The Semi-Fast and the Somewhat-Furious is a good description of the detuned Dodge Charger engines for 1972. Emission requirements and a new system of measuring net versus gross output of engines reduced the engine ratings for this year's Dodge Charger, putting an official end to the muscle car era.

Gone is the 426 Hemi, as well as the 383 (which never met emission regulations). The Super Bee, 500, and R/T trims are also history this year. For 1972, Dodge Charger is offered as a base coupe, SE coupe hardtop, and Rallye hardtop, which replaces the R/T trim. The top engine is the 440 Magnum, 4-barrel carb, with a net rating of 280 bhp (down from 370 gross hp the year before). In place of the dropped 383 is a 400, 255 bhp. There are rumors that a 440 Six Pack rated at 330 bhp was still produced, but no one knows how many were ever sold. The 318 was still the standard base engine.

The eternally cool interior and exterior look of the 1972 Dodge Charger was little changed from previous years. The Rallye trim replaced the R/T and came with either the 340, 400 or 440 Magnum and came with front and rear heavy duty sway bars, one year only sculptured doors with 5 sets of strobe stripes on each, and a black out option that consisted of front grills, hood power bulge, and rear taillights carried over from the 71 R/T along with a rear blackout stripe that ran the length of the decklid. The SE hardtop came standard with the 400 engine, and was clocked doing 0-60 in a somewhat shabby 11 seconds and the quarter-mile in over 17 seconds.