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Dodge Challenger 2023 never registered: we inspected a collectible V8 for a client

Denis Rem inspected a new 2023 Dodge Challenger with a naturally aspirated 485 hp HEMI V8 for a client. The car stood unregistered for almost three years: what the paint, the engine bay and the underbody showed.

30.08.2026 · 2 min read · Destacar editorial team

Black 2023 Dodge Challenger with a yellow stripe on the front splitter on cobblestones

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On the second day after drifting, Denis Rem went to look at a 2023 Dodge Challenger for a client. The car is new: it stood for almost three years and was never registered. Denis brought a paint thickness gauge and a diagnostic tool, as on every inspection.

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Video from 2026, in Russian: Denis inspects a new Dodge Challenger at the seller's, from the engine to the underbody. About 11 minutes.

A naturally aspirated V8 with 485 hp

Under the bonnet is a HEMI V8 without a turbo: 485 hp by the American count, 492 PS by the European one, and 644 Nm. Power goes to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic. According to Denis, only 55 of these cars came to Europe.

The seller asked not to rev it on the spot: the car is new. Denis would not have done that anyway, the engine simply idled and warmed up.

What three years of standing left behind

New does not mean flawless. Under the bonnet some parts already show rust. One wheel has a small scratch, and the paint has small rust spots that need polishing. The brake discs show the car has barely been driven, and at times it also stood outside.

The paint readings are unremarkable: 107 on the bonnet, 104 on the roof, around 125 and 130 on other panels. Denis found no repaint.

Interior and boot

Outside the Challenger looks mean, inside it is plainer: the leather feels more like faux leather, with Alcantara on top. The dashboard is angled towards the driver. There is cruise control with distance keeping and braking, and the exhaust can be opened with a valve.

The boot is huge and the rear backrest folds down. The car is American, so the boot can also be opened from inside.

Photos

Engine bay of the Dodge Challenger with the HEMI V8 under a black cover
1/6Even the coolant is unusual here: purple instead of the familiar green or red. Denis called it purple blood.
Close-up of rust marks on a part in the engine bay
2/6The car is a 2023, yet rust is already creeping onto the engine: it shows here and on the compressor too.
Centre console with the automatic gear selector and drive mode buttons
3/6The dashboard and the long selector of the eight-speed automatic reminded Denis of an old Supra, and the USB port here is still the classic kind, without Type-C.
Driver's seat with Alcantara, an embroidered emblem and red stitching
4/6The emblem on the backrest is embroidered, not a rubber patch. The stitching and the seat belts in the cabin are burgundy.
Two subwoofers and the battery under the boot floor
5/6Under the boot floor sit two Harman Kardon subwoofers. As Denis noticed, the battery has already needed a jump start, because the car has been standing for a long time.
Automatic transmission oil pan and exhaust pipe seen from below
6/6Denis recognised the drain plug straight away: this is the eight-speed ZF. The driveshaft couplings around it are built differently from those on the BMW 840.

Underbody and verdict

Underneath, the car has already been treated with black underbody protection, neatly and all over. Only one thing bothered Denis: the yellow strut was painted over as well, it should have been masked.

Bottom line

Denis's verdict: the car is worth buying. It is the last model year of the Challenger, the car is new, never registered and has a treated underbody. Next come negotiations with the seller, and then the Challenger goes to the client.

Need a car inspected before you buy?

We look at the car at the seller's, measure the paint, run diagnostics and tell you what we saw.

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