It's hard to accept the Challenger isn't coming back anytime soon, and it's harder still to come to terms with the lack of eight-cylinder powertrain options for the new Charger. Available in three- and five-door guises, the newcomer will enter production in the second half of 2024 at the Windsor Assembly Plant in both electric and six-cylinder flavors.
The coupe-bodied Charger effectively replaces the Challenger in Dodge's lineup, and – obviously enough – there are major differences between it and the 2023 model. For starters, the Stellantis group switched from the DaimlerChrysler-era L platform to the STLA Large platform. Secondly, the Charger is much larger and considerably heavier to boot.
Dodge's preliminary specs for the 2024 model indicate two lengths: 206.5 or 206.6 inches (5,248 millimeters), with the R/T edging out the punchier Scat Pack. For the 2023 Dodge Challenger, the Auburn Hills-based automaker lists the L-platform coupe with up to 197.5 inches (5,017 millimeters) to its name. Not accounting for the side mirrors, the overall width of the Charger coupe is 79.8 inches (2,027.8 millimeters) compared to 78.3 inches (1,990 millimeters) for the Challenger Widebody.
Ground clearance? Dodge claims 5.5 and 5.6 inches (141.3 and 142.8 millimeters) for the Charger Daytona, which is the official designation of the all-electric version. The twin-turbocharged inline-six version is dubbed Charger SIXPACK in uppercase letters, because why not? As for the Challenger, its ground clearance is estimated at 4.5 to 5.2 inches (115.2 to 130.9 millimeters). In other words, the internal combustion-powered Challenger sits closer to the ground than the zero-emission 2024 model.
Photo: Dodge / edited
5,838 pounds (2,648 kilograms) for the Charger Daytona R/T is a lot of curb weight. Unfortunately, the estimate for the Charger SIXPACK has yet to be published by the Dodge brand. In regard to the Challenger, the curb weight for the US-market specification ranges from 3,841 pounds (1,742 kilograms) to 4,441 pounds (2,014 kilograms).
Chief executive officer Tim Kuniskis says that Dodge's first electric muscle car boasts a near-perfect weight distribution. This also applies to the Challenger, whose most evenly distributed configuration is the V6-powered SXT at 52 percent over the front axle and 48 percent out back. The SRT Hellcat, by comparison, is 57% and 43%.
From the standpoint of practicality, it should be hardly surprising that the much larger Charger has the upper hand. Take, for instance, trunk capacity: 16.2 cubic feet (459 liters) for the Challenger as opposed to 22.7 (644 liters) for the three-door liftback. With the rear seats folded, make that 37.39 cubic feet (1,059 liters) for the Charger coupe.
Photo: Dodge / edited
Distinctively retro yet thoroughly modern at the same time, the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona sports a 100.5-kWh battery with a usable capacity of 93.9 kilowatt hours. The third largest automaker of the Detroit Big Three claims 317 miles (510 kilometers) of driving range for the R/T, whereas the Scat Pack makes do with 250 miles (418 kilometers). Both are dual-motor affairs by default, and both come with Direct Connection Stage upgrade kits as standard.
No fuel economy figures are currently available for the Charger SIXPACK, which is due in early 2025 in S.O. (standard output) and H.O. (high output) tunes. Both are all-wheel drive by default, with both rocking the ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission to the detriment of a stick shift. Dodge claims 420 and 550 horsepower, respectively, whereas the Challenger's 5.7-liter HEMI and 6.4-liter HEMI are good for 375 and 485 horsepower.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the most and least fuel-efficient Challengers of the bunch are the standard V6 and the Demon 170 at 23 and 13 miles per gallon (10.2 and 18 l/100 km), respectively. Fill 'er up with E85, and the Demon 170 is rated at 9 miles per gallon (26 l/100 km). Pumping dino juice shouldn't take longer than five minutes, but charging the Charger Daytona from 20 to 80 percent at 350 kW takes over half an hour.
Photo: Dodge / edited
The Daytona R/T and Daytona Scat Pack flaunt 250-kW electric drive units fore and aft, but rather than a round 500 kW, their peak outputs are 340 kW and 470 kW. In old money, those numbers convert to 456 horsepower and 630 horsepower. The PowerShot feature unlocks a few more ponies for up to 15 seconds at a time, resulting in 496 horsepower and 670 horsepower, respectively.
Peak torque is best described as being a mixed bag. As opposed to 410 pound-feet (555 Nm) for the 5.7-liter HEMI, the R/T produces 404 pound-feet (548 Nm). As for the 5.7-liter HEMI and Scat Pack, the ratings are 475 and 627 pound-feet (644 and 850 Nm). The Charger Daytona is a 400-volt affair for the time being, but come 2025, the hi-po SRT Banshee will be equipped with an 800V setup.
Dodge says the Scat Pack is Hellcat Redeye-level fast, although not in terms of top speed. Believe it or not, the Scat Pack tops 134 miles per hour (216 kilometers) compared to 137 (220) for the R/T. On the other hand, acceleration is pretty impressive for such a heavy car. Dodge claims 4.7 and 3.3 seconds, respectively, onto a quarter mile of 13.1 and 11.5 seconds, respectively, for the R/T and Scat Pack.
Photo: Dodge / edited
Far nicer inside than the Challenger, the Charger coupe isn't for everyone. Challenger owners in particular may find the lack of a V8 engine inexcusable, and who could blame them? Crosstown rival Ford still makes V8-powered Mustangs, and the no-nonsense GTD is right around the corner with 800 ponies from a supercharged V8.
In addition to ever-stringent fuel economy and emission regulations, remember that Dodge couldn't have its own way. Dodge is a Stellantis group brand, with Stellantis putting a bigger emphasis on EVs than Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Looking at the glass half full, FCA joining forces with PSA means that both halves of the Stellantis group are better prepared for the bleak future of the automobile.
Available in no fewer than eight paint colors, the 2024 Dodge Charger is the first-ever Stellantis production vehicle to feature STLA Large underpinnings. Going forward, this platform will be shared with the Jeep Wagoneer S and Recon, the all-electric successor of the Chrysler 300, the Maserati Levante Folgore, and the Quattroporte Folgore.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News