Auto News 5

The 2012 Dodge Charger, though a new design, is in many ways a relic. We got our first glimpse of the car in December 2008, when Chrysler invited deputy editor Joe DeMatio to preview future products (remember, this was a time when many assumed Chrysler didn't have future products). DeMatio saw a promising Jeep Grand Cherokee and a nicely massaged Chrysler 300. But the biggest surprise was an absolutely stunning new Charger that stepped out of the 300's shadow with a sculpted body, full-width taillamps, and a modern interior. "That's a Charger I wouldn't mind being seen in," he said, although he mused that Chrysler might go broke before he got the chance. That chance arrived when the U.S. government and Fiat stepped in, even if it's safe to say that neither were too excited about the large rear-wheel-drive sedans that had been pushed through by the previous regime. "I won't even tell you the amount of money that the platform costs -- you'd be shocked out of your pants," said new CEO Sergio Marchionne in the fall of 2009. "But it's done, and life will move on."