The Dodge Charger is no stranger to controversy. It started with Dodge’s decision to revive the muscle car as a four-door, way back in 2006. More recently, the death of the Hemi and shift to an all-electric driveline has unsurprisingly inspired a ton of criticism. And even though the coming ICE Hurricane engines have plenty of power to make us proud, they’re still two cylinders short of impressing Mopar’s typical fanbase. I had the opportunity to take a close look at the new Charger Daytona EV last week at SEMA. I won’t try to sway anyone over the powertrain, but it is a great-looking car.
I’m a lifelong Mopar nut with a particular love for the second-generation Dodge Charger. Stories from my dad’s youth when he raised Cain with the ’69 Charger I’d eventually rescue many years later from a field were a major part of my upbringing. It’s fair to say I owe much of who I am today to my fascination with Dodge’s most treasured nameplate. Naturally, I’ve been paying close attention to the latest Charger’s launch. I had to make time during my visit to SEMA to go and check it out in person.
I remember when Dodge revived the Charger as a sedan. While it’s grown on me since, the initial disappointment was crushing. The Challenger is an awesome ride, but my understanding of the Charger’s dominance on superspeedways and pop-culture presence always had me puzzled that it didn’t get similar treatment.
Things are different this time around. The latest Charger isn’t a full-on throwback design, but I don’t think it should be. Dodge’s mixing of elements taken from multiple generations was the right move.
The design team clearly pulled many cues from ’68-’70 Chargers. The sweeping quarter panel with the body line stretching up to the fender references that era, and it even has the hips to match. Dodge itself said the giant rear window and light-bar taillights hearken back to the first-gen car, and you definitely feel that vibe in person. Plus, while I know they didn’t intend on it, the smoothed edges remind me of the Australian Valiant Chargers of the ’70s.
It is a massive car, similar in size to the first-, second-, and third-generation Chargers. Of course, the more modern design elements are a natural evolution of the previous generation’s, but that’s to be expected considering their production runs are so close. In the end, all these features combine for a truly unique entry to the Charger line.
This show car’s bright blue hue also hits home for me. I’m tired of seeing the Charger in a dark color that plays solely to the tough-guy element. Yes, it’s a mean-looking car, and I can appreciate that, but it is a Mopar. The folks who designed the retro Chargers are the same jokers who painted cartoon characters on their most aggressive-looking models, then gave ’em silly “meep-meep” horns to match. Skipping bold colors is a gross misrepresentation of classic Mopar branding. There were many Chargers at SEMA, but this example—coupled with General Lee and Joe Dirt tributes I came across—was one of the few that actually had any color to it. And that made it stand out.
As for the drivetrain, I’m not an EV guy. I won’t lay into Dodge for rolling out a pure-electric version, though. We’re all adults here who understand the factors that led to its existence, even if Dodge’s marketing pretends the decision was all based on performance. The imitation exhaust is hilariously bad, though; I’ll have no problem ribbing anyone who disagrees.
I’m here for the Sixpack models. True, a Hemi would feel right at home in this car, but I think the six-cylinder has potential. The aforementioned Australian Valiant Charger carried a six-cylinder Hemi, so it’s not as alien to its namesake as you might assume. And, call me delusional, but I’m unconvinced that Dodge has no plans to bring the V8 back to the Charger. I’m awaiting the first Hellcat swap the second this thing hits production.
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