The Hemi lasted through 1971, by which time toughening emissions laws and rising insurance rates were killing off every American automaker’s high-compression performance engines. Fast Dodges were available for a few more years, but when the Challenger was put to rest in 1974, Dodge performance went into a slumber that wouldn’t be lifted until 1992. That’s when the Viper signaled a reawakening of Dodge’s muscle car spirit, a reawakening that would lead eventually to the resurrection of the Challenger itself.
