New Dodge Challenger T/A get Pre-Dream Cruise Intro

2017 Dodge Challenger T/A will slot below its Hellcat stable mate when it reaches dealerships in late fall.

Dodge kicks off 2016 Woodward Dream Cruise

Woodward Avenue. M1. The name conjures up images of car hops, poodle skirts and saddle shoes. In its heyday, the 10 miles of 6-lane asphalt between Ferndale and Bloomfield Township would become synonymous with cars such as the Pontiac GTO, Plymouth Satellite 426 Hemi, Dodge Hemi Coronet, Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454, AMC Rebel, Plymouth Road Runner, Dodge Super Bee, Ford Mustang Boss 429, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Buick GSX Stage 1, the Oldsmobile 442 and, of course, the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Shelby Cobra 427.

With the exception of the last two, most of those vehicles were not designed with track racing in mind. Earlier this week, we were reminded of this by none other than Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Cars for the Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT brands, FCA – North America.

"It makes Woodward the perfect place to launch cars like this. Because 1.5 million people will be here for cruise week. 1.5 million people will be here celebrating everything that they love about performance," said Kuniskis. "And you know while they're here, that route they're gonna be traveling, there isn't a single apex, hairpin turn or S-turn. That's how people are using these cars, that's how people are enjoying these cars. That is a perfect positioning for us, because these two cars really celebrate what was race cars back in the day for us."

Dodge is also not aiming them at everyone. According to Kuniskis, " What these cars are not: they are not autonomous; they are not hybrids; they do not get 50 miles per gallon and you can't summon them with your smartphone."

2017 Dodge Challenger T/A

The original Challenger T/A was built for the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) Trans Am racing series in 1970 with only 2,399 units constructed. The new 2017 Challenger T/A, slotting just below the Hellcat, will add to the existing R/T model's offerings with:

Performance features

• "Air Catcher" headlamps with LED-illuminated T/A logos
• NACA ducted hood feeding a modified SRT Hellcat air box with Mopar conical filter 2.75-inch electronically controlled active performance exhaust system
• 1-inch wider 20 x 9-inch Mopar lightweight forged-aluminum Hyper Black wheels
• Super Track Pak chassis with a 0.5-inch lowered suspension, Bilstein shock absorbers, performance brake linings, three-mode electronic stability control (ESC) with "full off" and Goodyear Eagle F1 tires
• Standard Tremec six-speed manual Optional TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic with Sport mode and paddle shifters
• Fuel Saver Technology four-cylinder mode and interactive Decel Fuel Shut Off (iDFSO)

Exterior features

• Satin Black painted hood and
• Satin Black front fascia
• Roof and deck-lid graphic
• T/A bodyside stripes
• Dodge stripes wheel center caps
• "Challenger" script grille badge
• Satin Black fuel-filler door with heritage "FUEL" lettering
• Black deck-lid spoiler with Challenger T/A badge
• Optional factory-installed hood pins
• Optional limited-production Green Go and Yellow Jacket High-impact Paint (HIP)

Interior features

• Authentic aluminum interior bezels
• Black and Gloss Black trim
• Premium Black performance seats with signature Houndstooth cloth inserts
• Dodge performance steering wheel with performance contouring
• 1971-inspired "tic-toc-tach" gauge cluster with Bright White concave faces and Gloss Black details
• Premium velour-bound floor mats with embroidered Dodge logo

2017 Dodge Challenger T/A pricing and availability

Base 2017 Challenger T/A prices (MSRPs including a $1,095 destination charge) are as follows:
2017 Dodge Challenger T/A w/5.7-liter Hemi - $38,485
2017 Dodge Challenger T/A w/392 V8 - $45,090