Dodge has always prided itself as a company that holds a special place in the hearts of the brave men and women who serve or have served the U.S. armed forces. This isn’t whimsical hyperbole, either. An mTab survey revealed that the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger are leading buys among cars in their segments. They are go-to purchases for active-duty service personnel who want to enjoy the freedom of driving on the open road, the very same freedom that they protect while on-duty in the military. It comes as no surprise, then, that Dodge is celebrating its place in the hearts of American troops by offering a special edition appearance package, appropriately called the “Stars and Stripes Edition.” The new Stars and Stripes package will headline Dodge’s booth at the 2019 New York International Auto Show, which opens its doors next week. From there, the package will be available for ordering in May at an add-on price of $1,995.

2020 Dodge Charger Stars & Stripes Edition

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  • Model: 2020 Dodge Charger Stars & Stripes Edition
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What Makes the 2020 Dodge Charger Scat Pack Stars & Stripes Edition Special?

You can always count on Dodge to leverage the support it receives from the men and women of the U.S. armed forces to advance its own goals. That’s not necessarily a bad thing because that support comes from a place of acceptance and, more importantly, affection towards the brand. The Dodge Charger, in particular, has become a favorite among armed forces personnel, and if you know what the four-door muscle car is capable of on various fronts, it’s not hard to see why. The current-generation 2019 Charger is a good example of how the muscle car has become a military personnel favorite. It’s not as brash as its Challenger sibling, but it does have its own magnetic personality that attracts people from all walks of life. It certainly isn’t lacking in color, either. The 2019 model has 14 in-your-face colors to choose from, including doozies like the F8 Green, Go Mango, Octane Red, Plum Crazy, and Sublime. Fancy colors aside, the Charger’s appeal can also be traced to its power and performance capabilities, as well as the number of packages that Dodge has thrown in its direction. The newest of these packages is called the Stars and Stripes package, and, as you might expect, it’s a package that exists specifically to honor the men and women of the U.S. armed forces.

For the record, the Dodge Charger Stars and Stripes Edition isn’t a special edition model, or at least not in the traditional sense of the phrase. I know that descriptions and nomenclatures can get a little fuzzy in this regard, but you’re not buying a Charger Stars and Stripes Edition straight out of a dealership the way you would other special or limited edition models. package that you can purchase for $1,995 to go with your purchase of a Charger.> It’s not at all different from the myriad of packages that Dodge offers, including the Brass Monkey Appearance Package that’s now available across all Charger models for an extra cost of $795. That said, the Stars and Stripes package is different in one clear and unambiguous way. There’s a specificity to its existence, one that’s meant to celebrate the men and women who serve our country through military-inspired touches on the Charger and, well, the Challenger, as well. Or, as Steve Beahm, FCA's head of passenger car brands in North America, describes it, "The Stars & Stripes Edition is an opportunity to deliver a custom look with unique elements that speak to those performance enthusiasts who want to extend their passion for their country to the Charger and Challenger."

So, what makes up the package's "unique elements?"

First, let’s lay down the framework for the package. The Stars and Stripes package is available with the following exterior colors: Destroyer Grey, F8 Green, Granite Crystal, IndiGo Blue, Maximum Steel, Octane Red, Pitch Black, Triple Nickel, and White Knuckle. You can choose from any of these paint finishes to go with the Stars and Stripes package. You’ll notice that the Charger’s flashier colors — Sublime and Go Mango come to mind — aren’t included in that list. Consider those colors too flashy for the Stars and Stripes package. It is what it is. Fortunately, one color, in particular — F8 Green — fits seamlessly into the Stars and Stripes package’s identity, in part because the colorway’s Olive Green shade looks exactly like military fatigues. The press photos show the Challenger wearing that color with the Stars and Stripes package. Just imagine it’s the Charger and you’ll understand why it’s arguably the best exterior paint for the military tribute package.

