Good news for car enthusiasts and lovers of V8 muscle cars, as Dodge CEO Matt McAlear has given the strongest indication yet that the bent eight may return to the Charger after all.
The electrified version of the Charger, the Daytona, was launched last year, to a mainly underwhelmed automotive media lambasting it for trying too hard to emulate something it isn’t, as well as having less-than-cutting edge EV technology.
An internal combustion version, powered by Stellantis’s Hurricane 3.0-litre inline-six, has been expedited in light of the EV’s poor reception, with some pretty impressive numbers; up to 410kW, but the trouble is, the legendary Hellcat delivered an eye-watering 535kW and 889Nm – let alone the 602kW Demon, which has left many potential customers and dealers wanting. Speaking to TheDrive, McAlear said:
“This is just the first year, and you’ve got four powertrains that outperform every one that they’re replacing, with standard AWD? We’re just getting started. We’re going to have a lot of fun.
‘We don’t want to stand still at Dodge, and we don’t plan on it. There will be powertrain variations that continue to come. We haven’t even launched an SRT yet, so we still have to get into that. And who knows where we go if the business case makes sense [for a V8] and there’s potential.”
Dodge still produces a Hellcat-engined Durango SUV but development time could be anywhere from 18 months to two years, if it gets the green light. The Trump government is less favourable to a transition to electric vehicles, which also augurs well for this news to become reality. It would be a great redemption after that wet Sao of an EV, but please send it to Australia if this news comes true.
