Charger Down Under: Dodge's Australian Arrival

is the dodge charger coming to australia

The Dodge Charger Pursuit, an American police car, has been converted to right-hand drive for use in Australia. The Charger Pursuit is factory-assembled as a police vehicle in Ontario, Canada, and features ballistic door panels, steel wheels, bigger brakes, and seats that can accommodate police equipment belts. While the car has been imported to Australia by Queensland's SCD Remanufactured Vehicles, Dodge has distanced itself from the private importer, stating that it does not have any direct business or legal affiliation with the company and cannot guarantee the safety of the converted vehicles. Despite this, the Charger Pursuit is being evaluated by the Australian Federal Police, and the Queensland Police force has also expressed interest in testing the car.

Characteristics Values
Company importing Dodge Charger to Australia SCD Remanufactured Vehicles
Location of the company Queensland, Australia
Number of Dodge Chargers imported 2
Engine V6
Drivetrain All-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive
Purpose To be used by the Queensland Police
Safety The US head office for Dodge has distanced itself from the importer and will not vouch for the safety of the vehicles

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The Dodge Charger Pursuit has been imported to Australia by Queensland's SCD Remanufactured Vehicles

SCD Remanufactured Vehicles imported two of these Dodge Charger Pursuits, intending to loan them to police agencies for test drives once they had been converted to right-hand drive. The Queensland Police force has expressed interest in testing the car, and the first Charger Pursuit will soon be evaluated by the Australian Federal Police (AFP). If confirmed, the Charger Pursuits will join the current fleet of police cars in Queensland, which includes the Kia Stinger and hybrid Toyota units.

While the Charger Pursuit can be ordered in either all-wheel-drive V6 or rear-wheel-drive V8, the two cars imported by SCD are both powered by V6 engines. SCD has stated that interested parties can order the cars in their desired specification. The Charger Pursuits imported by SCD are factory-assembled police vehicles, and the company has emphasised its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the advanced safety systems in the cars.

However, it is important to note that Dodge has distanced itself from SCD Remanufactured Vehicles, stating that it has no affiliation or relationship with the company. Dodge has also asserted that it cannot guarantee or endorse the conversion processes employed by SCD, raising questions about the safety and quality of the converted vehicles. Despite this, the arrival of the Dodge Charger Pursuit in Australia, particularly for police use, has generated interest from various agencies and media outlets.

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SCD Remanufactured Vehicles converts Dodge vehicles to right-hand-drive

The Dodge Charger Pursuit, an American police cruiser, has been converted to right-hand drive by SCD Remanufactured Vehicles, a Queensland-based company. SCD imported two Dodge Chargers from Ontario, Canada, which were specifically built for police work with features like ballistic door panels, sturdy steel wheels, bigger brakes, and spacious front seats. The company then converted these left-hand drive cars to right-hand drive, making them suitable for Australian roads.

SCD Remanufactured Vehicles is a certified volume importer and distributor of cars in Australia and export markets like Papua New Guinea. They offer a three-year/100,000km warranty on their vehicles. SCD uses a zero-backlash transfer box to perform the conversion, minimising the amount of complex work required in the engine bay. This process also allows accessories designed for left-hand drive vehicles to be used on the converted cars.

The right-hand drive conversion of Dodge vehicles is not a new concept in Australia. However, the Charger Pursuits converted by SCD are unique in that they are intended for police use. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is currently evaluating one of the vehicles, while the second one is undergoing the right-hand drive swap. Queensland Police have expressed interest in testing the car for their fleet, which currently includes the Kia Stinger and hybrid Toyota units.

While the Charger Pursuits have sparked interest from Australian police forces, Dodge has distanced itself from SCD Remanufactured Vehicles. In an official statement, Dodge's parent company, Stellantis, and its Australian subsidiary, FCA Australia, claimed they had no affiliation with SCD. They further stated that they could not guarantee the safety of vehicles converted by SCD, as they were not authorised importers of Dodge-branded vehicles. Despite this, SCD co-owner Eddie Kocwa remains committed to meeting the requirements for "full volume compliance" in Australia and ensuring the safety of the converted Charger Pursuits.

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The Dodge Charger Pursuit will be used by the Queensland Police force

The Dodge Charger Pursuit is coming to Australia, and it's been confirmed that the Queensland Police force will be testing the vehicle. The Charger Pursuit is factory-assembled as a police vehicle in Ontario, Canada, and features ballistic door panels, 18" steel wheels, a column-shift eight-speed auto, and widened front seats designed to accommodate police equipment belts. The vehicle is available in two drivetrains: an all-wheel-drive Pentastar V6 making 300hp (224kW), and a rear-wheel-drive Hemi V8 capable of 370hp (276kW).

The Queensland Police force currently employs a Kia Stinger in its fleet, along with a batch of recently ordered hybrid Toyota units that serve as general patrol vehicles. The fleet mainstays include Australian-made V8-powered Holdens and Ford sedans. The introduction of the Dodge Charger Pursuit will add a new level of performance and capability to the Queensland Police force's fleet.