The contents of the package are significant to the identity it aims to establish. On the outside, the Satin Black racing stripe that runs the length of the car counts as the most obvious feature of the package. It’s not just obvious, but it’s also the most striking, especially with the silver edge outline on the driver’s side of the Charger. It’s a small detail, sure, but look at it in certain angles and the detail explodes in front of your eyes. The latter comes standard on the Scat Pack trim of the Charger and as an option on the lower-run GT and R/T trims of the muscle car. You’re going to want to stick around, too, because the bronze details don’t just end on the brake calipers; they’re actually scattered throughout the Charger. Before we go hunting for more bronze details, notice, too, the special badging on the fender of the Charger. It’s the Stars and Stripes, dressed in subtle, low-visibility Satin Black, presumably for continuity’s sake. It’s a beautiful detail that stands as the best symbol of the package’s identity.

Step inside the Stars and Stripes package-clad Charger and you’ll be greeted by an interior with black-on-black seats that have a bronze star embroidered into them. This star is probably my favorite detail of the package. It’s simple, classy, and poignant, all rolled into one. Black interior accents are scattered throughout the cabin, but the bronze details aren’t far behind, either. The bronze accent stitching provides a dab of color into an otherwise monochromatic interior.

There are no power upgrades to speak, nor should you expect any. The Stars and Stripes is strictly an appearance package, and, more importantly, it’s only available on select trim options of the four-door muscle car. The SXT and SXT AWD trims don’t get it, but the Charger GT RWD does. The GT trim is powered by a 3.6-liter V-6 unit that produces 300 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque. All that power goes to the two rear wheels courtesy of a TorqueFlight eight-speed automatic transmission.

There are no power upgrades to speak, nor should you expect any. The Stars and Stripes is strictly an appearance package, and, more importantly, it’s only available on select trim options of the four-door muscle car. The SXT and SXT AWD trims don’t get it, but the Charger GT RWD does. The GT trim is powered by a 3.6-liter V-6 unit that produces 300 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque. All that power goes to the two rear wheels courtesy of a TorqueFlight eight-speed automatic transmission.

If you’re not a fan of the Charger GT RWD, you can opt for the Charger R/T, which is powered by an all-too-familiar engine: the iconic 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine. This unit produces a tidy 370 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque. The same TorqueFlight eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to the two rear wheels, enabling the R/T to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in under six seconds.

If power is what you want, go ahead and get the Charger R/T Scat Pack. It’s powered by a naturally aspirated 392 HEMI V-8 engine, which, in turn, produces a stout 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque. All that power goes to the rear wheels courtesy of, you guessed it, a TorqueFlight eight-speed automatic transmission. It only takes 4.5 seconds for the Charger R/T Scat Pack to break 60 mph from a standstill position.

That’s a pity. Nothing would scream “America!” more than a military-inspired special edition Charger SRT Hellcat that’s powered by a 6.2-liter HEMI V-8 engine with 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque on tap.

Whatever trim version you end up choosing, you can take comfort knowing that the Charger holds itself well as a performance vehicle. The V-6-powered GT provides accurate steering and controlled moves at any speed. Those are good qualities to have if you want to go a little extra with this model. You’re going to have a bit of trouble, though, if you start thinking of the Charger GT as a pure-bred muscle car. While it is on paper, you’re better off satisfying your metal-twisting urges with any of the V-8-powered Chargers. The R/T trim makes good use of the power it has on tap, and you’re going to love its active exhaust system and the rumbly exhaust note it spits out. But if it’s performance you crave, it’s the Charger Scat Pack you must have. It’s the most track-suited of any of the Charger trims that can be optioned with the Stars and Stripes package.

Pricing for the Dodge Charger GT starts at $31,495. Meanwhile, the Dodge Charger R/T starts at $35,995, while the Charger Scat Pack starts at $39,995. Throw in the Stars and Stripes package at any of these Charger trims and you’re looking at prices that add up to $33,490 for the Charger GT, $37,990 for the Charger R/T, and $41,990 for the Charger Scat Pack.

Further Reading

Read up on the updated, 2019 Dodge Charger}

Read our review of the 2017 Dodge Charger Daytona}

Read our in-depth driven review of the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat}

Read our full review of the 2015 Dodge Charger RT Scat Pack}

Read our review of the 2018 Dodge Super Charger Concept}

Read our historical review of the 1966 Dodge Charger}