DAIMLERCHRYSLER, which is resurrecting the Dodge Challenger for production in 2008, says three of its assembly plants are in the running to make the vehicle and that its Brampton, Ont., facility is not a shoo-in.
Company executives unveiled the Challenger at a flashy event in a mall parking lot in Daytona Beach, Fla., before the Pepsi 400 NASCAR race. Chrysler officials would not give projected sales figures for the vehicle but analysts say they expect a target of 30,000 vehicles a year.
DC's Brampton plant is the logical place to build the car because it will be based on the same LX platform as the Dodge Charger, Magnum and Chrysler 300 models, which are already built there. But that's no guarantee for the Ontario factory, Eric Ridenour, Chrysler's chief operating officer, said.
"We're looking at the competitiveness of our plants, who wants it bad enough," he said.
Chrysler says the Challenger will feature the long hood, short deck, wide stance and two-door coupe-body style that distinguished the iconic Challengers of old. It will compete with Ford's Mustang.
General Motors has not yet formally announced whether it will revive the Camaro.
-- CanWest News Service
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