Don’t expect to see a new Dodge Challenger or even a new Dodge Charger at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show. But Dodge is bringing a Challenger and a Charger to the Windy City anyway; it's just that the headline act isn’t either of the two performance cars. It’s the paint they’re wearing, which Dodge calls “Sublime.” The importance of the paint scheme shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who remember it. The Sublime finish is arguably one of the most iconic paint colors that the Challenger and Charger have worn in their respective lifetimes. 2015 was the last time Dodge offered it on the Challenger, and we haven’t seen the Charger sport it since 2007. Now it’s back, and, according to Dodge, it’s available as a factory color option across the entire range of Challenger and Charger models.
Of all the things that Dodge could have presented at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show, it decided to give top billing to a paint color? It seems strange to even think about, right? The automaker could have debuted a new performance pack or even just rolled out a Moparized version of the Challenger or Charger and peddled the new bits to everyone who sees it. Instead, it’s showcasing a paint color. I understand why some of you are confused by it, but there is some method to Dodge’s madness.
Why else would the Challenger look the same as it did back in 1970 when it first rolled out? The appeal of nostalgia isn’t lost on the automaker and as long as that nostalgia continues to tug at the heartstrings of customers, then Dodge isn’t going to hesitate to take full advantage of it. That’s one of the reasons why it’s bringing back the Sublime Green paint finish, now known simply as “Sublime,” as a factory color option for the Challenger and the Charger.
See, Sublime Green isn’t just a random color option that Dodge is bringing back for cheap thrills. It’s actually one of the original colors available for the first-generation Challenger and the third-generation Charger.Interestingly, Dodge actually offered it as a $14 option on the first-generation Challenger, but ultimately offered it as a standard choice on the 1970 Charger and all the other Dodge and Plymouth models from the same year. That’s right. The paint color became so popular, in part because it was so flashy, that Dodge offered it as a color option for the Coronet, Dart, Monaco, and Polara. Even Plymouth got in on the fun as the paint color was made available on a handful of its own models, specifically the Barracuda, Belvedere, Fury, Satellite, and Valiant. Unfortunately, the Sublime Green paint color only lasted a year. It was used sporadically by Jeep and Chrysler in the early 1980’s, but for the most part, the Sublime Green paint color was rarely used for the next two decades, though it did make occasional appearances in the aftermarket world.
Dodge has since used it a number of times, most recently in 2015 for the Challenger, but this year’s re-introduction is special and noteworthy because it’s the first time that the color appears in Dodge’s order books as a standard color option since, well, 1970.
But now it’s back, much to the delight of future owners of the Challenger and Charger. Steve Beahm, Head of Passenger Car Brands—Dodge//SRT, Chrysler and FIAT - FCA North America, had this to say about the paint collar’s return to the spotlight: “By bringing back a high-impact color like Sublime across the 2019 Challenger and Charger lineups, we’re continuing to give our enthusiast customers another way to make their muscle cars even more unique when they showcase the legendary Dodge performance attitude.”
The color now goes by the name, “Sublime,” but the real good news is that it’s available across the board. That means you can buy any version of either of the two performance cars and you can get them in the Sublime paint finish. Pretty cool, right? It’d be even cooler if you can buy the Dodge Challenger T/A and dress that up in the Sublime Green finish. You’d be doubling down on the tradition and heritage of Dodge’s iconic muscle car.
if Sublime isn't your thing, you can opt for other fancy shades like B5 Blue, Go Mango, F8 Green, Plum Crazy, and the curiously named TorRed. Let’s face it, though. If you’re buying a 2019 Challenger or a 2019 Charger, dressing it up in Sublime is the way to go.
Further reading
Read our full review on the 2019 Dodge Challenger.
Read our full review on the 2019 Dodge Charger.