The Breakdown
- Sources say that a Charger Hellcat has been greenlit, but the project is still in the early development stages.
- The Charger Hellcat could arrive in time for the 2028 model year.
- It's likely that a Hellcat-version would be the sole V8 offering, above the inline-six versions of the Charger.
Since the death of the previous generation, Dodge devotees have demanded a V8 version of the Charger. Thankfully, it could be on its way as early as next year.
Sources close to MoparInsiders say that development of the Charger Hellcat has already begun. Though it's reportedly still in the early stages, the high-horsepower Charger could arrive for the 2028 model year. That means potential on-sale timing sometime in the latter half of 2027.
Gallery: Dodge Charger Hemi V-8 Rendering by Motor1
Tim Kuniskis, the current CEO of Ram and head of the re-formed SRT Division, previously stated that if the current Charger gets a V8, it likely won't be a 5.7-liter Hemi. The 6.4-liter V8 makes less power than the 550-hp twin-turbocharged Hurricane inline-six, so that engine doesn't make much sense either.
The Charger needs to go full Hellcat, and it sounds like that's the exact plan Dodge is putting into motion. And Charger fans will eat it up, even when the car winds up costing nearly $100,000.
While the current Sixpack model is more entertaining than the Internet would have you believe, people miss the noise and fury of a true V8-powered model. If Dodge can keep the adjustable RWD/AWD powertrain for the Hellcat version, that would be even better. Then the automaker would have a true four-seasons muscle machine on its hands.
Motor1's Take: It's no secret that Dodge fans prefer V8s over EVs and six-cylinder powertrains. Even when the electric and smaller gas engine options are more efficient or deliver more power. Adding a Hellcat Charger to the lineup should more than appease the war boys who bow at the altar of all things eight-cylinder.
Dodge sources are saying development of the Hellcat has begun. I suspect they started not long after the announcement of the straight-six cars, and a Charger Hellcat is much farther along than is being let on.
Source: Mopar Insiders
