Dodge V8 Muscle Car Could Return To Battle Ford

Dodge may bring back the Hemi as Stellantis shifts from electrification

• Stellantis’ big U.S. investment could lead to new V8-powered Dodge muscle car
• Stellantis has already expanded V8 availability for other models
• Pace of electrification has slowed

With the demise of the previous-generation Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger, the American automaker found itself without a V8-powered muscle car in its lineup for the first time in many years. That could change soon, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

With the Chevy Camaro gone, Ford is the only one of these three American brands to still sell a powerful coupe with an old-school V8. We’re talking about the Mustang GT and Dark Horse, of course. A V8-powered muscle car from Dodge could revive this once thrilling rivalry.

V8 Gets Renewed Attention As Electrification Slows Down

According to the Bloomberg report, Stellantis is set to announce an expansion of its manufacturing investment in the country later this week, totaling $10 billion over the next few years—double the original investment planned.

This investment will go towards reopening some plants and hiring more workers, benefitting Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep. For enthusiasts, the big news is the potential development of a new Dodge muscle car with a V8 engine.

Just days ago, a report emerged that the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee, a fully electric model with outrageous power and performance, has been shelved. This comes as Stellantis revives its commitment to the V8 over electrification. 

Ram has already brought back the Hemi-powered 1500 pickup, while the Dodge Durango lineup has switched to V8-only power, a move that seems to already have increased sales. The expansion of V8 power contrasts with a move away from electrification: Recently, Jeep decided to cancel the Gladiator 4xe plug-in hybrid.

Related: Dodge Durango’s V8 Gamble Pays Off With Best Q3 Sales In 20 Years

The Hurricane Is No Hemi

For Dodge muscle car fans who demand gasoline power, their best bet is the Dodge Charger SixPack, which uses the Hurricane twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine. Producing up to 550 horsepower in the Charger Scat Pack, this model flies to 60 mph in under four seconds and will complete the quarter-mile sprint in 12.2 seconds. The electric Charger Daytona is quicker still.

But neither the Hurricane inline-six nor the electric model has the personality of the old-school Hemi V8. Even the previous model’s least powerful V8, the 375-hp version, produced a brawny exhaust note that was immensely satisfying, and you didn’t need to be going at thunderous speeds to appreciate it.

Stellantis has not directly confirmed the return of a V8-powered Dodge muscle car, but it looks likelier by the day. It’s almost guaranteed to boost what have been poor sales of the new Charger in electric guise.