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If you’ve spent any time hanging around the service drive or scrolling Dodge forums, you’ve heard the question a hundred times: “Is the Dodge Charger ever getting a V8 back?” It’s the question every Mopar fan wants answered, and honestly, we get asked about it here at the dealership almost as often as we get asked about financing. So let’s dig into where things actually stand with the new Dodge Charger, why Dodge ditched the V8 in the first place, and whether that old-school rumble is coming back anytime soon.

A Quick Recap: What Happened to the Hemi?

For decades, the Dodge Charger name was basically synonymous with V8 power. The 5.7L Hemi, the 6.4L 392, the supercharged 6.2L Hellcat engine — these powerplants built the Charger’s reputation as one of the last true American muscle sedans. When the previous-generation Charger and Challenger were retired, a lot of loyal Dodge fans worried the brand was walking away from that muscle car DNA for good, especially once the first version of the reborn Charger showed up as the all-electric Charger Daytona.

That worry didn’t last long, though, because Dodge followed up with a gasoline-powered version of the new Charger: the SIXPACK.

So What’s Actually Under the Hood Now?

Here’s the deal: the current-generation Dodge Charger does not have a V8. Instead, Dodge went a different direction with the SIXPACK lineup, which uses a 3.0L twin-turbocharged Hurricane inline-six in two different tunes. The standard-output version makes 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque in the Charger R/T, while the high-output version cranks out 550 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque in the Charger Scat Pack. Both come standard with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic, plus the ability to switch into rear-wheel drive for donuts, drifts, and old-fashioned tire-smoking fun.

For comparison, the outgoing 6.4L 392 Hemi made 485 horsepower. So while the new engine trades cylinders for turbochargers, it isn’t exactly short on muscle — the Scat Pack’s Hurricane six actually out-guns the V8 it replaced by a wide margin, and it’ll run 0-60 in 3.9 seconds with a 12.2-second quarter mile. Dodge has leaned into that engineering story hard, and it’s paid off: the multi-energy Charger lineup picked up the 2026 North American Car of the Year award, along with Car of the Year honors from several other outlets.

If you want to see the specs straight from the source, Dodge breaks down the SIXPACK engine lineup in detail on the official Dodge Charger performance page.

Will the V8 Ever Come Back?

This is where things get interesting. Dodge hasn’t ruled it out, but they haven’t confirmed it either — and there’s a real engineering wrinkle behind that hesitation. The new Charger rides on Stellantis’ STLA Large platform, which was designed around the electric Daytona and the Hurricane six, not around a traditional V8. That doesn’t make a V8 impossible, but it does mean it isn’t a simple bolt-in swap the way it might have been on the old Charger platform.

At the same time, Dodge has clearly shown it’s willing to bring the Hemi V8 back where it makes sense. The Hemi returned as an option on the Ram 1500, it’s standard across the Durango SUV lineup, and Jeep has hinted at a Grand Cherokee Hemi comeback too. So there’s precedent for Dodge listening to fans and walking back a V8 deletion when the demand is loud enough.

And the demand has been loud. Every time Dodge makes a Charger announcement, the comment section fills up with people asking about the Hemi. Dodge has responded, in its own way, by continuing to push the Hurricane platform further instead. At Roadkill Nights 2026 in Pontiac, Michigan, Dodge used its big reveal moment not to bring back the V8, but to unveil the new Charger Super Bee Launch Edition — a 600-horsepower version of the SIXPACK Hurricane six, making it the most powerful gas-powered Charger built yet. It’s a strong signal that, at least for now, Dodge’s performance roadmap for the Charger runs through turbocharged sixes rather than a supercharged V8.

Could that change down the road? Sure — Stellantis has surprised the industry before, and the appetite among enthusiasts clearly hasn’t gone anywhere. But as of today, there’s no confirmed V8 Charger on the way, and Dodge seems genuinely committed to proving the Hurricane platform can carry the muscle car torch on its own.

Should You Wait for a V8, or Buy Now?

Honestly? If you’re cross-shopping a new Charger, we wouldn’t recommend holding your breath for a Hemi that may or may not show up. The current SIXPACK Scat Pack already delivers more horsepower than the old 392, comes with genuinely clever tech like the AWD-to-RWD switch, and has already proven itself against the muscle cars it replaced. We covered some of that transition in more detail in our post on the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona and what it means for muscle car fans, and if you want the full rundown on how the new-generation Charger evolved from an EV-only launch into the multi-energy lineup we have today, check out our breakdown of the 2024 Dodge Charger reveal.

If you’re the type who wants to feel that boost building through the pedal right now instead of waiting on a rumor, we’ve got you covered. You can browse our current Dodge Charger inventory here at Paul Sherry Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM to see what R/T and Scat Pack models we have on the lot, including a few dressed out in the Blacktop Package for that extra bit of attitude.

The Bottom Line

No, the current Dodge Charger doesn’t have a V8, and Dodge hasn’t committed to bringing one back. What it does have is a genuinely impressive turbocharged inline-six that out-performs the old Hemi on paper and on the track, plus a growing trophy case to back it up. Whether the Hemi eventually makes a triumphant return is anyone’s guess, but the Hurricane-powered Charger has more than earned the right to be judged on its own terms in the meantime.

Have questions about which Charger trim is right for you, or want to talk through R/T versus Scat Pack? Stop by Paul Sherry Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM in Piqua, Ohio, or give us a call — we’re happy to walk you through it.