Just wait until you see the interior.
Oh, Dodge. Say what you will about the 13-year-old Challenger, but the brand’s dealers still manage to move upwards of 50,000 examples every single year. I’m convinced that’s down to the general attitude when it comes to marketing this car — the Challenger a piece of badass Americana with some weird, wacky and wonderful names to really stick in peoples’ minds. “Hellcat” and “Demon” easily cover the badass side, while you could also pick from colors like “Plum Crazy” (at least you could in previous years), “Go Mango”, “Hellraisin” and “Sinamon Stick”.
And now? It’s time for Holy Guacamole — a Challenger build that’s coming to the 2021 SEMA event in Las Vegas next week.
That is really what Dodge is going with this time around, and to be clear it is a concept at this point. Dodge says that the Holy Guacamole Challenger is meant to be a 1970s throwback. It’s a treatment that “showcases the ultimate in heritage design and modern Dodge attitude.” But, you know, it just wouldn’t be Dodge if they didn’t have fun with the name. The designers evidently (affectionately) named this Challenger “Rotten Avocado” — if that gives you some idea of where their minds were at on this one.
On the outside, Holy Guacamole is actually fairly restrained as a bespoke color. It brings in a more modestly-toned green that doesn’t quite scream like Gold Rush, Gold Mango or TorRed do.
Building on a 50th Anniversary Challenger
Dodge took a limited-run 2020 Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody 50th Anniversary Edition (quite a mouthful, isn’t it?) as a base, then added some more unique touches beyond the paint. The Challenger Holy Guacamole concept gets a csutom “Gold School” Shaker hood scoop, subtle tone-on-tone side stripes, and 20-inch Forgeline wheels.
Under the skin, this concept also gets a Mopar coil-over lowering kit, as well as a cold-air intake and conical air filter for the 485 horsepower, 6.4-liter Hemi V8.
As for the interior? Yeah, it’s anything but subtle. The Dodge team fitted the Holy Guacamole concept with green-and-yellow plaid seats and door inserts that make it hard to look at anything else. Eventually, your eyes will move away from that part of the interior, and straight toward the wood panel trim. Admittedly, the 1970 Dodge Challenger arrived well before my time, but I’m sure this tribute will make some folks out there nostalgic.
This is far from the only vehicle Stellantis is bringing to SEMA 2021, so check out more from Jeep and Ram as well! Speaking of SEMA, this is still one of the builds I remember most over the past few years:
