Better Than Electric, But The Sixpack Will Have Haters
Earlier this year, Stellantis confirmed that the Dodge Charger Sixpack would arrive this summer. Well, summer is upon us, and Dodge is preparing to keep its word. This week, a Reddit user was on the fringes of a shoot that will doubtless be part of a new commercial advertisement, and their short video clip reveals the turbocharged sound of the Hurricane straight-six in a red Charger as the coupe is briefly slid around a corner for a drone shot.
While the Sixpack certainly sounds much better than the all-electric Daytona’s synthesized noises, it’s not going to please everyone. Some have likened the sound to that of German turbo engines, while others have simply called it “nasty.” Take a listen for yourself and let us know what you think.
More To Come Soon
Not long ago, weak demand forced Dodge to, at least temporarily, pull the plug on the 496-horsepower Charger Daytona R/T (the entry-level version of the muscle EV), so we expect the Sixpack to reach dealers very soon to help pick up the slack. This will ship with the Standard Output 420-hp engine. Thereafter, a Sixpack Outlaw is expected to raise the bar with the High Output Hurricane engine, and if reports are accurate, this will deliver its respectable 550 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels, with a selectable rear-drive mode to make things more exciting at the flip of a switch. Twin-turbo straight-six, over 500 ponies, and the ability to melt rear tires? This is shaping up to be an American M4 with a much less terrifying price.
Don’t Give Up On The V8 Dream Just Yet
Simply scrambling back to combustion may not be enough to make the Dodge Charger popular again, and Dodge knows that. With new leadership at the Stellantis helm, V8 engines could well return to the Charger, and looking at the remarkable influx of orders that Ram got once it revived the option of a V8, it’s surely only a matter of time before the Charger can truly rival the Mustang GT with a big eight-cylinder again.
That said, even the Mustang isn’t as popular as it once was, and Stellantis needs to tread carefully. There’s a reason the Camaro is unlikely to rejoin the muscle car fight, with recent reports indicating a sedan might be as close as Chevy gets; buyers these days are happier to spend on crossovers than coupes.
About the author
Sebastian Cenizo
Senior Editor, Autoblog