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Mopar brings an all-wheel-drive Challenger to SEMA

All-weather tire destruction could be in the cards for FCA's quintessential muscle car, if this concept has anything to say about it.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
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Andrew Krok
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Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept
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Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept

The Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept's exterior is painted in the appropriately named Destroyer Gray.

 Mopar

If you want to buy an all-wheel-drive muscle car from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, your only choice is the four-door Charger. The Challenger doesn't offer all-wheel drive, but that could very well change in the near future. At this year's SEMA show, FCA's Mopar division introduced the Challenger GT AWD Concept, proving your fun doesn't have to end when snow starts falling.

The Challenger GT AWD Concept likely uses the all-wheel-drive system from the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, making it the first Challenger with more than two driven wheels. To manage traction, Mopar slapped 20-inch wheels on all four corners. The car's aesthetics are topped off with fender flares, large spoilers, unique exhaust tips and a black roof with contrasting orange stripes.

Under the concept's hood lies a 5.7-liter Hemi eight-cylinder engine. Not content to leave well enough alone, Mopar upgraded the motor, adding new cylinder heads, exhaust manifolds and a wealth of other parts. The result is 447 horsepower and 454 pound-feet -- and because they're Mopar-branded parts, the factory warranty remains in place. The concept car shares the same eight-speed automatic that powers its production variants.

Rather unsurprisingly, when asked for a comment regarding any potential production AWD Challenger, a Mopar spokesman responded, "This is 100 percent a concept car designed for the SEMA show." FCA, like most other automakers, isn't too keen to comment on future products.

An all-wheel-drive Challenger seems like a no-brainer for the North American market. Too often are high-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive vehicles sent to hide in garages when the white stuff starts falling from the sky. Adding a new drivetrain option could open the Challenger up to additional markets, where the Charger stands as the only reasonable way to hustle 400-plus horsepower around in the winter.

Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept
Mopar

Editors' Note, November 3, 2015: This story has been updated to include comments from the automaker.