1972 · Dodge · United States
1972 Dodge Charger: The R/T Gone, the Rallye Arrives, the Six Pack Barely Existed
The R/T and Super Bee were dropped; the new Rallye package became the performance Charger, and the 440 Six Pack was cancelled after a handful of cars.
United States · researched through 2026-09-23
This record's own overview states that for 1972 Dodge dropped the R/T and Super Bee and introduced a Rallye package in their place, that the SE gained hidden flip-up headlamps and a vinyl roof, that up to 18 exterior colors were offered including Hemi Orange and Top Banana, and that three dealer-incentive packages, A07, Topper and Topper X, were added to the SE. It adds that the Rallye package itself was priced at $82 on the base coupe and $66 on the hardtop, and that the 440 Six Pack was offered at the start of production but cancelled after a handful of cars, leaving the four-barrel 440 as the top engine for the rest of the model year.1,2,3
This record's own key facts state that 3,891 US-market Charger Rallyes were built, and that its own production and conflicts sections separately document a split between 3,431 Rallye hardtops and either 460 or 480 Rallye coupes, the same author giving both figures in articles a year apart. They also state that Flory's 1972 table lists 7,803 coupes, 45,361 hardtops and 22,430 SEs, summing by addition to 75,594 as the Charger line total for the year, since Flory's own totals cell was not visible in the snippet read.3,4,5,2
This record's own conflicts section documents the Rallye coupe discrepancy directly: 460 from one 2024 article against 480 from the same author's 2026 follow-up, with the record's own treatment noting that 460 is arithmetically consistent with the author's own 3,891 total and 3,431 hardtops, while being careful to add that this consistency is not independent confirmation of either figure. This record's own unpublished leads section separately flags a blog claim of 75,600 Chargers built for 1972 with 1,527 Rallye 340s, a single post with no stated lineage that this record notes is merely consistent with, not confirmation of, its own 75,594 addition.4,5
This record's own production rows break the 340-equipped Rallye figures down further: 1,364 Rallye hardtops with the 340, 289 of those with the four-speed manual, 163 Rallye coupes with the 340, and 39 of those with the four-speed; a separate row for 2,025 hardtops with the 400 four-barrel carries its own note that the source does not make clear whether this counts all hardtops or only Rallye hardtops. Every one of these production figures traces to the same handful of specialist-journalism articles rather than a factory production report, and the record's own notes state this plainly.5,4
This record's own engines section documents the 440 four-barrel at an unstated 280 horsepower as the top engine after the Six Pack's cancellation, the triple-two-barrel 440 Six Pack itself with no published rating and an estimated production of fewer than ten cars, the 400 in two- and four-barrel form, the 340 four-barrel, and the 318 two-barrel as standard in the Rallye. Its prices section documents base MSRPs of $2,652 for the coupe, $2,913 for the hardtop and $3,249 for the SE, against an average base price of $2,938 across the line.4,2
This record's own paint section lists 16 exterior colors from the 1972 catalogue, two of them, Hemi Orange and Top Banana, marked extra-cost high-impact colors, and its identification section notes the SE's hidden flip-up headlamps and vinyl roof as the year's distinguishing features. This record's own performance section is empty for 1972, and its own notes are explicit that every 1972 figure here traces to one journalist without a named underlying record, so each remains reported rather than independently verified.1
Fact sheet · 1972 · United States
The numbers
1972 Dodge Charger — The R/T and Super Bee were dropped; the new Rallye package became the performance Charger, and the 440 Six Pack was cancelled after a handful of cars.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-23.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
- US-market Charger Rallyes: 3,891 (Rosenberg).3
- US Rallye hardtops: 3,431; US Rallye coupes: 460 or 480 (the same author gives both).4,5
- Rallye option price: $82 on the coupe, $66 on the hardtop.2
- Flory's 1972 table lists 7,803 coupes, 45,361 hardtops and 22,430 SEs; their sum, 75,594, is the 1972 Charger line total by addition.2
- The 1972 Charger catalogue shows 16 exterior colours, two of them (Hemi Orange and Top Banana) extra-cost high-impact colours, and four models: coupe, hardtop, SE and the Rallye treatment on coupe or hardtop.
