The Dodge Charger 0-60 Figures Were Good, But Pure Speed Wasn't The Whole Story With This Late-Sixties Muscle Machine

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.

The sinuous 'coke bottle' look of the 1968 model was certainly the biggest improvement over its predecessor. The new car's long, low-slung look was sporty, but it was also elegant. It was a hit with the public who made it one of the best-selling cars of that year.

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.

For 1968, a special performance package was made available. The R/T variant featured an up-rated version of the 440 V8, plus up-rated brakes and suspension, wide tires and a dual exhaust. It proved to be a successful formula making up as it did around 21 percent of sales for 1968.

Customers had a wide range of optional extras to add to their new car, including front seat head restraints, front and rear shoulder belts, padded center console, a vinyl roof and rear window de-fogger. They could also choose from 17 exterior and 6 interior colors. For the automatic transmission selector they could choose between a column or floor-mounted device.

Chrysler Corp management were reluctant to spoil a winning formula for the 1969 model year, so the design was carried over largely unchanged. Minor changes were made to the exterior, most notably a horizontal chrome strip that adorned the grill. Engine options were carried over unchanged, although a 6-cylinder model was added to the range. This proved unpopular, with only 500 sold out of total production of 69,000.

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.