Dodge Signals High-Performance Shift as 5.7 Hemi Ruled Out for New Charger

Dodge is drawing a clear line on the future of V8 power in the redesigned Charger, signaling that sentiment alone will not bring back the long-running 5.7-liter Hemi engine. Speaking to automotive media at the 2026 Detroit Auto Show, brand leadership made it clear that if the Charger carries a V8 again, it will be at the extreme high end of the performance spectrum.

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The 5.7-liter Hemi, once a staple of Dodge’s performance lineup, is unlikely to return for the new Charger. The reasoning centers on performance realities rather than nostalgia. Under modern emissions requirements and internal benchmarks, the engine no longer fits Dodge’s evolving strategy.

The company’s newer 3.0-liter twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six has reshaped the lineup. Even in its base form, the Hurricane delivers strong output, while the high-output version surpasses the performance of the outgoing 6.4-liter Hemi. By comparison, the 5.7-liter Hemi produces 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque, figures that no longer stand out within Dodge’s current portfolio.

Beyond performance metrics, Dodge sees practical challenges in expanding engine choices. Offering too many powertrain options creates complications for manufacturing and inventory, limiting what dealers can realistically stock and sell. Streamlining the lineup allows Dodge to focus resources on configurations that deliver clear value and market impact.

That strategy points directly to the Hellcat engine as the only viable V8 option for the Charger. The supercharged 6.2-liter V8, already reintroduced in high-performance Dodge trucks, now delivers output approaching 800 horsepower in certain applications. Such figures would place a Hellcat-powered Charger firmly at the top of the muscle sedan segment as a halo model.

Rather than reviving multiple V8 variants, Dodge appears intent on concentrating excitement around a single flagship offering. The approach pairs everyday performance from the Hurricane engines with the potential for a headline-grabbing Hellcat variant designed to attract attention and reinforce the brand’s performance credentials.

Questions remain unanswered, including how the Hellcat would be packaged in the Charger platform and what pricing would accompany such a high-output model. Still, the message from Dodge leadership was unmistakable: the brand is prioritizing relevance, performance data, and market clarity over tradition.

For the Charger, that means V8 power is not gone, but it is reserved for the very top rung of the performance ladder.