Rejoice, for Hellcat management returns in 2023

• The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat will again be available with a six-speed manual transmission in 2023.
• Dodge quietly (and temporarily) dropped the manual option at some point last year.
• The 2023 model year will be the last for the Challenger and Charger.

Just over a year ago, Dodge spoiled everyone’s holiday by announcing that the Tremec six-speed manual transmission was no longer available on the Challenger SRT Hellcat. A six-speed transmission remained the standard transmission for the naturally aspirated 5.7-liter R/T and 6.4-liter R/T Scat Pack models, but drivers who wanted to give up the clutch on the supercharged 717 horsepower were left hard-pressed. It was, in the immortal words of Counting Crows, a long December.

However, thanks to our thorough investigations (by scouring Dodge’s media site to see what ridiculous, retina-melting colors are available on the 2023 Challenger), we’ve discovered that the manual Hellcat is back. And Dodge backed it up by telling us that everyone and their favorite grandma should order the 2023 Challenger with a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 and a six-speed transmission. It will catch rubber in second gear. And the third. And maybe the rest of the shows too.

Dodge has always maintained that the lack of manual was temporary and had something to do with powertrain calibration, but we’ve heard that sort of thing before. Temporary cancellations may become permanent, but true to their word, Dodge has brought back the third pedal for the Hellcat. Which makes sense, since Dodge told us in 2018 that 35 percent of Challenger Hellcat buyers opt for the stick.

In our last challenger hellcat manual test, it hit 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and completed the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds at 120 mph. Those numbers are the debt of a car with an automatic, but who cares? In 2022, an eight-speed automatic transmission was a mandatory $2,995 option, so presumably the 2023 model with a manual transmission will save money to put towards a premium unleaded engine and some rear tire casings.

Oh, and about those colors: Plum Crazy is also making a comeback in 2023. It would look great on a manual Challenger Hellcat. Indeed, this December will be remembered.