Dodge’s electrification strategy and the introduction of turbocharged I6 engines have sparked a lively debate in the enthusiast community, particularly focused on the potential return of a V8 engine to the Charger lineup. Dodge CEO Matt McAlear maintained an open position on the matter during a recent interview with The Drive, not ruling out this possibility while avoiding definitive confirmations.
Possible return of the V8 for Dodge Charger
Dodge’s new multi-energy platform stands out for its versatility, supporting both fully electric versions of the Charger and those equipped with the new 3.0-liter Hurricane twin-turbo I6 engine. McAlear highlighted Dodge’s rich muscle car history in terms of different powertrains.
“If you look back at the last generation, you go through the engines between Charger, Challenger, and Magnum,” McAlear said. “We started with a 3.5-liter V6, a 6.1-liter V8, then a 3.6-liter V6, a 5.7-liter V8, a 6.4-liter Demon, 6.2-liter, 6.2-liter, a 6.2-liter Redeye, a 170-liter Demon. Do you know how many different powertrains, RWD and AWD, we had on those engines? This is a multi-energy platform that can accommodate all of that. This is just year one and you have four powertrains that all outperform what they’re replacing, with standard AWD? We’re just getting started. We’re going to have a lot of fun.”
Regarding specifically the return of the V8, McAlear stated: “We haven’t revealed it. But one of the encouraging things is that with the change in leadership, you know, V8s aren’t a bad word in the company anymore. But with anything, we still have to be compliant.”
However, the development process for a new powertrain takes considerable time. As McAlear explained: “You can’t just turn on something that didn’t exist before. Even if we decided to proceed today, regardless of the type of engine chosen. It could be a V10, a four-cylinder, or any other configuration. We would still have to go through a development cycle that takes at least a year and a half, if not two.”
This means that even if the decision to reintroduce a V8 has already been made, it’s unlikely to see a Charger with this engine at dealerships before 2027. Meanwhile, Dodge maintains its commitment to high performance, regardless of the type of powertrain used.