[1]First introduced in 2005, the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 only received their first major refresh in 2011. And what a refresh it was, delivering bold new looks, refined technology, an eight-speed automatic transmission and a bevy of new, more powerful engines that have made Chrysler competitive once more. But there’s always a question about that next major refresh.
Word has it through the Torque News [2] that Chrysler is planning to launch a new Dodge Charger in 2016, with an all-new Chrysler 300 following the next year.
The report notes that if these dates are true, the LX platform underpinning both Charger and 300 will be about 11 years old by the time it debuts. Even older if you account for the fact that the LX platform was based off of the old LH model, and it borrowed heavily from the Mercedes Benz parts bin. By the time 2016 rolls around, the LX models will be among the oldest “new” cars on the road.
We’re lucky then that Chrysler has made the current generation of Chargers and 300’s so appealing. By 2016 Chrysler should be fully recovered from its brush with bankruptcy, and a new generation of engines and transmissions should be ready to tackle demanding fuel economy standards. But will it be quick enough for fans of large, rear-drive American cars?