CLASSIC COLLISION: Charger tough sell to hard-core fans
03-09-05, 12:03 AM
#1
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CLASSIC COLLISION: Charger tough sell to hard-core fans
http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/...e_20050305.htm
CLASSIC COLLISION: Charger tough sell to hard-core fans
March 5, 2005
BY SARAH A. WEBSTER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
Act three is shaping up to be a challenging one for the Chrysler Group's star designer Ralph Gilles.
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# FROM SLACKER TO SUPERSTAR: Gilles is new darling of automotive design world
# Quick facts on fast car favorites
His first two vehicles as a design director -- the 300 sedan and the Dodge Magnum wagon -- have been cool, easy hits.
But Gilles' revival of the Dodge Charger, which is built off the same large-car architecture as the 300 and Magnum, is provoking a caustic backlash among old Charger enthusiasts -- mostly men -- who embrace a rebel-at-heart attitude.
To them, the Charger is supposed to be a mean-looking muscle car that burns rubber while outrunning the good guys, and it should have two doors.
Their Charger is the one made famous by good ole' boys Bo and Luke Duke, two fun-loving rednecks who raced their General Lee through the countryside in the 1980s "Dukes of Hazzard" TV series, giving the corrupt town leader Boss Hogg and his cronies headaches. (The General Lee is so beloved that it is featured at the Detroit Autorama this weekend.)
But Gilles' new Charger, which arrives in showrooms this summer, is a four-door sedan that looks almost nothing like the original, and its target audience is "trendsetting, young affluent males with incomes from $65,000- $90,000."
Bo and Luke Duke wouldn't qualify for this one, and the styling changes have the purists steaming mad. They are flooding automotive chat rooms and magazines with criticism.
The 35-year-old Gilles said he's glad the new Charger is provoking a passionate reaction and notes that it will be more practical for consumers than a two-door car would have been.
With all due respect to his fellow Charger enthusiasts, Gilles said he has personally concluded that the four-door debate is "irrelevant."
However, grumblers aren't just upset about the addition of two back doors. There are also plenty of complaints about the car's curvaceous grille, a sharp departure from the mean rectangular face of the past.
There were plenty of critics of that ostentatious grille on the 300, too -- which Gilles insisted on, and a year after it hit showrooms, the assembly line is just keeping up with demand.
"What's the essence of a Charger?" Gilles asked. "A Charger, to me, is supposed to get you excited about automobiles. ... It's the idea of performance embodied in style. It's not just about horsepower. It's also about: Does the car look fast? Does it look intimidating? Does it have a personality?"
But it's clear that Gilles and Chrysler have a lot of convincing to do.
Dave McCain, 40, of Rochester Hills has worked at a Dodge dealership for 21 years and loved the Dodge Charger concept car that Chrysler revealed in 1999, despite its four doors.
"The Charger has always been one of my favorite cars," he said.
He was so appalled when he saw the production version, however, that he actually boycotted the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year.
"There are single guys like me who want a hot car," he said. "The world is already full of four-door sedans."
McCain's is among the tamer responses to the Charger among enthusiasts.
"I hate it -- all the real die-hard Charger people hate it," said Jon Gibbs, 21, of Spokane, Wash., who is about as faithful a Charger man as there ever was. He owns just three Chargers today, down from the five he had when he was 18, and he also runs a registration Web site for owners of 1966 and 1967 fastback Chargers.
Gibbs is so upset about the new Charger vehicle that he started a short list of what a vehicle must have to be worthy of the Charger name, such as two doors and a performance V8 with rear-wheel drive.
Despite the backlash, Gilles still believes the new Charger will "be very popular."
It probably won't hurt that the old nameplate will be revived about the same time as a new "Dukes of Hazzard" movie hits the big screen this summer, featuring Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg, Willie Nelson as Uncle Jesse and Jessica Simpson as Daisy Duke.
CLASSIC COLLISION: Charger tough sell to hard-core fans
March 5, 2005
BY SARAH A. WEBSTER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
Act three is shaping up to be a challenging one for the Chrysler Group's star designer Ralph Gilles.
RELATED CONTENT
# FROM SLACKER TO SUPERSTAR: Gilles is new darling of automotive design world
# Quick facts on fast car favorites
His first two vehicles as a design director -- the 300 sedan and the Dodge Magnum wagon -- have been cool, easy hits.
But Gilles' revival of the Dodge Charger, which is built off the same large-car architecture as the 300 and Magnum, is provoking a caustic backlash among old Charger enthusiasts -- mostly men -- who embrace a rebel-at-heart attitude.
To them, the Charger is supposed to be a mean-looking muscle car that burns rubber while outrunning the good guys, and it should have two doors.
Their Charger is the one made famous by good ole' boys Bo and Luke Duke, two fun-loving rednecks who raced their General Lee through the countryside in the 1980s "Dukes of Hazzard" TV series, giving the corrupt town leader Boss Hogg and his cronies headaches. (The General Lee is so beloved that it is featured at the Detroit Autorama this weekend.)
But Gilles' new Charger, which arrives in showrooms this summer, is a four-door sedan that looks almost nothing like the original, and its target audience is "trendsetting, young affluent males with incomes from $65,000- $90,000."
Bo and Luke Duke wouldn't qualify for this one, and the styling changes have the purists steaming mad. They are flooding automotive chat rooms and magazines with criticism.
The 35-year-old Gilles said he's glad the new Charger is provoking a passionate reaction and notes that it will be more practical for consumers than a two-door car would have been.
With all due respect to his fellow Charger enthusiasts, Gilles said he has personally concluded that the four-door debate is "irrelevant."
