60's muscle cars were all about flash and performance, but some were certainly faster than others. Although the 1968 Dodge Charger 0-60 time was good for a car of its type, it had other qualities that have ensured its elevation to classic status. Chief among these were its eye-catching looks. Car and Driver magazine praised its "sensuous brute appeal" and described its styling to be some of the most dramatic ever to come out of Detroit.
This so-called 'coke bottle' styling was without doubt the biggest improvement made over the outgoing model. Long and low-slung, the sporty design had an elegance to it that was previously lacking. The motoring public certainly gave it the thumbs up - they went on to buy it in huge numbers.
Chrysler's management had expected sales to be in the region of 20,000, but were surprised by sales that went on to hit over 96,000. Production at the main Dodge plant in Michigan had to be increased three times over to keep up with demand. The company also introduced a special Charger production line at their St Louis plant to add even more capacity.
Stylistically, the Charger may have been a trend-setter, but mechanically it was standard Chrysler. It's base engine was the 318 cubic inch V8, supplemented by 383 and 440 cubic inch V8s. In addition, Chrysler's famous 426 cubic inch hemi was also available. This semi-race engine was largely hand built and was thus only of interest to a relative handful of customers. Just 467 were made in total.
More popular with buyers was the performance variant known as the R/T. This option pack introduced for the 1968 model featured a more powerful version of the 440 V8, uprated brakes and suspension, beefier tires and a double exhaust. By the end of the model year, R/T sales had accounted for fully one fifth of total production.
With 17 exterior and 6 interior colors to choose from, customers had plenty of scope for personalization when ordering their new car. They could also add a vinyl roof and choose between floor or column-mounted transmission selectors. The cabin featured a bench seat at the rear and bucket seats up front. These were criticized however by road testers who complained about their uprightness and limited range of adjustment.
Having been such a strong seller, Chrysler's management decided to keep the Charger mostly unchanged through to the 1969 model year. Minor updates were made to the interior and exterior trim, and the V8 engine options were as before. They did however add a six-cylinder variant as a lower-priced entry-level model, although this sold poorly and is now a rarity.
The first major re-style came in the 1971 model year when a completely new design was unveiled. This new-look car was shorter and lighter than its predecessor, and also cost less, starting at just over $2,700. This lower price helped sales get back up over 80,000, but this year really marked the beginning of the end for the Charger. New safety and emissions rules kicked in the following year which meant the car's glory days as a performance car were over.
This so-called 'coke bottle' styling was without doubt the biggest improvement made over the outgoing model. Long and low-slung, the sporty design had an elegance to it that was previously lacking. The motoring public certainly gave it the thumbs up - they went on to buy it in huge numbers.
Chrysler's management had expected sales to be in the region of 20,000, but were surprised by sales that went on to hit over 96,000. Production at the main Dodge plant in Michigan had to be increased three times over to keep up with demand. The company also introduced a special Charger production line at their St Louis plant to add even more capacity.
Stylistically, the Charger may have been a trend-setter, but mechanically it was standard Chrysler. It's base engine was the 318 cubic inch V8, supplemented by 383 and 440 cubic inch V8s. In addition, Chrysler's famous 426 cubic inch hemi was also available. This semi-race engine was largely hand built and was thus only of interest to a relative handful of customers. Just 467 were made in total.
More popular with buyers was the performance variant known as the R/T. This option pack introduced for the 1968 model featured a more powerful version of the 440 V8, uprated brakes and suspension, beefier tires and a double exhaust. By the end of the model year, R/T sales had accounted for fully one fifth of total production.
With 17 exterior and 6 interior colors to choose from, customers had plenty of scope for personalization when ordering their new car. They could also add a vinyl roof and choose between floor or column-mounted transmission selectors. The cabin featured a bench seat at the rear and bucket seats up front. These were criticized however by road testers who complained about their uprightness and limited range of adjustment.
Having been such a strong seller, Chrysler's management decided to keep the Charger mostly unchanged through to the 1969 model year. Minor updates were made to the interior and exterior trim, and the V8 engine options were as before. They did however add a six-cylinder variant as a lower-priced entry-level model, although this sold poorly and is now a rarity.
The first major re-style came in the 1971 model year when a completely new design was unveiled. This new-look car was shorter and lighter than its predecessor, and also cost less, starting at just over $2,700. This lower price helped sales get back up over 80,000, but this year really marked the beginning of the end for the Charger. New safety and emissions rules kicked in the following year which meant the car's glory days as a performance car were over.
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