2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack Brings Back Combustable Performance

DETROIT—Gasoline is once again pulsing through the Dodge Charger’s veins. Dodge officially took the covers off the 2026 Charger Sixpack today, revealing the coupe and sedan models powered by six-cylinder engines.

The internal combustion engine cars look nearly identical to their electric counterparts, but these muscle cars feature Stellantis’ twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine. They will come in two variants, the high-powered Scat Pack, rated at 550 horsepower and 531 pound feet of torque, and the slightly detuned R/T, which makes 420 hp and 468 lb-ft.

“[It’s] one of the best muscle cars on the planet—with a badass engine inside it,” said Micky Bly, Stellantis senior vice president and head of global powertrain.

Arriving later this year, the R/T coupe starts at $51,990 (including destination) and the Scat Pack starts at $56,990. The sedans are $2,000 more. They cost less than the entry-level electric Charger, the Daytona Scat Pack coupe, which costs $61,990 for its 670-horsepower powered by electrons. Sixpack Charger order banks open on August 13.

The Charger’s return to ICE power coincides with the 60th anniversary of the 1966 Charger, a juiced-up Coronet that begat the iconic 1968-70 models. It also follows the 2006 Charger, which brought back the legendary nameplate after a 20-year hiatus.

“This is not just a car—it’s a statement,” Dodge CEO Matt McAlear said during a preview event.

What’s under the hood does most of the talking. Known as the ‘Hurricane’, the inline six motor is the first turbo used in a Charger since the smaller coupes in the 1980s (glorified Dodge Omnis, though some were tuned by Shelby).

The Hurricane is widely used across Jeep and Ram models, and the Charger ties the Ram RHO for the highest output, which is 10 hp more than the 540-hp Jeep Grand Wagoneer. The Scat Pack can hit 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds en route to a top speed of 177 mph, and Dodge engineers point to the low-end torque (88 percent at just 2,500 rpm) as a key performance enhancer.

The Hurricane is paired with a TorqueFlight eight-speed automatic transmission. The gas-fed Chargers come standard with all-wheel drive, but the driver can open the transmission’s wet clutch by pushing a button to send all of the torque to the rear wheels. The all-wheel drive system can also disconnect the front axle from the driveline to improve fuel economy, though the driver can’t initiate it. A limited-slip differential is also standard on Chargers, which offer Sport, Custom, Eco, Wet/Snow, and Auto drive modes.

The chassis has a multilink suspension with forged aluminum links in front and an independent four-link rear configuration. Brembo brakes provide stopping power, and Dodge says the ICE Chargers are more responsive, more planted, and have less understeer than the LX generation they replace.

Design-wise, the gas-fed Chargers look the same as their EV siblings, reinforcing the post-modern muscle-car aesthetic. The goal, designers said, was to appeal to Charger fans without simply replicating the car’s great hits, like the 1968-70 models.

“A touch of the past, you kind of know if you see it,” said Scott Krugger, Stellantis head of North American design.

The newest generation of Charger has a widebody design, and at 84.3 inches, it’s one of the widest passenger cars on the market. The gas cars have a different front fascia than the electrics, and both feature LED lights, Fratzog logos, and a raked roofline.

The interior has a 10.25-inch cluster, a 12.3-inch display angled toward the driver, a pistol grip shifter, and Charger logos. The steering wheel has a flat top and bottom design, there are 64 different interior lighting colors, and buyers can upgrade to Black Nappa or Demonic Red leather.

While the Daytona Scatpack can hit 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, its fuel-fed version comes on six tenths of a second slower. That’s respectable considering the EV’s built-in advantage of instantaneous torque, but also consider the weight difference: The ICE Charger has a curb weight of 4,816 pounds while the lightest EV Scatpack checks in at 5,778 pounds.

In a nutshell, that tells the story. The EVs have the raw specs and don’t use a drop of gas. A Hemi return would likely have less power but all of the intangibles. In the middle sits the straight six, one of the smoothest and most sophisticated engines Stellantis has ever built. It’s hard to believe, but in this portfolio, the Hurricane hits quietly.

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