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charger coupes, all5 all coupe · 2-door coupe · not stated | 7,803 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Charger 2-door coupe (WL21)2 Charger · 2-door coupe · not stated Agrees with Rosenberg's 7,803 coupes. | 7,803 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Charger 2-door hardtop2 Charger · 2-door hardtop · not stated The snippet runs the hardtop and SE labels together; the hardtop line reads '$2,913 -2.08 % 3260 45,361'. | 45,361 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charger Rallye, US market3 Rallye · coupe and hardtop · US | 3,891 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Charger Rallye hardtop, US4,5 Rallye · 2-door hardtop · US | 3,431 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Charger Rallye coupe, US4 Rallye · 2-door coupe · US The same author gives 480 in 2026; 460 is consistent with his 3,891 total and 3,431 hardtops, but that consistency is not independent confirmation. See conflicts. | 460 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charger Rallye hardtop, 3405 Rallye · 2-door hardtop · 340 4-bbl · US | 1,364 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Charger Rallye coupe, 3405 Rallye · 2-door coupe · 340 4-bbl · US | 163 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Charger hardtops with the 400 4-bbl4 as stated by source (context is the Rallye) · 2-door hardtop · 400 4-bbl · not stated The article does not make clear whether this counts all hardtops or only Rallye hardtops. | 2,025 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charger Rallye hardtop, 340, 4-speed5 Rallye · 2-door hardtop · 340 4-bbl · 4-speed manual · US | 289 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Charger Rallye coupe, 340, 4-speed5 Rallye · 2-door coupe · 340 4-bbl · 4-speed manual · US | 39 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charger SE 2-door hardtop2 SE · 2-door hardtop · not stated | 22,430 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charger, all 1972 styles (sum of Flory's three rows)2 not stated Estimated by addition: Flory's table lists these three styles as the whole 1972 Charger line, but his own TOTALS production cell was not visible in the snippet. The unpublished 75,600 lead is consistent with this sum. | 75,594 | built, model-year | Estimate |
Rows are separately scoped; do not add them.
No 1972 Charger grand total was read directly (Flory's TOTALS cell was not visible); the 75,594 row is the sum of his three style rows, and a 75,600 figure appears in a blog post (see unpublishedLeads).
All 1972 figures here come from one journalist without a named record; they remain reported, not verified.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Rallye option package, coupe2 | $82 | option price as tabulated by Flory, 1972 model year |
| Rallye option package, hardtop2 | $66 | option price as tabulated by Flory, 1972 model year |
| Base MSRP, Charger 2-door coupe (WL21)2 | $2,652 | base manufacturer's suggested retail price as tabulated by Flory, 1972 model year |
| Base MSRP, Charger 2-door hardtop2 | $2,913 | base manufacturer's suggested retail price as tabulated by Flory, 1972 model year |
| Base MSRP, Charger SE 2-door hardtop2 | $3,249 | base manufacturer's suggested retail price as tabulated by Flory, 1972 model year |
| Average base price, all Charger styles2 | $2,938 | average base MSRP as tabulated by Flory, 1972 model year |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 440 4-bbl V-84 440 cu in · 4-barrel | 280 hp (not stated in source ('280-horse')) | top engine after the Six Pack's cancellation | Not yet sourced |
| 440 Six Pack V-84,3 440 cu in · three 2-barrel | listed at introduction; cancelled early in production | Unknown4 Estimate | |
| 400 V-8 (2-bbl and 4-bbl)4 400 cu in · 2-barrel or 4-barrel | optional | Not yet sourced | |
| 340 V-85 340 cu in · 4-barrel | optional | Not yet sourced | |
| 318 V-84 318 cu in · 2-barrel | standard in the Rallye | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rallye2 | $82 | 3,8913 Reported |
A07package |
SE dealer-incentive package: power steering, power front disc brakes, AM radio, air conditioning, tinted glass, rear-window defogger, Brougham package1 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Topper and Topper X (SE dealer-incentive packages)1 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Rallye treatment (coupe or hardtop): blackout grille, hood and rear; simulated door louvers; wood-grained panel with four hooded gauges; wide-tread whitewalls; front and rear sway bars | — | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
|
Hemi Orange1 | Not yet sourced |
|
Top Banana1 | Not yet sourced |
|
Light Blue | Not yet sourced |
|
Super Blue | Not yet sourced |
|
Bright Blue Metallic | Not yet sourced |
|
Red | Not yet sourced |
|
Light Gold | Not yet sourced |
|
Gold Metallic | Not yet sourced |
|
Dark Gold Metallic | Not yet sourced |
|
Light Green Metallic | Not yet sourced |
|
Dark Green Metallic | Not yet sourced |
|
Medium Tan Metallic | Not yet sourced |
|
Dark Tan Metallic | Not yet sourced |
|
Light Gunmetal Metallic | Not yet sourced |
|
Eggshell White | Not yet sourced |
|
Black | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
|
Charger hardtop: pleated vinyl interior with simulated wood-grained instrument panel, steering-wheel insert and door-trim inserts | Not yet sourced |
|
Charger SE: pleated vinyl interior with Rallye Instrument Cluster | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping weight, Charger coupe2 | 3,245 lb | WL21 |
| Shipping weight, Charger hardtop2 | 3,260 lb | hardtop |
| Shipping weight, Charger SE2 | 3,325 lb | SE hardtop |
Identification
- SE identifiers
- Hidden flip-up headlamps and vinyl roof on the 1972 SE.1
Where the sources disagree
Identification
Read a 1972 Dodge VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1972
- AMC AMX The first year of SAE net ratings and Chrysler-built TorqueFlite automatics. Javelin AMX production rose to 3,220, and the 304 V8 became available.