However, grumblers aren't just upset about the addition of two back doors. There are also plenty of complaints about the car's curvaceous grille, a sharp departure from the mean rectangular face of the past.
There were plenty of critics of that ostentatious grille on the 300, too -- which Gilles insisted on, and a year after it hit showrooms, the assembly line is just keeping up with demand.
"What's the essence of a Charger?" Gilles asked. "A Charger, to me, is supposed to get you excited about automobiles. ... It's the idea of performance embodied in style. It's not just about horsepower. It's also about: Does the car look fast? Does it look intimidating? Does it have a personality?"
But it's clear that Gilles and Chrysler have a lot of convincing to do.
Dave McCain, 40, of Rochester Hills has worked at a Dodge dealership for 21 years and loved the Dodge Charger concept car that Chrysler revealed in 1999, despite its four doors.
"The Charger has always been one of my favorite cars," he said.
He was so appalled when he saw the production version, however, that he actually boycotted the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year.
"There are single guys like me who want a hot car," he said. "The world is already full of four-door sedans."
McCain's is among the tamer responses to the Charger among enthusiasts.
"I hate it -- all the real die-hard Charger people hate it," said Jon Gibbs, 21, of Spokane, Wash., who is about as faithful a Charger man as there ever was. He owns just three Chargers today, down from the five he had when he was 18, and he also runs a registration Web site for owners of 1966 and 1967 fastback Chargers.
Gibbs is so upset about the new Charger vehicle that he started a short list of what a vehicle must have to be worthy of the Charger name, such as two doors and a performance V8 with rear-wheel drive.
Despite the backlash, Gilles still believes the new Charger will "be very popular."
It probably won't hurt that the old nameplate will be revived about the same time as a new "Dukes of Hazzard" movie hits the big screen this summer, featuring Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg, Willie Nelson as Uncle Jesse and Jessica Simpson as Daisy Duke.
03-09-05, 03:18 AM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
I am neither a "Dukes of Hazzard" redneck nor a bona-fide worshipper of the original car ( I didn't care for its looks or the tunnel-rear window) but I have to agree with the die-hards here......... the four doors are a mistake, and Gilles IMO is just giving us a bunch of double-talk.
What if Ford had given us a four-door MUSTANG?
What if Ford had given us a four-door MUSTANG?
03-09-05, 07:28 AM
#3
Zombie Slayer
I can almost guarantee that the new "Charger" will be discontinued within 2 years. All it is is a Magnum sedan. Who wants that????? At least the Magnum has some cross appeal with it being a wagon, but even at that Chrysler is not selling the number of Hemi optioned versions as they hoped. This "charger" fiasco (I'm not even a Mopar guy and I still can't bring myself to call it a "charger" without using quotes) will only be a bad dream very soon.
03-09-05, 08:14 AM
#4
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Some of my favorite cars of all time are the old and rare "Superbirds" with the Richard Petty style rear-wing. A thing of beauty if you ask me and I just can't see a Charger with 4 doors. To me it sounds like they are being untrue to the Mopar heritage, you'd think they would of tried to do something like Ford did with the 2005 Mustang (giving it the retro look).
I have a friend who has a restored late 60's Satellite with a 383 6 pack in it. Completely done out in the stock lime green color with that special "chopped" stripe down the side. Although I'm not a lime green kind of guy I still think the car is very nice.
I have a friend who has a restored late 60's Satellite with a 383 6 pack in it. Completely done out in the stock lime green color with that special "chopped" stripe down the side. Although I'm not a lime green kind of guy I still think the car is very nice.
03-09-05, 08:42 AM
#5
Pole Position
Why are they so compelled to call it a Charger?
What's wrong with Magnum sport sedan?
If they wanted to release a "Charger" so bad, they should release this same car as a 2-door, end of story. It's so simple. But if this guy INSISTS on the practicality of four doors (which is fine), call it SOMETHING ELSE. Magnum sport sedan sounds pretty convincing to me. I'd accept this car much more with that badge on the rear. Hell I like it more already. If I was in the market for one of these, I'd buy it and replace all the badges with Magnum variants.
I just don't comprehend how Gilles wants to pay homage to the legend by bringing back the Charger and then he bastardizes it with 4 doors? That name only gets the attention of the people that knew and loved the original. Then you offend them with a SEDAN?
Calling it a Magnum would have gone over much easier.
Mmarshall hit the nail right on the head. What if the next Mustang had 4 doors? Can you imagine the upheaval? Ford isn't that retarded. Dodge shouldn't be either.
I guess history is just repeating itself. Dodge has done worse with the Charger name.
What's wrong with Magnum sport sedan?
If they wanted to release a "Charger" so bad, they should release this same car as a 2-door, end of story. It's so simple. But if this guy INSISTS on the practicality of four doors (which is fine), call it SOMETHING ELSE. Magnum sport sedan sounds pretty convincing to me. I'd accept this car much more with that badge on the rear. Hell I like it more already. If I was in the market for one of these, I'd buy it and replace all the badges with Magnum variants.
I just don't comprehend how Gilles wants to pay homage to the legend by bringing back the Charger and then he bastardizes it with 4 doors? That name only gets the attention of the people that knew and loved the original. Then you offend them with a SEDAN?
Calling it a Magnum would have gone over much easier.
Mmarshall hit the nail right on the head. What if the next Mustang had 4 doors? Can you imagine the upheaval? Ford isn't that retarded. Dodge shouldn't be either.
I guess history is just repeating itself. Dodge has done worse with the Charger name.
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