The Charger Pursuit has been imported by Queensland's SCD Remanufactured Vehicles, a company that specialises in converting Dodge vehicles to right-hand-drive. SCD co-owner Eddie Kocwa has expressed his commitment to meeting the requirements of full volume compliance in Australia and maintaining the integrity of the advanced safety systems of the Dodge Charger Pursuit police cars.

While the adoption of the Charger Pursuit by the Queensland Police force is a significant development, it is important to note that Dodge has distanced itself from the private importer, SCD Remanufactured Vehicles. In an official statement, Dodge asserted that they do not have any direct business or legal affiliation with SCD Remanufactured Vehicles and that they are not authorised importers of Dodge-branded vehicles. Despite this, the introduction of the Dodge Charger Pursuit in Queensland is a step towards filling an important niche in the market and enhancing the capabilities of the Queensland Police force.

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The Charger Pursuit is factory-assembled as a police vehicle in Ontario, Canada

The Dodge Charger Pursuit is a full-size sedan manufactured by Dodge. While the Charger Pursuit is not available for civilian use in Australia, it is factory-assembled as a police vehicle in Ontario, Canada.

SCD Remanufactured Vehicles, a Brisbane-based company, imported two examples of the Dodge Charger Pursuit, both in police specifications, in 2021. The Charger Pursuits were converted from left-hand to right-hand drive and were to be loaned to police agencies for test drives. The company has also offered the Ram 1500 TRX in its range.

The Charger Pursuit is built by Dodge in Ontario, Canada, specifically for police work. It features ballistic door panels, 18-inch steel wheels, a column-shift eight-speed automatic transmission, and widened front seats designed to accommodate police equipment belts. The vehicle also has an LED light bar integrated into its front bumper.

The Charger Pursuit can be ordered in either all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive configurations, both of which are powered by a Pentastar V6 engine. The all-wheel-drive version produces 300 horsepower (224 kilowatts), while the rear-wheel-drive variant has a Hemi V8 engine that generates 370 horsepower (276 kilowatts).

The Queensland Police force has expressed interest in testing the Charger Pursuit, and it is currently being evaluated by the Australian Federal Police. If confirmed, the Charger Pursuit units will join the current fleet of police cars in Queensland, which includes the Kia Stinger and hybrid Toyota units.

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Dodge has distanced itself from the private importer, SCD Remanufactured Vehicles

The Dodge Charger Pursuit, an American police cruiser, has landed in Australia. The vehicle has been converted to right-hand drive by SCD Remanufactured Vehicles, a Queensland-based company that specialises in importing and converting US vehicles.

SCD Remanufactured Vehicles has imported two Dodge Charger Pursuits, both in police specifications with V6 engines. The company plans to loan them to police agencies for test drives. The Charger Pursuit is factory-assembled as a police vehicle in Ontario, Canada, with features like ballistic door panels, bigger brakes, and steel wheels designed to handle kerb strikes.

However, Dodge has quickly distanced itself from SCD Remanufactured Vehicles, stating that they have no "direct business or legal affiliation or relationship" with the company. Stellantis, the parent company of Dodge, and its Australian subsidiary, FCA Australia, emphasised that SCD Remanufactured Vehicles are not authorised importers of Stellantis-branded vehicles, including the Dodge Charger. They further asserted that they cannot guarantee or endorse the conversion processes employed by SCD, raising questions about the safety and quality of the vehicles.

Dodge's decision to distance itself from the private importer is likely due to legal reasons and the potential risks associated with non-factory issues. SCD Remanufactured Vehicles, on the other hand, believes that they can meet the requirements of full volume compliance in Australia and maintain the integrity of the advanced safety systems in the Dodge Charger police cars. Nevertheless, achieving such a sophisticated conversion without official support and technical knowledge from Dodge's head office may prove challenging.

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Frequently asked questions

Dodge Charger Pursuit police cars have landed in Australia, but they are not factory-approved.

The Dodge Charger was imported to Australia by SCD Remanufactured Vehicles, a Queensland-based company that specialises in converting US vehicles from left- to right-hand-drive.

Dodge distanced itself from the importer because it did not want to be associated with any safety issues that may arise from a non-factory conversion.

The Charger Pursuit is factory-assembled as a police vehicle in Ontario, Canada. It features ballistic door panels, 18″ steel wheels, a column-shift eight-speed auto, and widened front seats designed to accommodate police equipment belts. It can be specced with rear- or all-wheel drive, and a choice of V6 or V8 engines.

Dodge has added new supercharged V8 Hellcat models to its muscle car fleet in Australia, including the Durango SUV and the Charger sedan. However, the Dodge brand was retired in Australia in 2016, and it is unclear if other Dodge vehicles will be imported in the future.

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