Next-Gen Dodge Charger: Leaked Factory Pics Suggest Gas Engine Will Survive
A transmission tunnel is something you don’t always find on an EV.
Dodge is continuing to build muscle cars despite the imminent death of the Charger and Challenger. We already knew that an electric version of its Charger Daytona SRT Concept was on the way, but now it seems like there will be an internal-combustion engine version as well, at least if some factory-fresh photos are anything to go by.
Pictures posted to the Challenger Talk forums as well as on X show a body-in-white of a two-door muscle car that's pretty clearly a production version of the Daytona SRT Concept. Interestingly, it looks as though the car definitely has space for a transmission and a driveshaft. The engine bay is also clearly configured to accommodate a longitudinally mounted powerplant, which has long been speculated to be some flavor of Stellantis' new "Hurricane" inline-six, or even a V8 in top trims.
Dodge has been cagey about what the next generation of its muscle cars is going to look like. Of course, the four-figure horsepower electric drivetrain was out in front when the concept was revealed, but that's just because none of Stellantis' North American brands sell any BEVs in the United States right now. It has been speculated that an ICE version of the car was possible as it sits on the STLA Large platform which can be configured either way, but nothing official has been said.
These images aren't official confirmation that both drivetrains will be offered, of course, but they're pretty damning. Yes, the transmission tunnel is admittedly a little shallow, but it's possible that there's a false floor where the battery lives in BEV versions of the car, and the driveshaft goes through that. In other words, there should be a big fat piece of plastic trim running under the vehicle which will likely shroud much of the vehicle's underpinnings, whether it's something mechanical or a bunch of batteries.
We've reached out to Stellantis for more information about what this vehicle might be. We'll update this post if we learn anything.
Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com
