Uber giving NYC customers free rides in Stormtrooper-themed Dodge Chargers

By Andrew Hard Published September 4, 2015

A squad of Stormtroopers is invading New York City today, but you needn’t reach for that blaster or lightsaber just yet.

No, the fleet of Stormtrooper-themed Dodge Chargers zipping around the Big Apple is a part of a promotional alliance between Dodge, Uber, and Mattel in anticipation of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which opens in exactly 104 days … not that we’re counting or anything.

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From 9 AM to 5 PM local time on Friday, Uber customers below 59th Street in Manhattan can unlock one of eight First Order-inspired Charger SRT 392s by using the Uber app and entering the promo code “HOTWHEELSFF.” Not only will your jaunt in the muscle car be flooded with childhood nostalgia, the “Force Friday” rides are completely free for trips under 30 minutes.

If you’re wondering how Mattel fits into all of this, the company has also released a Hot Wheels version of the car you see above, which is but one element in a galaxy-sized merchandise campaign to honor the new films. Each rider lucky enough to snag one of the modified Chargers will take home one of the diecast models as a souvenir, as well as a cool story to make your nerd friends jealous.

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The Force Awakens opens on December 18th, and stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, and Oscar Isaac, as well as series veterans Harrison Ford, Mark Hammill, and Carrie Fisher. If you miss your chance at an intergalactic Uber ride, not to worry — Disney is hard at work planning various Star Wars attractions at Disneyland and Disney World. We’re not sure what exactly the parks will contain yet, but they will measure in at 14 acres each, and are probably the closest thing you’ll get to visiting a galaxy far, far away.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

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