May the 4th be with you! Its Star Wars Day and we thought we would take a look back at one Dodge concept car that has a little connection to the Star Wars franchise. At the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, the Dodge brand released a tuner version of its newly announced 2008 Dodge Avenger sedan. Called the Dodge Avenger Stormtrooper was designed to appeal to the tuner crowd at the time. The Stormtrooper name comes from the Star Wars character which inspired the look of the car.
Unlike the production model which featured a 3.5-liter V6, Dodge shoehorned the 4.0-liter V6 (from the Dodge Nitro and Dodge Grand Caravan) into the engine bay of the Stormtrooper. The 4.0-liter produced 253 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque and was paired with a 6-speed automatic gearbox with AutoStick steering wheel paddle shifters. Power was sent to the ground through an all-wheel-drive layout from the Avenger R/T production model. A cold-air intake was added to the 4.0-liter as well.
Handling was improved thanks to a number of features that included KW custom coil-over suspension that is tuned for ride-height and damping, large 20-inch x 9-inch custom Alcoa Forged wheels with dye-sub custom graphics wrapped in Michelin 245/35R20 Pilot Sport PS2 tires, and a StopTech six-piston front and four-piston rear big-brake package.
The Dodge Avenger Stormtrooper featured several exterior custom modifications which included…
- Xenon HID Projector Headlamps
- Umnitza Predator Halo Lighting
- Challenger Fuel Filler Cap
- Blacked-Out High-Beam Parabola Package
- Tinted Headlamps and Taillamps
- Tinted PPG Blue-Magic Glass
- Billet Exhaust Tips
- Custom Front and Rear Fascias
- Sill Aero Kit
- Integrated Rear Spoiler
- Rear Door Sail Panels
Inside, the Avenger Stormtrooper was fitted with Alcantara suede on the instrument panel, doors, headliner, and pillars. A set of black and white Dodge SRT8 bucket seats with red stitching and stripes are fitted for the driver and the front passenger. A custom Dodge “rim-shell” steering wheel and paddle shifters are fitted with black leather, white suede, and red accent stitching with a center stripe. The gloss pearl-white painted centerstack features a set a Mopar Performance gauge pack with red accent LED lighting. A KICKER® Audio System was equipped into the car for added audio performance.
To showcase how much technology has changed, the Avenger Stormtrooper featured two Azentek mobile PCs installed with 1.8GHz Intel Core Duo processors and two gigs of ram. One unit was fitted under the front dash and one rear seat center console. Using ETAS’ INCA software to the engine controller, the driver could have the capability to control the car’s tuning and receive important engine information and download engine calibrations through Mopar Performance. The Stormtrooper Concept also featured onboard internet and had Bluetooth to link your devices like your iPhone or Zune, you remember Zune?
Dodge painted the Avenger Stormtrooper in a custom pearl white exterior color. The Stormtrooper Concept hasn’t been Dodge’s only dip into the world of Star Wars. In 2015, Dodge hit the opening of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens with custom themed Dodge Viper ACR, Dodge Challenger SRT HELLCAT, and Dodge Charger SRT HELLCAT vehicles.