- AMC Gremlin X and Spirit AMX The first V8 Gremlin: the 304 (150 hp SAE net) in AMC's subcompact. Gremlin X production is not published in any source found.
- AMC Javelin The base model was dropped, so every non-AMX Javelin was an SST. This was the first year of the Pierre Cardin interior and of Chrysler-built automatics.
- Buick Riviera Net ratings only for 1972: 250 hp standard, 260 GS per ROA; 2,171 of 33,728 were GS.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX The last A-body GS year before the Colonnade Century; the GSX package, now in many colours, was invoiced on only 44 cars, most of them outside the lower 48 states.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The last Z15 Chevelle SS of the first generation: net-rated engines, an LS5 454 at 270 net hp, and 5,333 SS 454s.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova The source engine table switches to net ratings; SS and Rally Nova offered. Enthusiast-compiled production: 349,733 cars; Super Sport 12,309.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS Last year of the Chevelle-bodied El Camino SS; 50,359 V8 Malibu El Caminos were built, and the SS share is not separately published.
- Dodge Challenger Hardtop only, with a new grille: the R/T gave way to the Challenger Rallye package, and the most powerful engine listed was the 340 four-barrel.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon The Demon's second and final year under that name: 8,773 Demon 340s, with small Canadian and Swiss-market 340 runs counted separately.
- Ford Maverick Grabber The dual-scoop-hood Grabber in its second year as a model; Classic Industries counts 35,347.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT continued on the 1972-76 Ranchero; 12,620 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
- Ford Thunderbird First year of the sixth-generation Thunderbird; only the whole-line production total was found.
- Ford Torino The new body-on-frame Torino sold 496,645 in 1972; the performance models were the Gran Torino Sport SportsRoof (60,794) and hardtop (31,239), with the 351 Cobra Jet and a Rallye Equipment Group on the option list.
- Mercury Cougar Net ratings arrived, the 429 was gone, and the 351 Cobra Jet became the performance Cougar engine, fitted to 3,560 cars.
- Mercury Montego GT The first year of the fastback-only Montego GT on the new split-wheelbase intermediate, with the Cyclone name reduced to a performance option that only a few dozen buyers took.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The 4-4-2 became a Cutlass option again, engines were rated in SAE net (W-30: 300 hp), and a Hurst/Olds paced the Indianapolis 500.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda Hardtops only, single headlamps, four round taillamps, and a 340 four-barrel as the top engine: the 'Cuda carried it as standard.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 In the first net-rating year the Duster 340's 8.5:1 340 was rated 240 net hp with electronic ignition, the Twister became order code A51, and output rose to 15,681 in both compilations.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite For 1972 the GTX existed only as the 440 four-barrel option on the Road Runner hardtop; Mueller's Muscle Car Source Book counts 672 of them.
- Plymouth Road Runner The hardtop-only Road Runner took a 400 four-barrel as its advertised standard engine, and production fell again.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am A strike-shortened year: 29,951 Firebirds and 1,286 Trans Ams, every one a 455 HO.
- Pontiac GTO The GTO goes back to being an option on the LeMans, with net ratings only; 5,807 were built.
- Pontiac Grand Prix A carryover year with the SJ still offered; production recovered to 91,961.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The GTO becomes a LeMans option, and the LeMans gets WW4 and WW5 performance packages.