Dodge said the V8 Charger and Challenger will be discontinued after 2023
The next generation of the Charger and Challenger will be electric
A rumour says these models could also be powered by the hurricane inline-six
Dodge made a number of announcements last week, one of which announced the end of production for the current Charger and Challenger after the 2023 model year.
The automaker presented a concept that should replace the Challenger, the 2024 Charger Daytona Concept, which is an electric car.
Dodge made a lot of noise about this new electric muscle car, but a number of rumours say that this won’t be the only option from the brand after 2024.
Indeed, many believe that the new model will be available with the Hurricane inline-six-cylinder engine that was introduced in March for use in a number of vehicles, including the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, as a replacement for the 5,7L Hemi V8.
This new engine is a twin-turbo design that can deliver up to 500 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque while using less fuel than the Hemi and generating fewer polluting emissions.
Using this engine in the new muscle car could be a good compromise by offering a greener option to buyers who have yet to embrace electric vehicles.
This could be possible since Stellantis said the Hurricane engine will be the main power source for the platform on which the next generation of Charger and Challenger will be built.
According to Mopar Insiders, this engine will be offered in two levels of tune in these models. The standard version (S.O.) will output around 400 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, which is more than the current V8. The High-output version (H.O.) could add about 100 horsepower to this number, making it close to the performance of the 6,4L V8 offered in the 392 models.
If this rumour turns out to be true, the next Dodge Charger and Challenger will likely be offered with the Hurricane engine and the electric powertrain for a number of years, until the electric one takes over completely.