Challenger GT AWD Concept Debuts at 2015 SEMA Show

November 3, 2015

Kami Buchholz

The Challenger GT AWD Concept is fitted with Mopar's Scat Pack 3 Performance Kit that includes CNC-ported cylinder heads, hi-flow manifolds, hi-flow catalysts, gasket set, exhaust manifolds, and an exhaust adapter. (Click arrow at top right of this image to see more.)

A two-door muscle car prepped for year-round road conditions is the driving influence behind the Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept.

Mopar modifications at the rear of the Challenger GT AWD Concept include quad exhaust tips painted in a powder-coated Satin Black, fuel filler door painted Satin Black with a unique Mopar graphic, and concept decklid badge.

Header Orange is a body accent strip on the Challenger GT AWD Concept.

“The thought for this concept: It’s the four-season muscle car. Raise your hand if you’d like to do an all-wheel-drive burnout,” Head of Mopar Design Joe Dehner said in an Automotive Engineering interview prior to the car’s debut at the 2015 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas.

The Challenger GT AWD is one of several vehicles representing the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Fiat brands at Mopar’s 15,345-ft² (1425-m²) exhibit. According to Todd Beddick, Mopar’s Head of Accessories and Performance Portfolio, “As far as we know, this is the only 8-speed automatic AWD V8-powered Challenger.”

The production Challenger R/T’s 5.7-L Hemi V8 thumps out 372 hp (278 kW) at 5200 rpm and 400 lb·ft (542 N·m) at 4400 rpm, but the Challenger GT AWD’s use of a Mopar Scat Pack 3 Performance Kit elevates the power output by up to 75 hp (56 kW) and up to 44 lb·ft (60 N·m).

“In order to handle all that go and the AWD traction, we added a Mopar prototype lowering kit,” said Beddick. The car also has sway bars, performance front and rear strut tower braces, as well as a cold air kit. “And we swapped out the Challenger R/T brakes for the Dodge Charger’s police brakes, which gives it much better fade resistance and stopping power,” Beddick said.

Compared to the production Challenger, the concept’s track was pulled out approximately 2.5 in (63.5 mm) per side. Challenger GT AWD is roughly 2.5 inches lower in the front, and about 2 in (51 mm) lower in the rear. The concept car rides on Pirelli tires and concept Mopar five-spoke forged billet aluminum wheels (20- x 10-in on the front, and 20- x 11-in on the rear).

According to Dehner, the car features a unique front splitter and a concept rear spoiler. The car’s industrial-looking Destroyer Grey exterior paint is complemented by the hood, roof, and decklid being matte black. An asymmetrical stripe sets off the black and grey tones.

“We’ve done an asymmetrical stripe on a host of different Dodge production and concept cars over the years, but we added something a little different,” Dehner said, referencing a 1-in (25-mm) wide Header Orange stripe that seemingly races around the car.

The Challenger GT AWD is a functional car. “That is what’s neat about all of our concepts. They all drive,” said Dehner.