The supercharged Hemi V8 is reportedly coming back to the Dodge Charger. Automotive News reports that Dodge plans to start building a Charger SRT Hellcat with the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 by the end of 2027, as a 2028 model. It also reports that Dodge has told suppliers to plan for about 12,000 a year. Dodge hasn't confirmed it. A spokesperson told Road & Track that Dodge does "not comment on future product plans."
Mopar Insiders says it has seen the internal Stellantis document behind the plan. It lists the supercharged Hemi paired with a ZF eight-speed automatic for both the two-door and four-door Charger. The Hellcat would be rear-wheel drive only, while every current Charger comes standard with all-wheel drive. The document's code for the setup is "HEV," which Mopar Insiders' sources say stands for "Hellcat Equipped Vehicle," not hybrid. No horsepower figure has surfaced. The same engine makes 777 hp in the 2027 Ram 1500 TRX, Mopar Insiders notes, but it can't confirm the Charger will get that tune. Motor1 reports the car is expected to get a more aggressive hood scoop and a large rear wing. Our Hellcat engine explainer covers what the engine is.
Dodge stopped building Hemi-powered Chargers and Challengers at the end of 2023. The new Charger launched as the electric Charger Daytona, and the gas versions that followed use a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six. It makes 420 hp in the R/T, 550 hp in the Scat Pack, and 600 hp in the new Super Bee.
Sales show the gap the Hellcat is meant to fill. Motor1 counts 8,029 gas Chargers sold through September, up 330 percent from a year earlier. In the old car's final year, Dodge sold 75,920 Charger sedans and 44,960 Challengers. Motor1 expects a reveal could come at Dodge's Roadkill Nights event next August, where the Super Bee was shown.
Would a hood scoop and a big wing make the new Charger look right? Rate it on WhipJury.
Sources:
The production timing and the 12,000-car plan, as reported by Automotive News: Motor1 and Road & Track
The internal document, transmission, body styles, drive layout, "HEV" code, current outputs, and the TRX engine: Mopar Insiders
Dodge's response: Road & Track
The Super Bee's output: Road & Track
Styling details, sales figures, the end of Hemi production, and the possible reveal: Motor1
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Charles from Port Chester, New York, and HJUdall (CC0)
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Cam Walsh has been obsessing over cars since before he could drive one. Based out of Atlanta, Cam covers automotive design, car culture, and the eternal debate over which whips actually look the part.
