A new report claims Dodge is pushing the pedal to the metal on gas-powered Charger models. Originally, the plan was to bring out the electric Chargers first, since supposedly that’s what everyone wants, then introduce the cheaper ones with internal combustion engines. But Stellantis and Dodge have had a moment of clarity, realizing demand for EV muscle cars is in fact low.
Watch a dinosaur car teach an EV who’s boss.
We apparently will see SixPack Charger models hitting dealerships in the early part of summer 2025 instead of the previously planned release of late 2025, according to a report from Mopar Insiders. We’ll see if that pans out, but in our opinion Dodge and Stellantis still are whiffing it big time with the new Charger.
After all, pushing electrification through a flagship model while also taking away two cylinders from gas-powered models is insanity. Before anyone argues Dodge had to do it, keep in mind Ford has found a way to keep V8s in Mustangs even though it sells those hideous turbo-four EcoBoost things.
Instead, the Mopar bosses, who don’t seem to understand what Americans want and need, decided to water Dodge down, killing the Hemis and ruining all the fun. And now they think getting the turbo-six models out early next summer is going to fix everything?
They still don’t get it, do they?
It’s no secret Dodge is in serious trouble, as are other Stellantis brands. Sales are down, dealerships have been managing swelling inventories for well over a year and a half. And lately Stellantis has been laying off assembly line workers. Some other automakers, like Volkswagen and Nissan, are also struggling as the market shifts and they’ve failed to keep up.
But is the future of Dodge turbo-six “muscle cars” and EVs with fake engine noises? Is this the fate of Mopar as we move through the 2020s? It’s enough to make us shudder at what future the brand has.
Image via Stellantis
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