New Dodge Charger Daytona: the eighth-generation muscle car

Dodge caught the world by surprise in 2022 when it unveiled the Charger Daytona SRT Concept.

It set out the brand’s vision for a new breed of muscle car, powered solely by electricity and with no thirsty V8 in sight. It also drew considerable attention for its external Fratzonic sound system, designed to reproduce the note of a mighty V8 engine.

Addressing the contentious move towards electrification, the brand’s CEO, Tim Kuniskis, said that “its performance drove us to do it”.

Nearly two years on, the production model has now been revealed: the eighth-generation Dodge Charger.

It is the first Stellantis model to adopt the new STLA Large platform and, true to the ‘Large’ name, the new Dodge Charger is genuinely vast. It measures almost 5.25 m long, 2.02 m wide and close to 1.5 m high. It is substantially larger than the already sizeable Challenger it will replace, taking up more road space than a Kia EV9.

In visual terms, the finished Dodge Charger remains very close to the concept, although it is clearly distinct from the Challenger. Its styling takes inspiration from the iconic 1969 Charger - the very car known as ‘General Lee’ in The Dukes of Hazzard.

The front end is where the changes stand out most, thanks to a fresh interpretation of the headlamp and grille assembly. On the fully electric Charger Daytona, the ‘grille’ serves as an aerodynamic feature, just as it did on the concept, channelling air in and out through the bonnet.

Muscle car performance

Dodge says the new Charger Daytona will retain the title of the world’s quickest and most powerful muscle car. Perhaps at a later date. For now, the range-topping Scat Pack produces 500 kW (680 hp), while the entry-level R/T delivers 370 kW (503 hp).

There is, however, a catch to those maximum power figures. They are available for only 15 seconds at a time after pressing the “PowerShot” button. Without activating it, 40 hp is ‘lost’ for the rest of the drive. A 30-second wait is required between each “PowerShot”, although the number of activations is unlimited - at least while the battery retains a charge.

The battery itself has a 100.5 kWh capacity and operates at 400 V, despite the STLA Large platform being capable of supporting up to 800 V. Dodge has announced projected ranges from 510 km to 418 km, depending on the version, using estimates based on the North American test cycle.

Alongside the battery, every Charger Daytona shares one motor on each axle. It appears that rear-wheel drive will not be offered on the new Charger; every version will use four-wheel drive.

With both axles driven, the 680 hp Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack posts impressive acceleration figures: 0–60 mph (0–96.5 km/h) in 3.3 seconds, while the traditional quarter-mile (402 m) takes 11.5 seconds. These results are particularly striking given the weight of this muscle car: 2648 kg(!).

The car sits on generously sized Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres: 305/35 ZR20XL at the front and 325/35 ZR20 at the rear. Brembo supplies the braking system, which features 40 cm-diameter discs, six-piston front callipers and four-piston rear callipers.

To deliver maximum driving enjoyment, the Dodge Charger Daytona comes with several clearly named driving modes. These include Donut mode, as well as Drift, Drag and Track. Line Lock disconnects drive to the front axle for a Burnout, while Launch Control is intended to ensure a clean and effective start.

It will not be exclusively electric

Although the fully electric Dodge Charger Daytona is the headline act of this new-generation muscle car, combustion engines will not be abandoned just yet.

Later, in 2025, the Dodge Charger will arrive with the Hurricane, Stellantis’s latest straight-six engine - with no V8 planned. It has a 3.0-litre capacity and twin turbochargers, and is already used in Jeep and Ram models.

It will be available in two forms: the Sixpack H.O. (High Output), with 557 hp, and the Sixpack S.O. (Standard Output), with 426 hp. What will they have in common? Once again, four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox.

Will it come to Europe?

Production of the new Dodge Charger Daytona is scheduled to begin in the middle of this year in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with US sales starting shortly afterwards.

Combustion-engined Charger models will follow in the first quarter of 2025, alongside the five-door body style, whose tailgate opening includes the rear window. After that, Dodge has already promised a Charger Daytona SRT Banshee with three motors and an 800 V electrical system.

As for a European market launch, the chances appear slim.