Challenger ACR

[RedTanRT/10]

Read this story today.

They say if built it would use the Viper ACR rear wing. Good news for Viper owners, the wing would come back into production, and be available more easily in the parts department. Inevitably good used parts for sale from totaled Challengers!



MAY 29, 2020
CHALLENGER ACR


Dodge Is Reportedly Planning a Challenger ACR With Viper Aero and Carbon Fiber
A real Viper ACR replacement might be on the horizon.

Ever since the Viper ACR was discontinued, Dodge hasn't had a hardcore track machine in its lineup. A rumor from October 2019 suggested the company is planning to build an ACR version of the Challenger to fill the gap. Even through the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen companies cancel future plans, lay off workers, and shut down factories, it seems as if the project is going ahead as planned—if this new report is to be believed, anyway.

Allpar, citing a long-time source familiar with the project, reports work on an upcoming Challenger ACR is well underway, with the goal of approaching the same on-track performance as the now-discontinued Viper ACR.

Among the supposed upgrades for the Challenger ACR include extreme aerodynamics borrowed from the Viper, including the high-position wing and large splitter. Allpar reports this Challenger ACR will also get big Brembo brakes, and a manually adjustable suspension system. According to the publication's source, Dodge has set a goal weight of under 4000 pounds, and intends to use carbon fiber in the car's construction to make it happen.

Engine-wise, Allpar's source claims there will be two engine options: a 797-horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 from the Hellcat Redeye, and a 392 cubic-inch Hemi V-8.

Of course, none of this information has been confirmed by the company, so there's no way if any of it is actually true. But considering Dodge's habit of continually updating its current models, seeing a Challenger ACR come to life wouldn't be the most surprising thing. And we think it's about time Dodge had a real Shelby GT500 and ZL1 1LE competitor.

[Bill Pemberton]

Posted a note on the fact that FCA still has the option to surprise and this is a possible example touched on. Whether it happens or not, the SRT boys are not asleep ----- you just can't take the sicko Machinehead mentality out of them just because the Company will constantly change, since you can't alter their DNA, ha.,ha!!

[SRT_BluByU]

maybe the cost of that wing comes down to earth.. wow!

[river rat]

Wesley Motorsports have been running basically a Challenger ACR for awhile, https://wesleymotorsports.com/

[James]

I would like to see a Challenger ACR quite a bit. Ever since the facelift in 2015 came out, this has always been a car I'd lusted after.

[Bryan Savage]

Wesley Motorsports have been running basically a Challenger ACR for awhile, https://wesleymotorsports.com/

Wesley Challenger.png

That car is so bad ass. I saw it at the Carlisle Nationals one year and it had the 355 ACR Kumhos on the FRONT.

[Bill Pemberton]

Ouch , 355 Kumhos , but Toyo is the tire sponsor ---- poor marketing ,haha. Camaro ZL1 and GT 500 at a bit over 4000 lbs , get the Challenger down there and the Pony Wars just escalate to another level. Camaro, Challenger, Mustang........thank you GM, Ford and FCA for a long and lovely Pony Car War!! Throw in the Viper/Vette clash, and the past 20-25 years make the 60s and 70s pale in comparison. Hard for us old farts to see that reality , but younger Gearheads have lived their entire lives with the HP and Performance Wars --- glad I was around for the battles.

[Patentlaw]

Seeing lots of information that it will NOT be made.

Theoretically, if you get the weight down to 4000 lbs, it would be superior in a lb/hp ratio to the Mustang GT500.
.

To get down there, however, is going to be hard. You are going to have to find 250 lbs or so.

Weight savings
5lbs per wheel * 4 wheels = 20lbs
4 lbs per rotor * 4 rotors = 16 lbs
Light weight seats 10 lbs per seat = 20 lbs
Rear seat delete 20 lbs
Sound Insulation 5 lbs
AC delete 10-15 lbs
Radio delete? minimal

That gets you to 90 lbs. If the seats are heavy, maybe a bit over 100 lbs.

You need to go light weight body panels, interior panels, light weight suspension components

After the first 100, it gets pretty hard without impacting the crash structure, etc. You then start redesigning the whole car.

[USAFPILOT]

a carbon fibre body will shed a lot of weight.

[gfviperman]

Mother Mopar can DO it!!!

[Bill Pemberton]

Whether made or not Kiniskis and his boys keep coming up with morphed Challengers that keep the competition on its toes. Carbon fiber hood , deck lid, little sound deadening , kick out the radio , NAV, and speakers, no rear seat , and on and on --------- the thoughts have been there for awhile. Hmmm...........seems it wasn't really marketed as hard as many thought it should be , but a 2013 was Carbon Fiber laden ( ahead of so many others ). So seven years of experience in the US, and plenty in Europe, who knows what could come about. Of course, if they are just testing the market , so be it, scaring GM and Ford can only help all Gearheads to keep the Performance Market on edge.

