In an era where JDMs and sleek performance cars are the top picks for tuners, some avid muscle car enthusiasts continue to choose cars like the Dodge Challenger to tinker on.
Contrary to popular opinion, this dominant and powerful beast can be a great platform for modification too. Just like other cars, you can utilize it as a project car and fit in tons of aftermarket modifications to make it more relaxed and more awesome.
Among those modifications are air intake systems, designed to keep the engine supplied with cold and clean air. Because, admit it, who likes hot and dirty air, right?
Aftermarket exhaust systems are great for powerful cars like the Dodge Challenger. American coupes like these are known to generate a heck-ton of power, even at their basic set-up.
To further amplify their performance ratings and give its driver a much-craved need for speed, something must be installed in it to spice up its performance output: something like intake systems.
These mods can add up to 15 horsepower to most cars, and in the case of the Dodge Challenger, every horsepower you can get is an advantage.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you’re scouring the internet to seek the best intake systems for your Dodge Challenger, look no further. We’ve lifted the heavy load for you and compiled the best air intake system for your Dodge Challenger.
These performance intakes will help your car produce as much extra horsepower and torque, and it will also make an under-the-hood sound that you’ll surely love. Check these aftermarket intake systems out and pick the best ones for you!
#1 Spectre Performance Air Intake Kit
- Manufacturer: Spectre Performance
- Features: low restriction Spectre air filter
- Power Gain: N/A
- Compatibility: Dodge Challenger SXT (2011-2019)
To start the list, we have one of the most basic yet popular performance intakes in the market today. Spectre Performance air intake kit is a cheap yet effective device that can supply enough cold air into a 3.6L V6 engine.
You can get an adequate performance intake at a low cost that comes with other necessary parts like rubber boots, clamps made of stainless steel, a velocity stack, and other hardware needed to have an OE fit.
Spectre Performance Air Intake Kit Features:
- Red Spectre Performance air filter
- Increases horsepower and torque output of your car
- Powder-coated heat shield
- Air filter positioned near the driver
- Polished aluminum intake tube
#2 AF Dynamic Black Air Filter Intake
- Manufacturer: AF Dynamic
- Features: High airflow filter
- Power Gain: 5-10hp
- Compatibility: Dodge Challenger SXT (2011-2016)
Looking for another affordable air intake system? Here’s another one, and this time it’s from AF Dynamic. The Black Air Filter Intake is an easy to install air intake system with a high-flow air filter used to siphon contaminants from the air and an aluminum heat shield to keep the heat from the engine out of the intake system.
The heat shield comes with a reflective insulation mat that further eliminates the heat around the intake, reducing the intake temperature and the heat soak caused by the high temperature from the engine bay.
AF Dynamic Black Air Filter Intake Features:
- Deep and sporty sound under the hood
- 95% better air filtration over OEM filters
- Components made of high-quality stainless steel
- Improved gas mileage
- Works well with OEM computer systems
#3 Airaid Cold-Air Intake System
- Manufacturer: Airaid
- Features: Cold-Air Dam (CAD)
- Power Gain: 15.61hp
- Compatibility: Dodge Challenger SXT (2011-2020) – Dodge Challenger R/T (2011-2020) – Dodge Challenger SXT (2012-2019)
There seems to be a lot of affordable air intake systems out there that can perform quite well.
An example of such a mod is Airaid’s cold-air intake system, an intake guaranteed to increase your Dodge Challenger’s performance outputs while keeping the incoming air cold, crisp, and clean; for an affordable price!
The Airaid cold-air intake system may look like a budget meal, but it packs quite a punch in terms of air filtration and power enhancement.
Airaid Cold-Air Intake System Features:
- Cold air dam designed to block out the hot air from the engine bay
- Washable/Reusable air filters
- Increases horsepower and torque output of your car
- Easy installation
- Replaces the restrictive stock intake system
#4 K&N Cold Air Intake Kit
- Manufacturer: K&N Engineering
- Features: Oversized oiled cotton air filter
- Power Gain: 7.42 HP
- Compatibility: Dodge Challenger SXT (2011-2020)
If you’re a little bit skeptical about how much value you’d get from cheap air filters, then we’ve got something for you. This air intake system is among the most popular and arguably most loved air intake systems you can get for any car.
