It might not be the perfect engine, but it’s an engine, and a good one.
Perhaps no automaker exemplifies the auto industry’s confused state better than Dodge . Amidst a stifling regulatory environment, this American brand killed off its legendary muscle cars to introduce an expensive all-electric version that few buyers want.
That EV is built on a platform that also supports gas engines, and indeed Dodge introduces the first internal combustion examples for 2026—except the engine it uses isn’t what buyers wanted, either.Sharing two- and four-door hatchback body styles and most other features and details with the Charger Daytona, the engine-equipped Charger can be visually distinguished from the EV by a slightly different front-end design and big exhaust pipes out back.twin-turbocharged I-6. The 2026 Dodge Charger R/T starts at 420 hp and 468 lb-ft of torque, and the 2026 Charger Scat Pack jumps up to 550 hp and 531 lb-ft. Both have an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive—with a rear-drive burnout mode.. Although the 670-hp Scat Pack dual-motor powertrain remains available in either body, the 496-hp R/T powertrain has been discontinued. The Track package also becomes optional, which could lower the 2026 Dodge Charger Daytona’s starting MSRP. A new body stripe design and gloss black painted hood are new options. Whether equipped with a gas engine or electric motors, the 2026 Dodge Charger has abundant power—but enough is never enough for Dodge. This is only the start of the Charger’s performance story, with even more powerful versions surely on the way. What shape those take remains to be seen, but it will surely be influenced by the recently revived. Still, there’s promise for the EV, as rumors swirl about a version with around 900 hp. Some sort of hybrid V-8 isn’t out of the question, either. Whatever’s under the hood, expect Dodge to pull from classic names like Hellcat, Banshee, Demon, or Redeye when it debuts its future high-po Charger models.Alex's earliest memory is of a teal 1993 Ford Aspire, the car that sparked his automotive obsession. He's never driven that tiny hatchback—at six feet, 10 inches tall, he likely wouldn't fit—but has assessed hundreds of other vehicles, sharing his insights on MotorTrend as a writer and video host.
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