The White Knight Special Charger (Charger option A50) is a highly sought-after collectible muscle car that was produced in Australia in 1976. Only 200 of these cars were ever built, making them extremely rare and valuable with only around 24 on the road and registered.
The iconic Australian Charger body style was co-designed by legendary Chrysler designer Robert Hubbach. Among his most iconic creations, were the Australian Chrysler Valiant Charger coupe and its sedan derivatives, the 1994 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe Concept and its production variant in 1996.
One of the key features of the White Knight Special Charger was its powerful – 4.3 L – 265 cu in (HEMI265) six-cylinder engine, which delivered impressive performance on both road and track. There was a choice of manual or automatic transmission, and interiors were trimmed to a specific combination of white vinyl with red accents
But what set the White Knight Special apart for other Australian Chargers was its eye catching artwork, with CHARGER in a contrasting band along the lower car side, along with the white knight on trusty steed logo. It was the artwork and upholstery that make the WKS stand out from the other VK Chargers at the time.
Despite being released over four decades ago, the White Knight Special Charger remains highly popular among enthusiasts today due to its rarity, striking appearance, and potent power train. As such, it has become something of a holy grail for collectors looking to add a truly special piece to their collection.
With values continuing to rise year after year, the White Knight Special Charger represents an excellent investment opportunity for those seeking to purchase or own one of these iconic Australian “Hey Charger!” vehicles. For any serious Mopar collector, owning a White Knight Special Charger would be a crowning achievement in their automotive journey.
The Australian Charger
The legendary Valiant Charger, which burst onto the scene in 1971 to cries of “Hey Charger” thanks to a memorable television advertising campaign, moved away from its muscle car origins as the supercar scare – and subsequent loss of factory support for racing – spelled the end for the racy ‘Six Pack’ option. Instead, Chrysler moved into the luxury GT market with the upmarket 770 model, combining V8 power with automatic transmission, radial ply tyres, heavier torsion bar suspension and standard anti-roll bar to deliver a more sophisticated, European driving experience.
The interior benefited most from this new approach, with better seats, full carpeting, improved sound insulation and an alloy-spoked steering wheel lending a much needed touch of class. In an effort to keep up with rivals Ford and Holden, Chrysler face lifted the range every couple of years; the VJ of 1973 and VK of 1975 offered little in the way of significant improvement but continual revisions to trim and equipment levels kept the Charger range looking fresh.
Like the earlier Sportsman, Chrysler offered a limited run model for the VK Charger 770 called the White Knight (option code A50), sold in two colours, Arctic White and Amarante Red.
The car was only available with the 265ci Hemi under the bonnet, just 200 White Knights were made of which 120 came with the three-speed console automatic and the remaining 80 had a four-speed manual.
Special stripes and badges distinguished the White Knight’s exterior, while special two-tone white/red upholstery contrasted with dark red door trims and carpets inside. A rival for the likes of Ford’s “John Goss Special”, the White Knight is becoming increasingly collectable as interest in Seventies Aussie limited-edition muscle cars continues to rise.