K&N Engineering is famous for their air filters, but they have air intake systems for vehicles like Dodge Challenger. K&N’s cold-air intakes are undoubtedly one of the best Dodge Challenger cold air intakes out there in the market today.
There’s no need to doubt if you’ve got K&N filters on your car!
K&N Cold Air Intake Kit Features:
- Guaranteed increase in horsepower and torque output
- Oversized oiled cotton air filter
- Low-maintenance washable air filters
- Air filter designed to promote high airflow and top of the line filtration
- Replaces OEM filters and intake tube
#5 AEM Brute Force Intake System
- Manufacturer: AEM
- Features: AEM Dryflow Filter
- Power Gain: 24hp
- Compatibility: Dodge Challenger SRT8 (2008-2010) – Dodge Challenger R/T (2009-2017)
Raw power frequently translates to brute force. AEM understands that concept; that’s why they’ve created an air intake system that’s capable of producing a significantly large amount of extra horsepower for the Dodge Challenger.
AEM’s Brute Force intake system can provide you with an extra horsepower you’ve always been craving for while supplying your engine with a much-needed cold air free from impurities.
This intake system’s Dryflow air filter does its job exceptionally well too.
AEM Brute Force Intake System Features:
- A significant increase in horsepower
- Dyno-tested to help improve your car’s acceleration
- Impressive under-the-hood sound
- Low-restriction aluminum tubing for more airflow
- AEM Dryflow air filter that lasts up to 100,000 miles before its next cleaning
#6 Injen PF-Series Air Intake System
- Manufacturer: Injen Technology
- Features: SuperNano-Web Dry Air filter
- Power Gain: 6hp
- Compatibility: Dodge Challenger Scat Pack (2011-202)
As we approach the last picks for the best Dodge Challenger cold air intake, we’re going to give you one of the bang-for-the-buck purchases you can have for your Dodge Challenger.
Featuring the Injen Power-Flow Air Intake System, made explicitly for muscle car enthusiasts who want a larger air filter under their cars’ hoods. A larger air filter means more air, and more air means more power. Who doesn’t want that?
Injen PF-Series Air Intake System Features:
- Provides power gains without needing additional tuning
- Made from 6061-T6 aluminum tubing
- SuperNano-Web dry air filter (fully serviceable)
- Optional hydro shield
- Aggressive sound under the hood, especially in full throttle
#7 aFe Power Momentum GT Cold-Air Intake System
- Manufacturer: aFe Power
- Features: Pro-5R Filter/Pro DRY S Filter
- Power Gain: 14hp
- Compatibility: Dodge Challenger R/T (2011-2020)
Saving the best for last, we feature an intake system from aFe Power: the Momentum GT cold-air intake system. The Momentum GT is aFe Power’s pride and glory when it comes to performance air intake systems.
This intake series was created with producing more horsepower in mind. It’s got many sweet features like a fantastic sealed housing that allows you to see the intake system’s innards without having to disassemble it and many more.
The Momentum GT comes with two different air filter media. The first one is the Pro-5R filter, a 9″ tall conical air filter that has 5-layers of mesh cotton; arranged in such a way that each cotton gauze gets finer as the air progresses.T
he other one is Pro DRY S filter, another 9″ conical air filter utilizing 3-layers of synthetic media that are arranged according to their porosity. Both of these air filter media cleans the air effectively before allowing the cold and clean air from entering your HEMI.
aFe Power Momentum GT Cold-Air Intake System Features:
- Unique One-Piece Sealed Housing W/ Sight Window
- Roto-mold Tube
- Pro-5R Filter/Pro DRY S Filter
- Housing-to-Filter Interface
- Premium Hardware
Benefits of Installing an Aftermarket Intake System on a Dodge Challenger
When Dodge made the Challenger SRT Demon, they put heavy emphasis on keeping the car light and getting as much air as possible into the engine.
This same concept applies to all Dodge Challenger (although none can possibly outmatch the Demon). In the case of other Challengers, improving the quality of the air flowing into the HEMI would mean the installation of a cold-air intake system.
The benefits of installing an aftermarket intake system on a Dodge Challenger include more condensed air going to the engine, more horsepower, and, most of all, improved fuel economy.
The Dodge Challenger is one hell of a road stallion. It never fails to amaze muscle car enthusiasts with its raw power and capability for sheer domination.
Improving such a car would ultimately mean improving its performance output, so you’ll eventually run into aftermarket performance modifications like air intake systems anytime soon.