Dodge drops the Pentastar-powered 2012 Challenger Rallye Redline
The Chrysler Group recently debuted the 2012 Dodge
Challenger Rallye Redline – a sportier version of the entry level muscle car
centered around the 3.6L Pentastar V6.
Unfortunately, there Rallye Redline doesn’t add any additional power but
the standard 305 horsepower and 268lb-ft of torque offer great acceleration
while the handling of the brawny Mopar muscle car is enhanced through a variety
of new features.
The 2012 Challenger Rallye Redline begins by adding the Super
Sport Group as standard equipment. This
includes a performance tuned suspension package featuring 42% firmer front
shocks and 22% stiffer shocks in the rear, a 30mm front sway bar and 20mm rear
sway bar (replacing the standard 27mm front and 16mm rear units), a performance
tuned steering calibration that is 25% more responsive and 20×8 inch black
chrome wheels wrapped in Firestone Firehawk 245/45/20 all season performance tires. The Super Sport Group package has been
available on previous V6 Challenger models with an MSRP of $1,500 and having
had a test car with this package – it is well worth the cost. Even better, it is included in the Rallye
Redline for no additional cost.
Next,
the Dodge engineers turned to the braking system where dual piston front
calipers replace the single piston units with larger, vented front rotors and
while the back brakes sport the same calipers, there are new, larger rotors. The result is a Mopar muscle car that packs a
near 50/50 weight distribution for supreme handling while also offering an
impressive 27 miles per gallon on the highway.
It also gives the car an awesome stance.
With the handling of the 2012 Dodge Challenger Rallye
Redline taken care of, the folks from Chrysler went inside the Mopar muscle
car, adding a set of aluminum steering wheel mounted paddle shifters mated to
the 5-speed automatic transmission for more shift control. These paddles were previously only available
with the 8-speed transmission in the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 along with
the current SRT model but with the Rallye Redline package – V6 Challenger
owners can get in on the gear shifting fun as well. Finally, the standard 2.65 rear axle has been
removed in favor of a 3.06 ratio for better acceleration.
On the outside, the Challenger Rallye Redline comes in Bright
Silver Metallic, Tungsten Metallic, Bright White or Pitch Black with a thick
red stripe running down the center of the car with thin red stripes flanking
the large red stripe. Inside, the Rallye
Redline comes with either the flashy new Radar Red interior or the standard
Slate Grey layout for those buyers who like a more conservative look – with both
finishes being available on heavily leather clad sport seats and the 3-person
rear bench.
The 2012 Dodge Challenger Rallye Redline is available right
now on the Dodge website with an MSRP starting at $29,670 including the
destination charge of $925. This great
looking V6 performance package has a handful of options including the $995
sunroof, a $945 Mopar interior appearance package, and three different sound
system packages ranging from $695 to $1,995.
