Fans of big 'murican trucks and muscle cars were dismayed in 2022 when Dodge announced it was dropping the iconic Hemi V8 in favour of the new twin-turbo Hurricane inline six, with legendary models like the Ram TRX and the Challenger Hellcat being axed along with the beloved V8.
While the 5.7-litre Hemi was still offered as an option in the Dodge Durango SUV, these were the last of the Mexican-built Hemis and it was widely expected that once they were used up, the Hemi would be gone forever.
However, late last month a report from Mopar Insiders claimed that Stellantis was planning to restart production of the 5.7-litre Hemi at its Dundee Engine Plant (DEP) in Michigan, quickly followed by the news that it would in fact be most of the Hemi family, including the 6.4-litre (392 cubic-inch) "Apache," and the awesome supercharged 6.2-litre Hellcat V8s.
Now it has been reported that Dodge engineers are actively working to integrate Hemi power into the all-new Dodge Charger, which was launched as a fully-electric model, with a version powered by two versions of the Hurricane six (313kW Standard Output version and a 410kW High Output version) going on sale in May this year.
While the Charger launched as an EV, Dodge has made no secret of the fact that its focus was on "multiple powertrain options" for the iconic muscle car, but with the six-cylinder cars being more powerful than the previous models V8s (not counting the mad Hellcat variants, that is) it was expected that they would be the extent of the ICE options.
However, the re-emergence of the Hemi marks a reversal of Stellantis' plans that saw the Saltillo North Engine Plant in Mexico shift to producing the new twin-turbocharged Hurricane I6 engines, and it is a shift largely thought to be prompted by the sudden departure of former CEO Carlos Tavares, who was famously anti-V8 and pro-EV.
In recent interviews Dodge CEO Matt McAlear has hinted at the Charger platform's versatility, noting its ability to accommodate various powertrains, including those previously seen in the Charger, Challenger, and Magnum. Although he didn't directly confirm the V8's return at this point, he acknowledged a "more favorable stance towards V8s" within the company's leadership.
While it all sounds extremely promising for Dodge muscle car enthusiasts, absolutely none of this has been confirmed by the company yet. When American publication Car and Driver contacted Dodge for comment, a spokesperson stated that "multi-energy options have always been a part of the plan" for the Charger, going on to say that the all-electric "two-door Dodge Charger Daytona R/T and Charger Daytona Scat Pack are in dealerships now, with four-door Charger Daytona models set to join them soon. The gas-powered Dodge Charger Sixpack H.O. and Dodge Charger Sixpack S.O. will arrive in the second half of 2025. Beyond that, we have nothing further to share about the next-gen Charger lineup."