Next Dodge Charger Not Expected Before 2020; Initial Designs Remind Of 1999 Concept

Introduced in 2005 and redesigned in 2010, the Dodge Charger LX’s lifespan will reportedly stretch at least four more years, as a replacement for the seventh generation is not expected until after 2020.

Quoting sources close to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), AutoNews reports that the next iteration will shed the aging (and that’s an understatement) LX platform for an extended version of the Giorgio architecture that currently underpins the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia, but before the switch happens, the Charger is apparently scheduled to undergo one more minor freshening in 2018 for the 2019MY.

The next-gen Dodge Charger will retain a rear-wheel drive layout with AWD being optional and a similar footprint as the current car at under 200 inches (5m) long, but one of the most significant upgrades will be the weight loss, as it is believed to go through a strict diet that will cut nearly 500 pounds (225 kg).

Another novelty could be the introduction of a new twin-turbo inline-four, nicknamed “Hurricane”, with around 300 HP, that will debut in the 2018 Jeep Wrangler and will be adopted by the next Challenger as well.

In terms of styling, the same report says that, during a private showing for dealers last August in las Vegas, FCA showed an early design reminiscent of the 1999 Charger concept penned by the brand’s former styling chief, Tom Gale.

Note: 1999 Dodge Charger Concept pictured