Shakedown Dodge Says Goodbye to the Challenger

by Michael Satterfield - 03/21/2023

The Shakedown is a wild beast born from a concept car that shook up the 2016 SEMA show. The concept, an untamed creation, was a crossbreed between a 1971 Challenger and modern-day Mopar performance, its audacious design and untethered spirit made automotive enthusiasts salivate. That wild concept inspired the 2023 Shakedown I am driving this week, part of Dodge's long goodby to its bread and butter, the muscle car. 

2016 SEMA Show car that inspired the 2023 Shakedown Package

Now, the 2023 Shakedown, still boasts well same shape we first saw in 2006, but it's wearing a fancy suit and comes with the clout of having a limited edition of one of the last true muscle cars. Just 1,000 of these packages will be sold,500 based on the Challenger R/T Scat Pack and 500 with the optional R/T Scat Pack Widebody. Regardless of the body style, the Shakedown comes with a 485-hp 6.4-liter V-8 and either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission.

The exterior of this beast is bedecked with a set of stripes that run the length of the car, three black lines of varying widths, and a single red line that screams passion and power. Coordinating with the red stripes, this monster is equipped with red "392" fender badges and red Brembo brake calipers, the rear spoiler is emblazoned with a Shakedown graphic. Inside the red accents continue with  Nappa leather seats with microsuede accents and red contrast stitching that carries into the steering wheel and dashboard. Of course, it also gets Demonic Red seatbelts.  

The Shakedown also includes options like carbon-fiber interior trim, the Technology Package, and the Plus Package so not only does the Shakedown go fast, but it will keep your hands toasty with a heated steering wheel and be ready for your own version of Vanishing Point with adaptive cruise control. The Shakedown doesn't drive differently than any of the Challengers I have tested over the years, it still has the angry growl as it throws you back in your seat and the old-school 60s feeling is more than just nostalgia, but there is something to be said for a vehicle that is true to what it is, a car that only exists thrill drivers and scare the shit out of passengers, a monster on wheels.

 So strap yourself in, take a deep breath, and hold on tight, because the Shakedown is coming, and it's coming fast. It's a heart-stopping, adrenaline-fueled ride that'll make you feel alive in a way only the smell of smoking rubber and white knuckles can. You better act fast if you want to get one of these 1,000 and if it was me, the widebody with a manual transmission would be the one to have, a fitting tribute to a legacy of speed.