Dodge’s new platform could include a V8

Contrary to previous reports, MotorTrend says Dodge isn’t done with gas burning Chargers and Applicants only for now. Citing unnamed sources, the publication claims that a new large rear-wheel-drive platform, which is not an electric car, is in development and will replace the current platform, the foundations of which date back more than a decade.

However, a Dodge representative says that’s not happening.

Range of alarms for Charger, Challenger enthusiasts

Last year, during the EV-focused Stellantis presentation, the Dodge division laid out its plans to electrify the lineup. Among the announcements was the unveiling of an electric muscle car expected in 2024, as well as Stellantis’ vision for 40% of sales to be fully electric or hybrid vehicles by 2030. These statements pointed the way to electric chargers and the Challenger, which will naturally replace the aging gas-powered models.

Not so fast, he said MotorTrend. MT reported: “Our sources tell us that a whole new generation [V8]-cars with an engine and rear-wheel drive will appear, and soon. … A new large rear-wheel-drive Stellantis platform is arriving that can accommodate a [V8]. This platform will be separate and unrelated to the EV skateboard chassis that will underpin Stellantis’ other large electric vehicles. This vehicle architecture will underpin the new Charger, the new Challenger, and possibly the new Chrysler 300 and the next-generation Maserati Quattroporte.”

It’s interesting. Despite the flurry of electrification plans making headlines across the industry, many Dodge fans remain firmly fixated on internal combustion systems. Some of the Stellantis brands are moving full speed towards electrification; Maserati, for example, is deep in testing its upcoming GranTurismo Folgore, which is an EV version of the sports coupe. Dodge, which has built a legacy on its hungry V8s, has pledged to make 50% of its cars battery-powered by 2030.

Dodge’s answer

However, Dodge denies MTclaims. “We’ve made it official: The Hemi on this platform is retiring after 2023, and so is this platform,” Dodge’s David Elshoff told Edmunds via email. “The unnamed replacement will be a BEV [battery electric vehicle].”

We may be reading between the lines, but both sides could be right. After Total, MT says the next-generation gas-powered Charger and Challenger will be based on a new platform, matching Elshoff’s statement. And there is the issue of power plants. The Hemi may be gone, but the Stellantis has a new twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six to take its place. The so-called Hurricane engine, designed to reduce tailpipe emissions and improve fuel efficiency, comes in two variants: one tuned for lower consumption (400 horsepower) and one tuned for performance (500 hp).

Even if the V8 doesn’t return with the next-gen Charger or gas-powered Challenger, we could have plenty of power with a rumored inline-six and already confirmed torquey electric versions. Stellantis covers the base of the Hurricane, which the company says will be integrated into future electrified models.

What does this mean for classic muscle car enthusiasts?