Not everyone is shopping for a 2020 Dodge Challenger Hellcat or Scat Pack, but you can get into a Hemi-powered muscle car for right around $36,000 while adding some key options for under $40,000.
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Over the past few months, we have talked a great deal about the pricing and options of the 2020 Dodge Challenger, focusing mostly on the Scat Pack and Hellcat models. With 485 horsepower and a price starting just over $40,000, the Challenger Scat Pack is one of the best budget performance cars on sale today.
With 717 horsepower and a starting price just north of $60,000, the Challenger Hellcat offers incredible performance with a solid price point and the 797-horsepower Redeye is one of the most powerful cars in the world with a price starting around $73,000.
The Scat Pack, Hellcat and Redeye are among the greatest performance bargains in today’s market, but not everyone is looking for a car with 485 to 797 horsepower, nor is everyone looking to spend $40k to $80k on a muscle car. Fortunately, that is where the 2020 Challenger R/T comes into play, with a 5.7-liter Hemi that delivers 372-or-375 horsepower and 400-or-410 lb-ft of torque, with a price that starts in the mid-$30k range.
Today, we bring you a look at the pricing for Dodge’s budget-friendly V8 muscle car.
2020 Dodge Challenger R/T Details
If you are not familiar with the R/T trim level for the 2020 Dodge Challenger, it is powered by the 5.7-liter Hemi. When paired with the standard 6-speed manual transmission, this package offers 375 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. When paired with the 8-speed automatic transmission, the 5.7-liter Hemi delivers 372 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. This package also includes performance-tuned steering and suspension, a performance braking package and an adaptive exhaust system.
The Challenger R/T starts at $36,090 with the manual transmission, including destination fees, while the same package with the 8-speed automatic starts at $37,685. Those prices make the Challenger R/T one of the least expensive V8-powered muscle car on sale today. The 2020 Mustang GT starting at $36,475 (manual) and $38,070 (automatic) and the 2020 Camaro SS starts at $37,995 (manual) and $39,590 (automatic). The only V8-powered muscle car that has a starting price below the Challenger R/T is the Camaro LT1, which starts at $34,995 and $36,590.
Adding Options
If you are only concerned about getting into a Hemi-powered 2020 Dodge Challenger, the R/T trim level with the prices mentioned above are your best bet. At that price point, you get the look and feel of the modern Challenger and the proper roar of a Hemi. Sure, it isn’t as quick as the Scat Pack or Hellcat models, but the R/T offers a comparable muscle car driving experience.
That being said, there are a few options that can be added to the Challenger R/T that greatly enhance the experience without sending the price through the roof. The one option package that I absolutely recommend for all R/T buyers is the Performance Handling Group. For $1,595, this adds 20-by-9-inch wheels, a heavier duty rear axle with 3.09 gears (with the automatic transmission – 3.90 gears come with the manual), 4-piston Brembo brakes, a high performance suspension system, uniquely tuned electronic power steering and a leather flat-bottom steering wheel with paddle shifters. The brakes, suspension and steering go a long way in making the Challenger R/T more fun to drive and the flat-bottom steering wheel creates a surprisingly different driving feel.
We would also recommend the automatic transmission, so if you want a 2020 Challenger R/T that offers the best performance for the money, you want to add the automatic transmission and the Performance Handling Group. That leads to an MSRP of $39,280.
Finally, the 8.4-inch UConnect system is easily one of the best in the industry, so I would recommend adding that to your 2020 Challenger R/T as well. You can get the Plus Package for $3,195 which adds leather seats, the premium sound system, the 8.4-inch UConnect screen and more, but if you are focused on your budget, the UConnect system as the only feature of the Plus Package that I really consider a must-have. If you want leather and the nicer infotainment system, the Plus Package is the way to go, but if you don’t want leather, the $1,095 upgrade for the 8.4-inch UConnect system is a smart choice. When you add that to a 2020 Challenger R/T with an automatic transmission and the Performance Handling Group, you get an MSRP of $40,375.
Of course, I should point out that the 2020 Challenger Scat Pack with the 485-horsepower Hemi, the 6-speed manual, standard sport-tuned suspension and steering and the standard UConnect system starts at $41,490, including Gas Guzzler Tax and destination fees. Adding the automatic transmission brings the price to $42,085, so the Scat Pack with the automatic transmission, the sportier performance bits and the nicer infotainment system costs just $1,710 more than the R/T with similar features and the smaller engine.
That is why the Scat Pack models have been so popular, as they are only slightly pricier than the R/T with over 100 less horsepower. However, if you want to stay below $40,000 for your new muscle car, the lightly options R/T is the way to go.
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