The Hemi V8 sure looked like it was on the way to extinction under former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, but with the big boss gone the bent-eight is enjoying a renaissance.
Mopar Insiders reports Stellantis will produce all three Hemi V8 engines – the 5.7-litre, 6.4-litre ‘Apache’, and supercharged 6.2-litre ‘Hellcat’ – at its Dundee Engine Plant in Michigan from August.
It used to produce the Hemi V8 family at its Saltillo North Engine Plant in Mexico, and was gradually phasing it out in favour of its new twin-turbocharged ‘Hurricane’ inline six-cylinder engines.
The Stellantis specialist publication had previously reported the Ram 1500 would once again get V8 power, and now it has reported Dodge engineers are working to bring the V8 to the Charger.
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Dodge Charger Daytona EV
Mopar Insiders reports the Charger V8 will launch late in 2026, and before then Dodge will pull forward production of the twin-turbocharged inline six-powered Charger Sixpack to May.
The sedan will reportedly use the Standard Output tune with 313kW, with the coupe packing the High Output version with 410kW.
Based on torque figures for other Hurricane-equipped models, the Sixpack sedan should produce 635Nm and the coupe up to 707Nm.
While the Sixpack won’t have the same kind of sound as the old V8-powered Charger and Challenger, even the Standard Output tune trounces the old 5.7-litre which produced 276kW and 536Nm.
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Dodge Charger Sixpack
The High Output tune beats the old 6.4-litre (362kW/644Nm) as well, though it can’t match the heady performance of the old Hellcat models which produced up to 594kW and 959Nm.
Likewise, the new electric Charger Daytona produces up to 470kW and 850Nm – more, even, if you use PowerShot or Drag modes.
“If you look back across the last generation, you go through the engines between the Charger and the Challenger and the Magnum,” Dodge CEO Matt McAlear said in a recent interview.
“We started out with a 3.5L V6, 6.1L V8, then a 3.6L V6, 5.7L V8, 6.4L, 6.2L, 6.2L Demon, 6.2L Redeye, 6.2L Demon 170. Do you know how many different powertrains, RWD and AWD, we had on those engines?
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2025 Ram 1500
“[The new Charger’s STLA Large platform] is a multi-energy platform that can accommodate all of that. This is just the first year, and you’ve got four powertrains that outperform every one that they’re replacing, with standard AWD?
“We’re just getting started. We’re going to have a lot of fun.”
It’s unclear which other vehicles could get Hemi V8 power once again, but here’s a breakdown of vehicles that previously did or still do offer one of these engines:
- Dodge Durango: Continues to offer 5.7L and 6.2L
- Jeep Grand Cherokee: 5.7L offered overseas was phased out during 2024
- Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer: 5.7L and 6.4L phased out for 2024
- Jeep Wrangler: 6.4L offered overseas is being phased out
- Ram 1500: Lost 5.7L and 6.2L with 2025 facelift
- Ram 2500/3500: Still offers 6.4L overseas
The 5.7L, 6.4L and 6.2L had been offered in Stellantis’ last-generation full-sized American cars, the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Challenger.
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Jeep Wrangler 392
The 300 ended production in 2023, with the Charger and Challenger replaced last year with a single model. Initially launched as an electric coupe (the Charger Daytona), the lineup is expanding to include a sedan and the aforementioned Sixpack models.
Under former CEO Carlos Tavares, V8s fell out of favour at Stellantis, and not just at the multinational’s American brands. Maserati, too, phased out V8s in favour of turbocharged six-cylinder and electric powertrains.
“We haven’t disclosed that,” Mr McAlear said, when asked directly about a return of V8 power to the Dodge Charger.
“But one of the things that’s encouraging is that with the change in leadership, you know, V8s are no longer a bad word around the company. But with anything, we still have to be compliant.”
