The ultimate Mopar 'Then & Now' pairing has finally rolled into my collection - a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, pure old-school muscle armed with a 7.2-litre V8, and its modern descendant, the 2018 Challenger SRT Demon, packing a 6.2-litre supercharged V8. Funnily enough, despite being made right here in Bangladesh, both models have crossed more borders than I have. The '70 Challenger came from DeAgostini/Altaya for the European market, while the Demon arrived from IXO America for the US.
Ever since I picked up the 1970 Challenger back in 2022, I’ve been hunting for its modern twin. Solido had released the 2018 Challenger in the same deep purple, and to make it even more tempting, it too was made in Bangladesh, at the Uttara EPZ in Nilphamari. Completing the duo became a mission.
The real pain, though, is that these factories only export. No local outlets exist for the tiny community of collectors in Bangladesh. I relied on local Facebook groups that import small batches for enthusiasts, but I missed the order window and was left empty-handed. A bit more digging revealed that IXO America had also released a purple Challenger in 1/43 scale. Again, made in Bangladesh.
My saving grace came from a bit of good fortune in trade policy. Thanks to US tariffs on Chinese goods, IXO America’s models had to be labelled 'Made in Bangladesh', benefiting from a lower 10% tariff, now 20%, compared to imports from China. That small technicality became my loophole. With some help from a close brother abroad, I finally managed to unite both generations under one roof. It took more than three years of patience, but the payoff was worth it.
Side by side, the resemblance is uncanny - the bodylines, the proportions, the stance. Even in 1/43 scale, both radiate the same raw, unfiltered energy that made the Challenger name immortal. The modern Demon may have lost a litre in displacement, but its supercharged V8 summons over 415 more horses than the old 440 Six Pack. Nearly half a century apart, yet unmistakably cut from the same cloth. Each one is a two-door embodiment of brute American defiance.
They’re not flawless, though. The 1970 Challenger could use sharper detailing. The headlights look a touch flat, and the grille sits slightly off compared to the real car. The 2018 Demon nails the aggression better, but something about the wheels doesn’t feel right. The tyre profile seems off from the actual dimension, most likely because they skipped replicating the track wheels.
Still, between the two, the Demon takes the edge for accuracy and presence. Both make stunning display pieces, and it’s hard not to feel proud knowing they were built in Bangladesh.
Bringing them together - same colour, same scale, same country of origin- was a test of patience that turned into pure satisfaction. Now comes the only question that matters: which one deserves the garage queen spot?
