60 Years of the Dodge Charger – GEN 7: 2011 to 2023
With lessons learned on the GEN6 Charger, Dodge and their SRT® speed freak cousins raised the bar even more on this versatile four-door sedan. In the 2006 models, engineers recognized that the platform could handle significantly more horsepower with some additional suspension, chassis and driveline updates. In this installment of “60 Years of the Dodge Charger”, we’ll do a deep dive into the restyled 2011-2014 models that introduced fans to a bigger HEMI® V8. Then, examine its final iteration, 2015-2023, that brought hellfire down on its competition. The Charger solidified its place as a world-class contender and not just in the high-performance four-door sedan category, but in a vast universe where muscle cars run free. Like the prior Charger Generation (2006-2010), they were built at the Brampton Assembly plant in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, along with the Challenger and Chrysler 300.
2011-2014 Model Years
Charger gets the 392 HEMI V8, and “souped-up” Super Bees swarm the streets!
For 2011, the Charger had a significant exterior refreshed and improved styling that further highlighted its four-door fastback coupe appearance. Internally classified as the “LD” platform, it also had many chassis updates. Visually, a more aggressive front grille, aluminum hood features dual “scallops” and wider fenders gave the Charger an in-your-face stance. Even the side profile made a statement with side scallops along the doors, inspired by the 1999 Charger R/T concept. In the rear, a deck-lid spoiler for improved aerodynamics gave the Charger even more attitude, and those mistakable “racetrack” graphic full-width taillights with 164 LEDs lit up the night.
Under the hood, a new 6.4L/392 HEMI V8 replaced the 6.1L HEMI engine that was exclusive to the SRT8 Charger and its Challenger and 300C cousins. The horsepower for this naturally aspirated powerhouse was 470, and the torque was also increased to 470 lb.-ft. After the successful launch of the 2011 Charger R/T, SE and Rallye models, there were also sub-models such as AWD, Rallye Plus, R/T Plus, R/T Road and Track, and R/T Max. The SRT8 was still the top dog.
The following year, 2012, the Charger SRT8 Super Bee once again returned. Now offered in two exterior colors, Stinger Yellow or Pitch Black, they offered SRT8 performance at a working man’s budget. Splashed with retro-looking Super Bee graphics and stripes on the body, the occupants had no confusion about what they were driving. The Charger SRT8 Super Bee’s interior had “Z-stripe” cloth performance seats with amped yellow and silver striping, silver accent stitching and embroidered Super Bee logos on the front seat headrests. Even the instrument panel had a Super Bee dash plaque. Power was supplied courtesy of the 392 HEMI V8, and the tried-and-true W5A580 five-speed automatic was once again called on to handle shifting duties.
The next two years saw more improvements to the Charger across the many trim levels. The SRT8 Super Bee returns, but this time in various hues such as HEMI Orange pearl coat, Plum Crazy pearl, Bright White, Pitch Black and TorRed. The contrasting black hood stripes, wrap-around decklid stripe with Super Bee logos, blacked-out grille with vintage Super Bee emblem and 20-inch wheels with black accents are carried over from the 2012. The Charger Super Bee was the antithesis to create the SRT8 “Core” models for Challenger and 300C. The new “Core” models kept all the go-fast performance goodies but substituted items like the high-end leather seats and other premium options for a lower price point, with the goals of getting more enthusiasts into SRT8 392 HEMI engine-powered vehicles.
2015-2023 Model Years
Charger unleashes the SRT Hellcat, Redeye and chaos ensues!
The 2015-2023 Chargers received another refresh and was softened up a bit with more rounded lines. The designers re-sculpted many of the new car’s body panels giving it a sleek, agile appearance. There was a wide array of trim levels to choose from depending on your budget, driving needs and personality. These Charger models included: SE, SE AWD, SXT, SXT AWD, R/T, R/T Road & Track, R/T Scat Pack, SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat. But between the front fenders, the SRT Powertrain Engineers went wild. Along with the base 3.6L Pentastar® V6, the venerable 5.7L HEMI V8 for R/T models, the new Scat Pack Charger’s 392 HEMI V8 horsepower was enhanced to 485. But there was more, a lot more. Something evil was brewing from the SRT Dyno Cells and slated to be harnessed beneath the Charger’s scooped hood.
New for 2015 was the Charger SRT Hellcat. Its supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI engine would be cranking out 707 horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque. The planet shuddered when it saw these figures, and again when the Charger SRT Hellcat registered a top speed of 204 MPH, making it the quickest, fastest and most powerful sedan in the world. The earth stood still, and muscle car fans were shocked seeing what could be accomplished with Charger’s four-door layout. Not only was the car’s top speed incredible, but owners of SRT Hellcat Chargers and their other siblings were flocking to their local drag strips and turning some impressive quarter-mile elapsed times of 11.0 seconds on street tires, and well into the 10-second zone with Drag Radials.
Other powertrain refinements came about for 2015 as the V8 Chargers were now equipped with Chrysler Group’s new high-performance ZF 8HP90 TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission. Originally used on the Pentastar 3.6L V6 Charger in prior years, the new transmission got massively beefed-up to handle all the power the 5.7L, 392 and 6.2L HEMI could throw at it, including its 160-millisecond upshifts and rev-matching capabilities.
From 2015 to 2023, many special models, including “Last Call” editions, were unveiled on the Charger platform. The designers, engineers and marketing team were in lockstep. They were always raising the bar of what a performance four-door sedan could be. From a Widebody to a slew of the “Last Call” editions, the LX/LD Charger platform was going out in style. The Charger could be a Swinger, Super Bee or even a King Daytona. It wore many faces. It also took on different personalities – from rental car to police cruiser, from daily driver to weekend play toy, to the 2023 fire-breathing demon-possessed 807-horsepower Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye supercar killer, it proved to skeptics and the automotive press around the world you can have a thrill ride that seats four adults in comfort!
Here’s a look at the Dodge Charger that appealed to virtually anyone with 93-octane running in their veins!
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