Welcome to Charger Week

Keep the dial locked to Chasing History this week, Valiant Charger fans.

It’s 1971.

William McMahon has replaced John Gorton as Prime Minister of Australia, England has given the Australian cricket team a resounding beating on home soil and Chrysler Australia has just released a sporty new hardtop coupe.

It’s an immediate hit. “Hey Charger” isn’t just a catchline on television screens, it’s a popular cultural symbol on streets around the nation. The first Chargers are rolling off the assembly line in Adelaide.

Chrysler Australia is on a winner.

It’s 2019.  

We don’t make cars in Australia anymore. Holden pulled the shutters down on its manufacturing operations a little over two years ago, just weeks after Toyota and a year after Ford.

Chrysler hasn’t built a car in Australia for almost four decades. The brand is in a state of flux around the world, while scores of other marques have assumed almost all the market share in one of the most fragmented car markets in the world.

However, Australia still cares for the Charger. A lot.  

Chargers remain a welcome sight on our roads, and their desirability grows by the day. The model stands tall in the company of Australian automotive icons including the Monaro, Falcon, Torana and Commodore.

This week, we’re celebrating the Charger’s place in Australian automotive history with stories from a builder, a dealer, an owner, a passenger and a fanatic. We hope this gives a glimpse of how deep Australia’s love for the Valiant Charger really is.

So, a very warm welcome to Chasing History Charger Week. We invite you to join in by sharing photos, stories and insights on our Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Finally, we give our heartfelt condolences to the Charger community on both sides of the Tasman after the sudden passing of Gary Bridger last week. Gary was among the most passionate Charger fans anywhere in the world, and leaves behind a wonderful legacy of Charger literature and passion.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends.