Dodge Upgrades AWD Muscle Cars With Bigger Wheels

Jan. 06, 2021 9:31 AM ET by Aaron Brzozowski Muscle Cars / 9 Comments

Customers have been asking for 20-inch wheels for years. At long last, they've arrived.

Customers have asked, and Dodge has answered.

For the first time, Dodge's AWD muscle cars, the Charger and Challenger, will offer 20-inch wheels as factory equipment for the 2021 model year. As Mopar Insiders reports, the new, larger wheels come standard on the GT AWD Charger and Challenger models, and are available as an option on the lower-priced SXT AWD. All are powered by Chrysler's trusty 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 gasoline engine, producing 300 to 305 horsepower depending on the model, but the GT models are priced a bit higher due to some extra standard equipment.

Those 20-inch wheels accomplish a couple of things. For starters, the Dodge Charger AWD and Dodge Challenger AWD both sit higher than their RWD counterparts, leaving extra space between the tires and the surrounding bodywork. The bigger 20-inch wheels help to shrink that dead space a bit, which is more aesthetically pleasing.

Beyond that, the new 20-inch wheels are deeper than the regular 19-inch wheels Dodge's AWD models have heretofore been restricted to, measuring 8 inches across instead of 7.5. That allows them to make use of tires of a greater section width, which not only look less awkward than the skinny tires previously fitted to all AWD Dodge muscle cars, but also deliver superior grip and traction most of the time, save for conditions like deep snow.

In addition, replacement tires for 20-by-8-inch wheels are more plentiful and easier to find than those for 19-by-7.5-inch wheels, giving 2021 Dodge AWD muscle car buyers access to more options when it comes to replacing or upgrading from the stock rubber.

For 2021, the Dodge AWD muscle car lineup offers a single 20-inch wheel design, with five split spokes and a choice of either a Satin Carbon or Black Noise finish. On the lower-tier SXT AWD models, Satin Carbon wheels require the selection of the Plus Package - a $2,695 (Charger) or $3,095 (Challenger) option that includes Nappa leather upholstery, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and plenty of other cabin niceties. Black Noise wheels also require the selection of the Blacktop Package.

Source Credits: Mopar Insiders

Dodge Upgrades AWD Muscle Cars With Bigger Wheels

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