Photo: Dodge
Stellantis has allowed Dodge to surprisingly jump out of the shadows of their proving grounds with a few photos of the upcoming 2024 or 2025 Charger bearing very little to absolutely no camouflage. However, we still have many unanswered questions.
If you look at the Dodge lineup, just two of its four nameplates have 2024 model year versions – Hornet and Durango. The other ones – Charger and Challenger – are on their way out because the company is trying to revolutionize the American muscle car sector. As such, the Chevy Camaro – at least for now – will be no more, while the S650 seventh generation 2024 Ford Mustang will be attacked by an all-new 2024 or 2025 Dodge Charger that is back to classic two-door fastback coupe habits.
We have no idea if the Challenger has a future, but we know that the 2024 Charger will adopt the EV lifestyle in the future and sport most of the styling of the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT concept car. But how come we are so sure of that? Well, after first teasing the 2024 or 2025 Charger in a Christmas-like setting, the US automaker is now outright exposing everything on social media.
A couple of surprise posts on Facebook and Instagram have recently shown the 2024 or 2025 Dodge Charger in pre-production form, with absolutely no camouflage on it after someone is shown peeling off the final layers of dizzy wraps. The photos aren't exactly flattering because they are rather gray and also showcase a dark gray prototype. Still, we now have a pretty decent chance to argue that the concept car has heavily influenced the final result – it's pretty much the same with regular exterior mirrors and a few other subtle changes.
Unfortunately for enthusiasts of V8 Hemi engines, this pre-production car – captioned with an ironic "No cameras or recording devices permitted. Pre-production model shown. Available late 2024" doesn't seem to have the regular exhaust tip of an ICE-powered vehicle. Additionally, notice the illuminated 'Fratzog' logo (first appearing in 1962 on the Polara 500 if we remember correctly) at the front, plus the Daytona script written in big letters on the rear bumper. So, we suppose that we are looking at the EV-powered next-generation Dodge Charger Daytona right now.
Of course, we can assume the company is keeping mum on the juicy technical specifications at the moment, as the release date still needs to be confirmed. As far as we can tell, the reaction from the audience was quite controversial – some lamented the departure of the Hemi V8s, and others welcomed the novel EV lifestyle. In fact, according to the rumor mill, Dodge might strive to make everyone happy – both people who want to go after Tesla and those who think the ICE-powered rumble is impossible to replicate with electronic trickery.
As far as the latter is concerned, they may need to be on the lookout for Dodge's announcement that alongside the EV Charger Daytona, there will also be a regular Charger powered by the new 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six turbocharged mills with 420 and 540 hp thresholds. Until there's an official word on the exact technical specifications, though, do take all these rumors with a healthy pinch of salt. Still, it would be interesting to see how a 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse with the 500-hp Coyote V8 fares against a 2024 or 2025 Dodge Charger with the Hurricane H/O and 540 hp both on the street and at the local quarter-mile dragstrip, right?
Meanwhile, if the ICE-powered quarrel needs to be settled only between the Ford Mustang (S650) and the potential Charger with Hurricane mills, the EV situation is a little scruffier. For example, Dodge did the right thing, making its EV Charger a two-door affair because a four-door sedan would directly clash with the newly updated Tesla Model 3. The latter still costs from $39k with an EPA range estimate of 272 miles (438 km), a 5.8-second sprint time to 60 mph (96 kph), and a top speed of 125 mph.
But there's also a $46k Model 3 Long Range that goes up to 341 miles (549 km) on a single charge and hits 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds. These two wouldn't be hard to overcome in terms of performance, but as far as pricing is concerned, that's an entirely different meal. Additionally, Tesla is reportedly coming out with a much more potent Model 3 Performance version, potentially joining the Plaid family going forward. How the Charger fares against that was pretty hard to estimate, most likely. So, whether we like it or not, Dodge is coming out with an electric Charger to join the novel EV establishment. Also, hopefully, they will still give the Mustang a run for its ICE-powered money further down the line with Hurricane versions. What do you think?
We have no idea if the Challenger has a future, but we know that the 2024 Charger will adopt the EV lifestyle in the future and sport most of the styling of the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT concept car. But how come we are so sure of that? Well, after first teasing the 2024 or 2025 Charger in a Christmas-like setting, the US automaker is now outright exposing everything on social media.
A couple of surprise posts on Facebook and Instagram have recently shown the 2024 or 2025 Dodge Charger in pre-production form, with absolutely no camouflage on it after someone is shown peeling off the final layers of dizzy wraps. The photos aren't exactly flattering because they are rather gray and also showcase a dark gray prototype. Still, we now have a pretty decent chance to argue that the concept car has heavily influenced the final result – it's pretty much the same with regular exterior mirrors and a few other subtle changes.
Unfortunately for enthusiasts of V8 Hemi engines, this pre-production car – captioned with an ironic "No cameras or recording devices permitted. Pre-production model shown. Available late 2024" doesn't seem to have the regular exhaust tip of an ICE-powered vehicle. Additionally, notice the illuminated 'Fratzog' logo (first appearing in 1962 on the Polara 500 if we remember correctly) at the front, plus the Daytona script written in big letters on the rear bumper. So, we suppose that we are looking at the EV-powered next-generation Dodge Charger Daytona right now.
Of course, we can assume the company is keeping mum on the juicy technical specifications at the moment, as the release date still needs to be confirmed. As far as we can tell, the reaction from the audience was quite controversial – some lamented the departure of the Hemi V8s, and others welcomed the novel EV lifestyle. In fact, according to the rumor mill, Dodge might strive to make everyone happy – both people who want to go after Tesla and those who think the ICE-powered rumble is impossible to replicate with electronic trickery.
As far as the latter is concerned, they may need to be on the lookout for Dodge's announcement that alongside the EV Charger Daytona, there will also be a regular Charger powered by the new 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six turbocharged mills with 420 and 540 hp thresholds. Until there's an official word on the exact technical specifications, though, do take all these rumors with a healthy pinch of salt. Still, it would be interesting to see how a 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse with the 500-hp Coyote V8 fares against a 2024 or 2025 Dodge Charger with the Hurricane H/O and 540 hp both on the street and at the local quarter-mile dragstrip, right?
Meanwhile, if the ICE-powered quarrel needs to be settled only between the Ford Mustang (S650) and the potential Charger with Hurricane mills, the EV situation is a little scruffier. For example, Dodge did the right thing, making its EV Charger a two-door affair because a four-door sedan would directly clash with the newly updated Tesla Model 3. The latter still costs from $39k with an EPA range estimate of 272 miles (438 km), a 5.8-second sprint time to 60 mph (96 kph), and a top speed of 125 mph.
But there's also a $46k Model 3 Long Range that goes up to 341 miles (549 km) on a single charge and hits 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds. These two wouldn't be hard to overcome in terms of performance, but as far as pricing is concerned, that's an entirely different meal. Additionally, Tesla is reportedly coming out with a much more potent Model 3 Performance version, potentially joining the Plaid family going forward. How the Charger fares against that was pretty hard to estimate, most likely. So, whether we like it or not, Dodge is coming out with an electric Charger to join the novel EV establishment. Also, hopefully, they will still give the Mustang a run for its ICE-powered money further down the line with Hurricane versions. What do you think?
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