Mopar and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) may have outdone every other automaker represented at this year’s SEMA Show, at least when it comes to sheer number of vehicle projects.
Leading the herd of custom models is the Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept that’s purpose-built as a muscle car for all seasons. “No one is doing this right now,” said Mopar design head Joe Dehner, “so we went out and created something unique and special.”
Based on the Challenger GT instead of an SRT variant, the concept adds a wide body kit, front splitter, rear spoiler, 20-inch alloy wheels, quad-exhaust tips, and a unique exterior paint called Destroyer Gray, fit with decals. Inside, the interior matches the gray-on-orange color scheme. While FCA currently offers an all-wheel drive version of the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, Mopar had to engineer its own system for Challenger concept.
To kick things off, Mopar borrowed a police car all-wheel drive Charger platform and swapped out the five-speed automatic for Chrysler’s eight-speed gearbox. Basically, it boils down to a car that’s, “three vehicles in one: a Challenger with a police car and Chrysler 300 underneath.” Besides the platform, Mopar added lowering springs, increased their spring rate, included front and rear strut braces, and fitted police-spec brakes.
Under-hood is a modified version of Dodge’s 5.7-liter HEMI V8 making 440 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, improvements of 75 horsepower and 44 pound-feet of torque over the normal Challenger GT. The performance enhancements come from Dodge’s Scat Pack 3 kit, including better cooling, a larger air intake, a new camshaft, high-flow exhaust system, and new cylinder heads.
The fun doesn’t stop with the Challenger, though, as Dodge also brought the Charger Deep Stage 3, that includes a Scat Pack 3 performance upgrade. The automaker also is showing a blacked-out Dodge Dart GLH (go-like-hell) Concept.
From Chrysler comes the 300 Super S that also adds the Scat Pack 3 performance kit, and gets rid of every chrome exterior piece. The Chrysler 200 also got a custom look with gray on black paint.
Fiat upgraded two 500X models, one as a tribute to kite surfing, and the other, “designed to hug city streets with a concept lowering kit.”
Finally, RAM brought three models, two based on the ProMaster vans, and one dubbed the RAM Rebel X.