We Have 7 Favorite Dodge Chargers of All Time

It's true. The eight-generation Dodge Charger, officially revealed two days ago, is electric. Well, at least two of the trim levels are powered by a 100.5-kWh nickel cobalt aluminum battery pack, pushing out anywhere from 456 hp to 670 hp. For those still reeling at the idea of an electric Mopar muscle car, we hope you can take solace in knowing that even the lowly R/T EV will run the quarter mile in 13.1 seconds, with the electric Scat Pack posting an even quicker 11.5-second run.

Yes, a gasoline-powered Charger is coming later on, featuring Stellanis' turbocharged Hurricane inline-six, but the more shocking mechanical shift underneath the new Charger is standard all-wheel drive. Whether you choose gas or electric, all four wheels will be powered, but we all know it wasn't always like this. It wasn't that long ago when the Dodge Charger was a V8-powered, rear-drive monster like the nameplates before it.

Evolution is only natural and we're excited to watch a generation of muscle cars shift and endure, but we also want to commemorate those that came before and what better time to do it than on the heels of a new model reveal. The Charger nameplate has survived for nearly 60 years, making a fundamental mark on the automotive industry as a whole. In the same vein, here are our seven favorite Dodge Chargers of all time.

1966 Dodge Charger

In making appeals to America's burgeoning youth market, the B-body-platformed 1966 Dodge Charger is what set it all off. Using the skeleton of a Dodge Coronet, designer Carl “Cam” Cameron revolutionized the era with a sloping roof that extended all the way to the rear bumper.

Available underneath the hood of this seminal piece of automotive history was the legendary 426 Street Hemi, though the entire lineup was fitted with V8s. Oh, to be a new car buyer in the 1960s—never mind airbags and ABS! True to the era, the 426-cubic-inch Hemi V8 was factory-rated at 425 hp.

Sure, the ever-popular Challenger sibling came along a few years later in 1970, but the Charger was here first. That's got to be worth something.

1969 Dodge Charger

Perhaps it depends on the eye of the beholder, but we'd argue that the 1969 Dodge Charger could be the most famous version of the nameplate. Still based on the B-body platform, demand for these muscle coupes was high and, I mean, look at it!

The Charger was made more accessible and efficient in its second generation, adding a 3.7-liter slant-six-cylinder in 1968. Even so, transparent excitement was still a primary focus in building the model, as exampled by the massive wing found on Daytona trim versions.

Notably, the second-generation Dodge Charger also found success in motorsports. According to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Buddy Baker managed a lap of 200.447 mph in his aerodynamically focused 1969 Dodge Charger, internally known at Chrysler as serial No. DC-93. The 1970 NASCAR season was similarly fruitful for Dodge, with Bobby Isaac winning the Cup Series championship behind the wheel of a 1970 Dodge Charger.

1971 Dodge Charger

The B-body platform was enduring as the third generation of the Dodge Charger continued on the still relatively fresh platform. Now with the Challenger in the mix and in an era of social progress, Dodge was tasked with modernizing the platform to meet tighter emissions and safety regulations.

Even so, Dodge continued to put out an honest-to-god muscle car, featuring the classic 426 Hemi V8 in 1971 only. Similarly, 1971 marked the end of the 7.2-liter Six-Pack V8, though Dodge has harkened back to this moniker in the 21st century.

Despite ushering in an era without the Hemi, the remaining years of third-generation Chargers were still successful. In fact, over 100,000 units were sold in 1973, in spite of that year's lackluster engine offerings. Cool is cool.