I have spent thousands of miles behind the steering wheel of the current generation of the Dodge Charger, both on the road and the track, and I really do like the new car. For those who want an electric vehicle, the Charger Daytona is really unlike anything in the EV segment, especially if you want a two-door model. For those who are keen on the idea of a twin-turbocharged inline-six that delivers between 420 and 600 horsepower, the Charger SixPack offers loads of performance from a small engine with room for enthusiasts to explore aftermarket tuning.
The problem, in my view, is that horsepower alone is not winning over the longtime Mopar fans who insist that a Charger needs a V-8. In the owner communities I follow, the objections to the current-generation Charger remain loud. For those buyers, one option could change the conversation: a Hemi V-8.
The company has them in the lineup thanks to the Ram 1500, but they need to get them into the current Dodge Charger and they need to do it sooner rather than later. Really, the Hemi needs to return for the 2028 model year, if not sooner.
No Level of Hurricane Performance Matters to Haters
The 2026 Dodge Charger SixPack R/T offers 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque, while the SixPack Scat Pack produces 550 horsepower and 531 lb-ft. Both have standard all-wheel drive. The announced 2027 Charger Super Bee targets 600 horsepower and is due in mid-2027. These are serious performance credentials, yet the Super Bee reveal still drew criticism from enthusiasts who wanted a Hemi.
At this point, Dodgecould introduce a new Charger with a 1,100-horsepower Hurricane twin-turbo I6 that runs 8s and the comment section of every post is going to be full of negative comments about the exhaust note. In the discussions I follow, fans demanding a Hemi-powered Charger often drown out praise for the Hurricane’s performance.
Dodge needs to “read the room.” No amount of horsepower is going to convince the muscle car community or a great many people in the Mopar community that the I6 is the engine that they want. There have been rumors and vague statements that there is a Hemi coming to the Charger, but it needs to happen sooner rather than later.
The Current Charger Needs a V-8 to Save It
Launching the new Charger with the electric Daytona first was, in my view, a costly mistake in how Dodge presented the car to its core audience. The EV offered something different, but the shift away from Hemi V-8s alienated enthusiasts who associate the badge with that engine’s sound and character. The Hurricane-powered lineup added a gasoline option, but an inline-six has not resolved that emotional disconnect for everyone.
The frustration I hear from some Mopar enthusiasts is that the new Charger does not deliver the traditional muscle-car experience they want. Some dislike the styling or size as well, but the missing V-8 remains central to the debate. More horsepower will not necessarily change the minds of buyers whose priority is a Hemi’s character.
Only a Hemi can fix this problem, and it needs to happen soon.
The Showroom Draw Has Big Potential
I own and love a Hurricane-powered Ram 1500, and I belong to a few owners’ groups on Facebook that are specifically for I6 owners. Across those groups, I have seen discussions from people who would not consider the Ram 1500 when it was only offered with the six-cylinder engines, but when the Hemi came to market, they went to the dealership to check out the new truck. Once there, they got a good look at the trucks and decided to test drive a few. In many cases, they drove at least two similar trucks, one with a Hurricane and one with a Hemi, and in at least a few cases already, people have gone to see the Hemi, but they bought a Hurricane truck because the performance is just so much greater.
I believe adding a Hemi to the Charger could have a similar effect on showroom traffic. There are people who will not even look closely at a new Charger without a Hemi, and a V-8 option could give them a reason to visit a dealership. In theory, they will then have the opportunity to drive a new Charger with the Hurricane and with the Hemi, and they will have to then decide whether they prefer the greater performance of the I6 or the greater sound of the Hemi. In either case, the Hemi will bring people to dealerships to see the Charger who would previously have nothing to do with this generation of the car.
In theory, the return of the Hemi engine to the Charger lineup will also lead to a jump in sales, but it will also bring people to showrooms. Make that Hemi a Hellcat and Dodge dealerships will have to start taking reservations to test drive the new Charger. It is a great car that has been buried in too much hate for many people to appreciate the positives.
The Clock Is Ticking: We Need an Announcement
The regulatory backdrop has also changed. A July 2025 law reduced the civil penalty rate for missing federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to $0. As NHTSA explains, that change did not itself eliminate the standards. It also does not remove every engineering, emissions or business consideration involved in offering a V-8 Charger.
Future legislation and regulation could change those economics again. But the more immediate deadline is commercial: Dodge needs to give interested buyers a clear reason to keep waiting. My argument for an early Hemi announcement is about customer confidence, not a prediction that a future president could simply reverse a statutory penalty change alone.
That being said, Dodge could offer a light at the end of the tunnel for skeptics, simply by providing some solid information on when we will see a Hemi-powered Charger. There were rumors being spread on YouTube that the new Super Bee would have a Hemi and when it did not, the tempers flared up. A clear product announcement would give buyers something firmer than online speculation. Just knowing for sure that a Hemi car is on the way could ease some of the negativity, as it will give them something to discuss in a positive light. Right now, it is just a whole lot of hate, but the Hemi could be the light at the end of the tunnel. Dodge just needs to get that light lit up before too many people have given up hope.
