2012 Dodge Challenger R/T ‘Vanishing Point’ Tribute Is Perfectly Executed

This nicely-done 2012 Dodge Challenger R/T is a modern version of the 1970 model that starred in the cult classic.

In the realm of car movies, one of the more celebrated is 1971’s Vanishing Point, a flick with a simple premise – a race car driver and an ex-cop must deliver their white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Magnum across the country, all while avoiding the law, downing some drugs, and meeting all sorts of interesting characters along the way. Since its release, Vanishing Point has become quite the cult classic and is revered among car guys today, and as such, it should come as no surprise that someone transformed this 2012 Dodge Challenger R/T into a clone of the movie star, and it’s also up for sale at Garage Kept Motors.

Aside from its exterior color, this Dodge Challenger R/T is wearing a pretty big giveaway on the exterior that reveals its inspiration, at least to those in the know – a set of custom wheels, which were designed to look like the steelies present on the ’70 Challenger in the film. Otherwise, it’s all about subtlety, with “Dodge” letting on the hood, a Charger R/T badge and a luggage rack on the trunk, and a lowered suspension to get it a bit closer to the ground.

There are a few nice touches inside the cabin as well, which include cool retro houndstooth upholstery, as well as a wood pistol grip shifter to control the proper six-speed manual transmission. It’s mated to the original 5.7-liter V8, but in this case, it certainly isn’t stock. Rather, that modern mill is equipped with a Magnuson supercharger kit, which helps it pump out a reported 598 horsepower at the wheels – more than enough for some cross-country adventures, we’d wager.

As one might imagine, you’ll have to pay a bit of a premium to bring home this cool homage to a beloved movie, and you’d be right, as this Dodge Challenger R/T is listed with an asking price of $39,900. That’s obviously a bit more than you’d pay for the typical used Challenger of this era, one with 75k miles no the clock, albeit in pretty fantastic condition, overall. However, we’d argue that you won’t find a much cooler way to spend $40k, at least.

Photos: Garage Kept Motors

Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.