Automotive News, Media & Press - NASCAR Dodge Charger

This is why I'm losing interest rapidly in NASCAR and appreciate the Grand Am and American Lemans Series WAY more. The cars at least LOOK like the production car it's supposed to be!!

Now, do these cars look like they are the same:

Maybe if NASCAR would mandate that the manufacturer actually make the car they are racing be a 2 door in the production version it'd be a bit different. Ford and Dodge have been getting away with using the Taurus and Intrepid for a bit too long. At least GM kept the Monte and 2 door GP (until recently anyway).

I don't see what the big deal is about them not looking alike. I think NASCAR is the shit. I enjoy all types of racing though. Does it bother you that the lights and tail lights are just stickers?

I was waiting to see how the NASCAR version was going to look. When I saw the production spy pictures, I thought to myself, how the hell is that going to be competitive on Daytona/Talledega? It's simple, they don't use anything near to the stock front-end!!! The production car looks like a brick on the front!

But, to the average NASCAR fan, it doesn't matter. Whatever Junior drives/drinks/wears/smells/eats/and wipes with is the best, Jeff Gordon is a God, and rubbin' is racin'!! pah-lease.......

I was waiting to see how the NASCAR version was going to look. When I saw the production spy pictures, I thought to myself, how the hell is that going to be competitive on Daytona/Talledega? It's simple, they don't use anything near to the stock front-end!!! The production car looks like a brick on the front!

But, to the average NASCAR fan, it doesn't matter. Whatever Junior drives/drinks/wears/smells/eats/and wipes with is the best, Jeff Gordon is a God, and rubbin' is racin'!! pah-lease.......
the rules are so restrictive they basically all use the old "taurus" template anyways for the bodys......personally, i think it would be a lot cooler if they used vehicles that were more "stock", but it's pretty cool watching somebody put his nose underneath another guys bumber ar 200mph no matter what they are driving

the rules are so restrictive they basically all use the old "taurus" template anyways for the bodys......personally, i think it would be a lot cooler if they used vehicles that were more "stock", but it's pretty cool watching somebody put his nose underneath another guys bumber ar 200mph no matter what they are driving

They can still put their nose under the other guy's bumper at 200MPH, but use stock sheetmetal. I mean, look at Richard Petty's 1973 Dodge Charger - those are stock fenders, hood, roofline, trunk, etc. Even in 1987 when they came out with the Monte Carlo Aero edition, and the Pontiac Grand Prix Aero, they had stock front ends for the most part. It's just not the same anymore. The funny thing is, they (NASCAR) keep looking at ways to slow the cars down - right? Well, use the stock sheetmetal they produce and the speeds will slow way down. I just miss the good ole' days - I guess that's clearly a sign of getting old!!! :(

i'm sorry, i guess i kinda didn't express myself clearly....i completely agree with you ; what i meant was, inspite of the generic styling and extreme regulations it's still cool to see guys going that fast, not that they couldn't with stock styled cars.......if i ever take over the world, i'm gonna start a series with cars bought right off the showroom floor......that would be dope.......

I went up to Detroit for the Auto Show. The Charger was officially unveiled there. They also had a Kasey Kahne Charger on display, but it was no where near the production cars that were on display. Obviously a good reason for that....

Regardless of it's appearance, at least this year you'll be able to tell the Nascar Charger apart from the Monte Carlo and Taurus when they're racing around the track.

I'm a nascar fan although I completely despise the new points system but I would like to see some sort of relevance to a stock car. Aside from stickers.
Its pretty much a spec series. If one manufacturer is slower than the others then Nascar just "fixes" the problem by changing the specs on the car. I dont see how that is an encouragement for the OEM's to build a faster car, because if they do, it'll just be slowed down or Nascar will speed the other guy up. As much as I still love to watch the racing, Nascar has just become a marketing driven machine and thats what drives their decision making, Instead of true competiton. Somewhere I think this will catch up to them.

NASCAR rules state that all vehicles must use factory supplyed roof hood and deck lid, all makes fit common templates at the race track so some of the advantages that once were are no longer.. there is no doubt NA$CAR has their own agenda

not to get off the subject but I think Dodge made a big mistake making this a four door and not a two door-looks too much like their 300 model?!!

not to get off the subject but I think Dodge made a big mistake making this a four door and not a two door-looks too much like their 300 model?!!

I agree. They basically had the car designed and needed a name to sell the ugly piece of shit. I personally would rather have the 300C, especially the SR version with 425 horsepower. The Charger is just plain nasty to look at.

I agree. They basically had the car designed and needed a name to sell the ugly piece of shit. I personally would rather have the 300C, especially the SR version with 425 horsepower. The Charger is just plain nasty to look at.i'm not going to disagree that to most gearheads(including me) think the new charger is a huge disappoint, but they didn't just "have a car designed" and then thought "oh, this thing is terrible, we better give it the ol' charger nameplate"......it would almost be more palatable if they did; but no, this car was a charger from it's inception, and dcx was very deliberate in pushing it through as such.......

if pasting a name on a car would sell it, the gto would have sold the 30k units it was going to be "limited" to, rather than the 13k it really did sell......