While you’re still counting the days before Stellantis gives in and gives us a V8 Charger, we might as well show you one of the running changes that Dodge has made for current Chargers.
I enjoy running changes because they can contribute to cool trivia many years later. Take the 1969 Dodge Charger as a fine example. On February 4, 1969, Dodge sent a bulletin to dealerships announcing the addition of Performance Hood Paint (code V21) on both the Charger and Charger R/T. “A new performance hood paint for the hood and cowl of all Charger models is now available. This is a dull finish black Organasol paint which is applied to the two indented louvre [sic] surfaces of the hood as well as the cowl.” Another bulletin from March 3, 1969 stated, “It is recommended that Chargers and Charger R/Ts ordered with Hemi Orange also specify the recently announced black performance hood (code V21) which combines to make a striking performance car.”
Only 455 V8 Charger and 338 Charger R/T vehicles were built for the U.S. market (plus a few more for Canada and Export markets) for the abbreviated model year. Strangely, these stripes were not very popular notwithstanding the mid-year introduction, but interestingly, they were rarer for the complete 1970 model year.
That same spirit has existed within Dodge in contemporary times if past Challengers and Chargers are any indication, which is why we embrace the recent announcement that a Satin Black hood graphic and Fratzog dual stripes have been added as options for Sixpack-powered Dodge Charger Scat Pack and R/T models (which offer 550 and 420 horsepower, respectively). The graphic “offers a high-contrast accent point to the Charger’s available exterior colors” while “accentuating Charger’s sculpted power dome,” while the stripes “carry red trim accents and a unique, repeating Fratzog logo pattern that fills in each stripe.”
Dodge CEO Matt McAlear said, “This is just the start of what owners can expect when it comes to customizing the all‑new Sixpack-powered Charger. Our enthusiasts want personalization options, and the Fratzog dual stripes and new Satin Black hood graphic are just the beginning in turbocharging customization for the Sixpack. We’re leaning all the way in on factory‑backed personalization choices so customers can build their Charger their way.”
The MSRP for the graphic is $395, while the Fratzog dual stripes (which are compatible with both steel and glass roofs) start at $1,695. I for one cannot wait to see one of these striped Chargers on the street, though I suppose I could say the same thing about any late-model Charger.