[SRT_BluByU]

The front seats in challengers are quite heavy.. theres a guy like caleb on the lx forums.. i think he stripped the seats out and the savings was over 100 lbs.. tracks, motors and all. Take out the rear, put in a carbon deck lid, hood and roof, take out the floor finishes and sound deadening, Floor mats, trunk liner (heavy), radio, speakers, 2 mode suspension (swap for fully adjustable), lightweight wheels, carbon brakes, dump the blower and add and alum 426 n/a mill.. all total thats likely over 300lbs right there..


Still would have another new V10 Viper to look forward to. I have no plans to unload my hand built 1 of 1 supercar for a modded production car.. no matter how well its done.

[Bryan Savage]

Ouch , 355 Kumhos , but Toyo is the tire sponsor ---- poor marketing ,haha.

I was wondering if anyone was going to notice that. I stole and cropped that first photo from their website. Here's two photos I took at Carlisle in 2018. Not sure what Toyo they're running now. Also, I brightened the tire photo up a bit to make it easier to read.

Wesley Old.jpg

Wesley Tire.jpg

[SRT_BluByU]

looks like steel rotors?

[J TNT]

Another option , Build a Cuda that is 400 -500 lbs lighter and start with that platform................lol !

[Ogme042]

I can say from having taken both the viper and hellcat Widebody to the same road course (rpm), the challenger has very long way to go before it will compete with the viper. Weight distribution being a major obstacle. CF hood is no lighter than stock, trunk saves about 40 lbs. just where you don’t need it.

I would like to see it happen.

20200314_183724744_iOS.jpg

[thetalonguy]

Another source claiming it's NOT going to happen. Not surprised

https://www.motor1.com/news/426827/d...rumors-refute/

Last week, we reported a rumor that Dodge was prepping the Challenger to be its next ACR model. It’s a badge most recently worn by the Viper, with its garish wing and racing upgrades, and one that stumbled its way onto the Neon, too, with great success. It’s enticing to think about a true track-focused Challenger, though overcoming the ancient platform and chunky proportions would be challenging if that’s what Dodge was doing, though that doesn’t appear to be the case. A new report from Autoweek says Dodge is a no-go on the Challenger ACR.

The publication cites an unidentified Dodge spokesperson, writing, “it’s not happening.” Sorry, folks. We first heard the rumor mill bubbling back in October, though the latest rumors came from last week when Allpar.com reported there’d be two Challenger ACR models with different engines and outputs. One would pack a naturally aspirated 392 Hemi, that’d make 485 horsepower (361 kilowatts) while the other would use the supercharged Hellcat V8 that currently motivates the Challenger Redeye. It makes 797 hp (594 kW).

We’re not surprised Dodge is dumping cold water on the raging rumor fire. If Dodge were developing the Challenger ACR, it’d have to contend with the coupe’s aging underpinnings. The Challenger rolled out for its debut in 2008, and little has changed since then. Dodge has, however, continuously refined it, improving its performance, handling, styling, and interior quality, going as far as building the Demon for the drag strip.

If the Dodge Challenger ACR were real, it’d be competing against agile foes like the Chevy Camaro ZL1 and Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, but, sadly, that’s another reality happening in another universe. While it’d undoubtedly pack the necessary punch – especially with 797 hp on tap – overcoming its massive size and weight would be a hurdle. Extensive use of carbon fiber would help, but there’s little to do to reduce its physical size, and with its large footprint comes the weight.

[J TNT]

Another source claiming it's NOT going to happen. Not surprised

https://www.motor1.com/news/426827/d...rumors-refute/

Last week, we reported a rumor that Dodge was prepping the Challenger to be its next ACR model. It’s a badge most recently worn by the Viper, with its garish wing and racing upgrades, and one that stumbled its way onto the Neon, too, with great success. It’s enticing to think about a true track-focused Challenger, though overcoming the ancient platform and chunky proportions would be challenging if that’s what Dodge was doing, though that doesn’t appear to be the case. A new report from Autoweek says Dodge is a no-go on the Challenger ACR.

The publication cites an unidentified Dodge spokesperson, writing, “it’s not happening.” Sorry, folks. We first heard the rumor mill bubbling back in October, though the latest rumors came from last week when Allpar.com reported there’d be two Challenger ACR models with different engines and outputs. One would pack a naturally aspirated 392 Hemi, that’d make 485 horsepower (361 kilowatts) while the other would use the supercharged Hellcat V8 that currently motivates the Challenger Redeye. It makes 797 hp (594 kW).

We’re not surprised Dodge is dumping cold water on the raging rumor fire. If Dodge were developing the Challenger ACR, it’d have to contend with the coupe’s aging underpinnings. The Challenger rolled out for its debut in 2008, and little has changed since then. Dodge has, however, continuously refined it, improving its performance, handling, styling, and interior quality, going as far as building the Demon for the drag strip.

If the Dodge Challenger ACR were real, it’d be competing against agile foes like the Chevy Camaro ZL1 and Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, but, sadly, that’s another reality happening in another universe. While it’d undoubtedly pack the necessary punch – especially with 797 hp on tap – overcoming its massive size and weight would be a hurdle. Extensive use of carbon fiber would help, but there’s little to do to reduce its physical size, and with its large footprint comes the weight.

Glad to see someone making sense , Now they just need to bring out a lighter platform to help out their cafe' numbers and use that Power to weight ratio to Go Racing and sell more cars .