This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Dodge Charger nameplate, one that has become synonymous with the muscle car segment and American performance cars. It’s also one that many Americans thought would never see combustion power again after the launch of the Dodge Charger Daytona EV.
However, with Dodge not wanting the Ford Mustang to rule the muscle car roost, plans changed. Reports emerged in 2023 that a new inline-six engine would be made available in a new Charger Sixpack, and the car was soon introduced in 2025 for the 2026 model year.
While it wasn’t a V8 engine, the inline-six was welcomed massively by enthusiasts. A special edition Hustle Stuff Drag Pack with a supercharged Hemi V8 was launched in October 2025. When it comes to the regular production version, it looks like Dodge has another trick up its sleeve.
It looks like a more powerful Dodge Charger, complete with ICE power, is now on the way. We do know that this will not have a big V8 under the hood like the special edition. But we also know it will offer more power and performance, and it is something that enthusiasts are going to love.
What We Know About the Upcoming Dodge Charger
The new car will be revealed at the MotorTrend Roadkill Nights event, and it’s set to be the most potent version of the inline-six-powered muscle car seen so far. At the time of writing, the standard engine is a 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six, boosted by two turbochargers to make up for the lack of the extra two cylinders.
Currently, the inline-six produces 420hp and 468lb-ft of torque. This compares to the 550hp and 531lb-ft of torque offered in the Scat Pack version. But this latest edition that is due for unveiling is expected to push the Hurricane inline-six to an even bigger power number that is likely to go well beyond the 600hp mark. Dodge itself is saying that it will be “the most powerful Sixpack-powered Charger yet.”
The Dodge Charger Daytona EV, for comparison, has 670hp on offer. It is unlikely that this new Sixpack version will produce quite the same number, but it might push its electrified cousin pretty close. It is clear that Dodge has its eye on the Ford Mustang, which has almost had an untroubled run over the last couple of years as the flagship American muscle car.
Dodge Needs To Excite Customers Into Buying the Charger
A potential new engine in the Dodge Charger has come at exactly the right time for the muscle car. At the time of writing, CarEdge lists the Charger as the slowest-selling vehicle in the United States. This is in sharp contrast to its once segment-leading status. The company is sitting on a 385-day supply of the muscle cars, with 10,800 units at dealerships as of July 2026.
Over the last montha nd a half, less than 1,300 examples of the muscle car have been shifted from those dealerships. So it’s clear something needs to be done to get people excited about the car again. A Hellcat V8 is rumored to be on the way for 2028, so if this latest edition of the Sixpack Charger doesn’t create the magic, perhaps we will have to wait a little longer to see the muscle car hit some good form.