The new gas-powered 2026 Charger coupe brings back real muscle feel, twin-turbo power, and drama missing from the EV
53 minutes ago
- Dodge has revealed the combustion versions of its Charger coupe.
- $50k R/T and $55k Scat Pack both get the Hurricane twin-turbo I6.
- Scat Pack makes 550 hp, 531 lb-ft; can hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds.
Muscle car fans, it’s safe to return to your Dodge dealer. Seventeen months after pulling the covers off the electric Charger Daytona no one asked for, and which no one seems to be buying, Dodge has given us the coupe we really do want – almost.
No, the new Sixpack Chargers don’t have V8s or manual transmissions – we’re hopeful a Hemi, at least, will come later – but they’re better value than the Daytona EVs and they make real noises.
Straight-Six Turbo Only
The Sixpacks come in two flavors, each of those being available with either two or four doors. As with the now-discontinued entry-level EV, the base combustion car gets R/T badges, only here it comes with 420 hp (426 PS) from a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo Hurricane inline six for $49,999, plus $1,995 destination. That’s $9,600 less than the electric Charger Daytona R/T cost in 2025.
Related: Dodge Shifts Production Gears To Gas Chargers After EV Falls Flat
The Hurricane engine is the same motor already available in other Stellantis products, like the Jeep Wagoner, and backs those ponies up with 468 lb-ft (635 Nm) of torque.
Dodge hasn’t revealed acceleration figures for the 168-mph R/T, but we think 4.8 seconds to 60 mph (97 kmh) sounds about right, based on the 3.9 seconds the 550-hp and 531 lb-ft Charger Scat Pack requires to reach the same marker.
QUICK FACTS
Sure, a Daytona Scat Pack can shave 0.6 seconds from the ICE car’s best time, but it costs $18,990 more than the $54,995 Sixpack, and its digital ‘exhaust’ sounds aren’t anywhere near as authentic or appealing as the real ones the petrol Chargers make. Yep, the future looks bleak for Daytona sales.
Lighter, but not light
Although the 177-mph Scat Pack is a massive 951-lbs (431 kg) daintier than the EV, it is still 4,816 lbs (2,185 kg), and the R/T is unlikely to be much lighter. But standard all-wheel drive and launch control modes on both cars help them hook up from the line when you need maximum stoplight thrust.
And when you don’t, and you’d rather showboat, you can toggle that same all-wheel drive system to send power to the rear wheels only, just like you can on a BMW M3 xDrive or M5.
Scat Packs also get a line-lock feature for instant smokey burnouts, but the ability to assume a RWD configuration isn’t only about delivering more fun. The system can automatically disconnect the front axle at freeway speeds to reduce parasitic driveline losses and boost economy.
New nose, same style
Visually, the combustion Charger stays close to the design template laid down by its EV brother. The basic body structure is the same, as are the ’68 Charger influences, and Dodge brags it has the widest hips of any passenger car on sale.
Both cars get the same DRL light signature, but where the Daytona allows air to flow through its grille and exit over the plunging hood, the straight Charger has a conventional fixed nose, a small cooling slot in the front bumper, and a wide, shallow hood scoop. At the rear, the ICE car has a single round tailpipe on each side of the bumper, embossed with ‘Charger’ rather than ‘Daytona.’
Scat Pack or Scat Pack Plus?
All Scat Packs roll on diamond-cut 20-inch wheels and come with a 10.25-inch gauge cluster, active sports exhaust and adaptive cruise as standard, but upgrade to the Scat Pack Plus and you grow the display to 16 inches, add features like an LED light upgrade and powered liftgate, and unlock options like a panoramic glass roof and Nappa leather upholstery.
Optional on both Scat Packs is a Blacktop Package, which adds black wheels and badging, but only Plus buyers can access the Carbon & Suede Package that does what it says on the tin.
When Can I Buy One?
R/T specs haven’t been detailed yet because it, and the four-door Scat Pack, doesn’t arrive in dealerships until the first half of 2026, but expect smaller wheels and lower equipment levels across the board. Orders for the two-door Scat Pack open August 13, and you can expect to see them on the street in the next few months.