FCA Says No to Production Dodge Challenger Convertible
Dodge executive says brand won’t be making Challenger convertibles without a valid ‘business case.’
Ever dreamed of having a Dodge Challenger without a roof to soak in every inch of the summer sun? Well, up until now you never had that option. If you desperately wanted a convertible, you had to get it custom-built by a host of aftermarket companies. And it is safe to note that a venture like this would be far from cheap.
There are convertible Challengers for sale, however, such as this example found at a Dodge dealership in North Carolina, but they are few and far between. While consumers have been able to buy a convertible Mustang and Camaro for decades, Dodge never felt the need to muster up a competitive model. An article by Motor1 explains to us why this is the case.
According to the article, Dodge Challenger Brand Manager Keven Hellman was aware of the aftermarket offering of a convertible Challenger, but he still believes that there is currently no “business case that will support it.” While Hellman didn’t continue to elaborate on this fact, we can imply some facts from this statement. First of all, we must understand what goes into cutting the roof off of any vehicle.
There are many factors to consider when making a coupe into a convertible. Firstly, it is a fact that convertible versions of cars are always heavier than their opposing models. This is due to the fact that the mechanisms for the electronically-controlled roof must be implemented. In addition to this, having no roof on a vehicle substantially reduces its structural integrity. Thus, this rigidity must be regained in the form of roll bars or adding structure to other parts of the car. This could lead to a complete redesign of the frame itself and obviously that would be an incredibly costly process.
The end result of either of these facts means added weight to the Challenger, which is far from a light vehicle as is. The more weight you add to a vehicle, the harder it has to work from a performance standpoint. Its braking ability, acceleration, and cornering strength are all reduced.
The Challenger has had no issue making sales as is without a convertible version. So until Dodge find a legitimate and strong argument to introduce such a model into its line up, don’t expect to see one around anytime soon. The Challenger has survived for decades without it and it most likely will continue to survive without the need for a long time.
Photos: Keffer Jeep
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