The 1971 Dodge Charger came in six trimlines.
Six trimlines of the 1971 Dodge Charger exist, including the base, hardtop, 500, SE (which stands for "special edition"), R/T and Super Bee. The most powerful of all the 1971 Chargers, the Super Bee with HEMI engine is considered the street racer of the Charger line and maintained the car's muscle car heritage, according to the Chrysler website allpar.com. Thanks to government regulations and the call for greater fuel efficiency from the automobile market, muscle cars were beginning to disappear.
Engine
The 1971 Charger has a 225-cubic inch engine, producing 145 horsepower for the base model, which has a compression ratio of 8.4:1. The 318-cubic inch, V-8 engine is standard in the 500 model, while the 383-cubic inch V8 that is capable of producing 335 horsepower is optional.
For the R/T, the 440-cubic inch engine that produces 370 horsepower is standard, with the 440 six pack and 426 Hemi engine as options. The Super Bee has a standard 383-cubic inch engine which produces 275 horsepower. The Super Bee may also come matched with a Hemi engine, a 426-inch V8 that runs from zero to 60 in 5.8 seconds and manages the quarter mile in 13.7 seconds. The Hemi was retired after 1971.
Drivetrain
The Charger has rear-wheel drive with a three-speed manual transmission, though a three-speed automatic transmission and a four-speed manual transmission are available as options. With a base engine and 145 horsepower, the 1971 Charger weighs 3,220 lbs.
Super Bee and R/T Dimensions
Both the Super Bee and the R/T model share the same dimensions, though all Chargers have the same wheelbase of 115 inches. These two trims have a front and rear track of 60.1 inches and 62 inches, respectively. They are 52.7 inches high, 79.1 inches wide and 205.4 inches long.
Styling
The '71 Charger's new design had a Coke-bottle shape and a narrower wheelbase at 115 inches, which had lost two inches from the year before. The R/T features a blackened hood and "simulated bodyside air extractors, Rallye wheels, tape stripes and optional front and rear spoilers," according to Muscle Car Club. The SE features a chrome surrounded split grill. Hemi models featured hood scoops.
According to Old Ride, the 1971 Charger had "full width bumpers, small trunk spoiler and six square taillights. The Super Bee has all of the base's offerings along with heavy-duty brakes and shock absorbers, Rallye suspensions and instrumentation."
Production
According to the auto website Edmunds.com, 82,681 Chargers came out in 1971. Of those, just 85 came with the Hemi engine. 440 six-pack engines came out in 277 Chargers. When new, depending on the trim, the Charger cost between $2,710 and $3,775.
Tags: inch engine, 1971 Charger, 1971 Dodge, 1971 Dodge Charger, Dodge Charger, Hemi engine, 383-cubic inch