Dodge stalls

The on-again off-again plan to get the Dodge Charger and Challenger musclecars on-sale in Australia has hit a road-block.

The local branch of the Dodge brand’s global parent, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, has parked investigations into the V8 rear-wheel drive duo while it develops a revitalisation plan for the business in Australia.

FCA currently retails the Jeep, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Fiat Professional brands in Australia. Only Chrysler – boosted by a NSW Highway Patrol deal for the 300C – was up in sales in 2019.

There have been several attempts to get the Challenger/Charger to Australia over the years. Just to confuse things, in North America the Challenger is the two-door and the Charger the four-door.

In Australia, whether the plan has been ex-factory production or local right-hand drive conversion by the Walkinshaw Group, it’s been envisaged the Challenger would be rebadged Charger in an attempt to capitalise on memories of the classic Chrysler coupe built in Adelaide between 1972 and 1978.

But neither scenario is actively under consideration right now.

“I’m a petrol-head so I love the V8 and everything that goes with it,” new FCA Australia managing director and CEO Kevin Flynn told carsales.com.au when asked about the prospects for the Dodge duo Down Under.

“But in all fairness my appraisal is of the business as I have inherited it to date. We can always look at what other opportunities are down the road.

“At the moment I think it’s absolutely imperative to focus on the core and once we are con dent in our handling of the core, then we can understand more.”