There have been loads of rumors floating around the internet about the future of the Dodge brand, but with Roadkill Nights, Speed Week and the Woodward Dream Cruise all happening within the next month, we should soon have a good look at what is coming from the performance-minded brand in the next few years. Today, we take a look at what is likely to debut from Dodge between now and the end of August.
Dodge Speed Week
While the Dodge brand will have a big display at the Woodward Dream Cruise alongside the Modern Street Hemi Shootout exactly one week after hosting Roadkill Nights, the most important few days in August for Mopar muscle car fans are August 15th, 16th and 17th. Those dates make up the middle of Speed Week and on those days, we are likely to see the vehicles which will shape the future of the Dodge brand.
This is how the brand addressed those dates in the Speed Week press release back in June:
Monday, August 15 – Current muscle announcements
Tuesday, August 16 – Gateway muscle announcement
Wednesday, August 17 – Future muscle announcement
Based on this brief schedule, it looks as though there will be multiple announcements on August 15th, followed by a single announcement on the 16th and 17th.
Current Muscle Announcements
The most popular internet rumors focusing on the Dodge brand suggest that there will be one final super muscle car. Rumors suggest that it will run on E85 and our contacts have suggested that it will likely feature the 3.0-liter supercharger from the Hellephant crate engine, but it is unlikely to get a new engine – such as the long-rumored modern 426 Hemi. Instead, it will rely on the same basic engine architecture as the Redeye cars, measuring 6.2-liters and the odds are good that this new engine configuration will make somewhere between 850 and 950 horsepower.
Now, all of the rumors have focused on the Challenger, but with current generation of both the Challenger and Charger expected to come to an end soon, it is very possible that both models could get this monstrous engine. Seeing as how most other packages have been offered on both models, shy of the 1320 and the Demon, it seems logical that Dodge would show both the Challenger and Charger some big-power love to end the generation.
In short, our guess is that the “current muscle announcements” will pertain to some sort of final edition package for the Dodge Challenger and Charger – presumably relating to the rumors of a new variant of the Hellcat Hemi engine architecture. Since these models will likely be the same as the current cars – just with the more powerful engine and perhaps some unique badging – we would expect that we will actually see these cars in person next month.
Future Muscle Announcement
It is common knowledge that Dodge is working on electric powered vehicles for the next generation, so it seems like a sure bet that the “future muscle announcement” will be an electric vehicle. Tim Kuniskis made a comment last year about a “Charger with a charger”, so we would expect that the first Dodge EV would be based on the roomy sedan. Also, Dodge plans for their performance EV to challenge the best in the segment, which is unquestionably the Tesla Model S, so a similarly sized Charger would make perfect sense for a Tesla-fighter. Plus, if you look at all of the most popular electric vehicles, they are all four-door models, so an electric Charger seems like the most likely future announcement.
While we think that the future muscle announcement will shed some light on the future of the Dodge EV program, we don’t expect to actually see the electric vehicle in person. With that car expected to arrive for the 2024 model year, it seems unlikely that the company would already have an example to show the world – but we could be wrong. Dodge has certainly surprised us more than once in the past decade, so perhaps Kuniskis will show off a Charger with a charger in August.
Gateway Muscle Announcement
Finally, the Dodge Speed Week announcement that has gotten the least amount of attention is the “gateway muscle announcement”, because there really haven’t been any rumors to suggest that it could be. However, we know that a gateway is typically part of a path from one thing to another.
If we are talking about a gateway between muscle cars powered purely by gasoline and muscle cars powered purely by electricity, it seems that the most obvious gateway would be a gas-electric hybrid. It just so happens that back in mid-2019, then-FCA inked a deal with the transmission company ZF for a large number of their next generation 8HP transmissions. The key difference between the next generation and current generation ZF 8-speed transmissions is that the next gen models are designed for hybrid integration.
Our guess is that the gateway muscle announcement will be some sort of hybrid model of the Dodge Challenger. This could be the first introduction of the new “Hurricane” inline-six engine, which offers 510 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. That engine, mated to a hybrid transmission, could offer far greater fuel economy than the 392 Hemi while also offering more horsepower and torque. Traditionalists will hate it, but if Dodge can figure out a way to keep offering 500+ horsepower muscle cars by going to a hybrid turbocharger I6 – I will at least check it out before dismissing it.
In this case, with the promise of a singular announcement, I am guessing that we will be introduced to the new drivetrain on its own, rather than focusing on a particular vehicle with the new engine and transmission.
I’m a purest, muscle head Dodge fan, but there is nothing here I personally would hate, quite the contrary, I love this pragmatic process to the future. Right now the Hurricane straight six with electric support most interests me. It sits at the cusp of technological, has gobs of power and fits Dodge in a sweet spot in the pragmatic performance future. Electric is too far off to be a viable mass market vehicle for Dodge, but it must not and will not be ignored. Dodge fans might be muscle heads, but not knuckleheads, they know that change is inevitable and they will embrace it with a Dodge muscle car for sure. Hate this, heck no. I’m open to seduction and Dodge is the seductress I choose. The echos of “The Dodge Rebellion Wants YOU!” still rings in my ears. Bring it on.
Ahh…pretty sure Mopar enthusiasts won’t embrace ev’s. Not sure if you have paid attention over the past 10-15 years but dodge has only stuck around by banking on their heritage which is muscle cars that include loud hemi v8’s. That being said, it would be like pulling the rug out of a current enthusiast by going to electric
well I guess hoping for small to mid size car with a v6 or 4 cylinder engine and standard transmission that sell for the low to mid 20 grand is never going to happen is it ,one good reason I will keep my chrysler 200 limited and my 1997 dakota and forget buying a new car! I flatly refuse to buy any of this import crap no matter where it made!
same here Jerry……
Dodge Hornet.
I’m honestly looking forward to all of it, especially the Hurricane I-6. To be honest I’m looking for to the Dodge Electric future because I have full faith that it will be worthwhile. TEAM MOPAR FOR LIFE!!!
Hopefully the future product doesn’t involve any sort of EV. If Dodge wants to survive, they need to keep making hemi powered cars. EV’s have too many issues and just are overall boring. I’m sure they realize this though.
Side note: Dear Stellantis, Can the 5.7L Hemi get some love with the Direct Connection upgrades? A few years ago there were the “Scat Pack” stage kits with all of the stuff from the 6.4L Apache (heads, a hot mopar cam, exhaust manifolds, etc.) Would it be at all possible to offer alot of that stuff under the Direct Connection performance packs and maybe add the new Tuner, thermostat, a Mopar cold air intake, 6.1L manifold, larger throttle body, apache heads, hot cam, full Hellcat exhaust (manifolds, cats, catback w/ optional jailbreak tip options), Redeye driveline package (driveshaft, differential, axles) more Mopar suspension upgrades, a 4-piston Brembo package, etc.? The R/T is truly a great car and it deserves alot more love than it gets. It would also be nice to see alot of the SRT parts as optional upgrades in the Direct Connection catalog. Items such as the alcantara steering wheels, pedals, alcantara headliners, upgraded upholstery for the R/T and up cars, the ram-air grille, wheel options, seatbelt options, etc. Just a thought from a fan. Thank you
5.7 and 6.4 cannot be upgraded.