If You Want A V8 Charger Dodge Says Hellcat Or Bust

It sounds like Dodge is keen on offering shoppers a V8-powered Charger, but the automaker is having trouble seeing a real business case for the old 5.7-liter Hemi.

According to Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis, the only version of a V8 Charger that makes sense in today’s market would sit at the very top of the lineup, powered by the Hellcat engine. “The only way it makes sense to charge for [an optional Hemi] now is I have to go all the way up to a Hellcat,” Kuniskis told Motor Trend in an interview at the 2026 Detroit Auto Show.

“If you were to put a V8 in the car, you would probably go to Hellcat instead of 5.7.”

Kuniskis was blunt about the math behind a potential V8 revival. Dropping a lower-output Hemi into the new Charger just for old man nostalgia doesn't justify the engineering effort or the cost. “The reality is when you get into that rare air, the take rate is pretty small,” Kuniskis continued. That can make the business case arithmetic pretty tricky.

With multiple body styles, trims, and powertrains already in play, adding another major drivetrain could complicate ordering and inventory for dealers, who would then have to decide which combinations to stock and which to pass on. For a brand trying to stabilize volume and pad margins at the same time, that’s an actual problem.

Still, Dodge has been laying breadcrumbs for months. Last summer, then-CEO Matt McAlear hinted that a V8 could physically fit in the new platform. Last summer, the automaker reignited Hemi engine production, including the 5.7-liter V8 reintroduced to the Ram 1500, the "392" 6.4-liter V8 now making its way into Jeep Wranglers and Dodge Durangos, and Hellcat supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engines, which are still offered in the Durango and recently reintroduced to truck buyers in the Ram TRX.

As it stands, the new Charger is built around Stellantis’ twin-turbo 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six, offered in 420-horsepower and 550-horsepower tunes. For context, the outgoing 5.7-liter Hemi Charger made 370 horsepower, while the mild-hybrid Hemi used in Ram trucks produces 395. From a pure numbers standpoint, the Hurricane already clears the old V8s comfortably, which helps explain why Stellantis has leaned into it so heavily after investing billions in its development.

A 777-horsepower Hellcat-powered Charger, then, wouldn’t just exist to fill a gap in the lineup. It would make a statement. High output, high price, and limited volume would allow Dodge to justify the engineering while preserving the Hurricane as the core of the range.

OUR TAKE: It makes sense; it's a tough sell in the current economic climate to offer multiple V8 engines in such a niche segment. Then again, GM can get away with it in the Corvette and pickup truck lineups because it doesn't have a high-performance engine outside of the small-block V8. Plus, what happens if regulations change again?

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