxury brand, a midsize three-row crossover is key. Customers for whom a Toyota Highlander is too déclassé need something to take their kids to lacrosse practice, but may not want something as big as an Escalade. This isn’t the most exciting design brief, and that’s reflected in the gasoline Cadillac XT6, which has always felt like nothing more than a placeholder. Its new electric counterpart, the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq, is anything but.

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With the Ioniq 9, Hyundai struggles to clear its own high bar

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 front quarter view.

Hyundai has used the clean-sheet nature of electric powertrains to make new vehicles radically different from its internal-combustion models, but what happens when the best thing a new car can be is ordinary? The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is a three-row SUV that, to succeed, needs to prioritize space and an effortless ownership experience over radical styling or sports-car driving dynamics. That doesn’t leave much room for creativity, but Hyundai has done its best by giving the Ioniq 9 futuristic styling combined with the proven E-GMP dedicated EV platform from its other Ioniq models and the Kia EV9. The enthusiastic response to the EV9, from Hyundai’s sibling brand, shows why, despite having two gasoline three-row SUVs in its lineup already, Hyundai needed an all-electric one as well.

Another daring design from Hyundai