The Charger Redline is a rolling example of what three new Mopar “Stage” upgrade kits can do to upgrade the Charger R/T; it debuts at the Detroit auto show next week. (You may remember the Charger Redline that Mopar showed off at SEMA a few years ago—it served almost the same showcase purpose as this new one.) Before you ask, the Stage packages detailed below are the only things guaranteed to be available later this year—a turnkey Redline model isn’t currently in the works.
Stage I
Mopar’s Stage I goodies are mostly cosmetic and include a carbon-fiber chin spoiler, a rear ducktail spoiler, and accents for the Charger’s body-side character line. (We say “mostly cosmetic” because Dodge claims the wing improves rear downforce at speed.) There’s also a black grille insert, a vinyl roof wrap, and sweet-looking 20-inch wheels. The interior gets additional aluminum accents around the shifter and on the dashboard, as well as steel pedal covers.
Stage II
Stage II skips the visuals and jumps straight to the good stuff: performance upgrades. It includes a handful of bolt-on parts that squeeze a little more power out of the Charger R/T while also ostensibly bolstering its braking and handling capabilities. Mopar’s cat-back exhaust system improves the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8′s breathing and amplifies its voice. A front strut-tower brace helps chassis stiffness, and high-performance brake pads aim to deliver less fade during repeated stops.
Stage III
Unlike the other two stages, which bundle several items, Stage III brings just one item: a high-output crate motor. Yep, Stage III replaces the Charger R/T’s 370-hp, 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with a 590-hp, 7.0-liter Hemi V-8. For those who decline to do the math, the aluminum-block 426 crate engine pumps out 220 more hp than the factory R/T, and 120 more than the 6.4-liter in the Charger SRT8. It is true that anyone could order the 426 from Mopar’s catalog and dump it into the engine bay of a Charger, and the end result would be the same—but for two exceptions. First, the 426 in the Stage III upgrade makes 50 more hp than the one in Mopar’s catalog; second, it’s been programmed to seamlessly work with the Charger’s electronics. The only bummer is that the crate engine isn’t emissions-tested, so it’s technically not street-legal.
The three kits will be available independently. Dodge hasn’t released pricing for the stages yet, but figure on Stages I and II being reasonable and Stage III on the pricey side. The normal, 540-hp version of the 426 Hemi crate motor retails for $13,675, not including installation, and—if you don’t already have one—a 2012 Dodge Charger R/T starts at $30,820. Adding the Stage III engine could raise the total higher than the Charger SRT8’s $47,620 cost of entry, but it just might be worth it to have one of the most bad-ass Chargers around, even if you technically can’t (but totally should) drive it on the street.
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