The Dodge Challenger was late to the pony car party in 1970, but for Mopar fans it was worth the wait. Available as a two-door hardtop or convertible, the Challenger and its corporate cousin the Plymouth Barracuda arrived at the height of the muscle car era. Although the base engine was a straight-six, V-8s were extremely popular and ranged from a 318 cid 2-barrel to a 340, 383, 440, and of course the 426/425hp Street Hemi. There was also a T/A model, based on the popular Trans Am series Challenger race cars. This was also the era of Chrysler’s “High Impact” paint schemes, flamboyant stripe packages, and “Gator Grain” vinyl roofs. Popular shades included SubLime, Go Mango, Plum Crazy, Top Banana, and Panther Pink. By 1972, both performance and the list of available options were shrinking for the Challenger, as emissions regulations and insurance rates took their toll on the muscle car market. Dodge’s signature pony car only lasted until 1974, while rivals like the Pontiac Firebird soldiered on. Dodge did bring back the Challenger badge for 1978, but in reality it was just a rebadged four-cylinder Mitsubishi. Like the first generation Challenger, though, it was discontinued after a short run of 1978-83. Dodge’s second revival of the Challenger badge has been far more successful. Introduced for 2008 and like the rival Camaro and Mustang, this latest Challenger played on muscle car nostalgia with retro styling and bright paint, but also brought in more modern sophisticated performance. The Challenger has always been available with Hemi V-8s, and although its basic design has changed little since the late 2000s, Dodge has kept it relevant with a stream of special editions as well as tire-roasting engines like the 707-hp Challenger SRT Hellcat or 808-hp Challenger SRT Demon. The 2023 model year was the last for the Challenger and its four-door stablemate the Charger.