We are nearing the end of Dodge’s Last Call model series. While some have been mere style packages, others have packed some serious performance under their chiseled hoods. The 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost is the latter and not only does it ay homage to a Detroit racing legend, but also ups the horsepower ante too.
Black Ghost Story Goes Back Seven Decades
The story of the original Black Ghost begins back in the 1970s, long before Woodward Avenue became known for the Woodward Dream Cruise and the swarms of Royal Oak Police department officers that often accompany it. In those days, the fabled strip was the vehicular wild west and it was ruled by the Black Ghost. The Black Ghost was a blacked out 1970s Dodge Challenger 426 Hemi that would appear and then almost seemingly disappear with a supernatural touch on any given night. Of course, that’s not before it left many street racing rivals eating its dust if one were foolish enough to challenge it. The ironic twist was that the man behind the wheel was a Detroit Police Officer who sadly passed away in 2015.
Eventually, the specter was outclassed by newer competition and disappeared as the decade came to a close (before reappearing decades later at car shows,) but the legend that it built persisted. That aura is what inspired the 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost the latest entry in the Last Call series. Like the original, this ghost is not a mere style package and instead packs plenty of performance with the model using the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye Widebody as its foundation. These underpinnings allow the car to make 807 hp and puts the Ghost in the same company as the Super Stock variant.
While the original Ghost had a green alligator style landau top, it’s modern cousin ditches the green and instead goes for an all-blacked out appearance including roof mounted gator skin graphics, white contrast striping, and splashes of retro style badging with bright alloy wheels rounding out the exterior. Slip inside, and you find a special Black Ghost badge, while Alcantara trim is added to the steering wheel, steering wheel, and the seat bolsters with carbon fiber bezels.
“There are so many legendary muscle cars in Dodge brand history, it was hard to choose the seven vehicles we wanted to pay homage to with our Last Call lineup, but the Black Ghost was an easy pick,” said Dodge Brand CEO Tim Kuniskis. “The 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost is the prelude to what we’re going to unveil with our seventh and final special-edition model.”
When Can I Buy One?
Like other members of the Last Call series, the Challenger Black Ghost will be a very rare sight out on the road, with Dodge only planning to produce 300 copies before it vanishes into the night for good. This falls in line with other members of the Last Call family including the Swinger series, Dodge Charger Super Bee, as well as the Challenger Shakedown.
@carlmalek #mystery is the theme with this @Dodge #dodgechallenger model. its #SEMA bound and we get to wait until then for an answer #fyp #speedweek2022 #dodge #woodwarddreamcruise #musclecar #musclecarsoftiktok
These models will only serve as the figurative appetizer to the main course with Dodge execs unveiling the seventh and final model at SEMA in Las Vegas in November. Not much is known about his particular model with Dodge having it all wrapped up in camouflage with the only visible exception being the license plate which gave out a very cryptic clue. We covered it in the TikTok video above, but this last model could be the long rumored 900 hp E85 powered monster that Dodge has been working on as a sequel to the Demon.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.