Almost nobody is buying the new Dodge Charger, and it’s a problem. We talked to Dodge CEO Matt McAlear about it back in March, though when asked if it was time to panic, he replied that it was “too early” to tell. It’s been several months since that conversation, and I’m not seeing many more Chargers—except for when I refresh my YouTube homepage. Vloggers and influencers are eating them up, which could mean one of two things.
Either the Charger is the next great tuning platform, or it’s a certified flop. I think it depends on who you ask.
Now, I want to make it clear why so many YouTubers are featuring Dodge Charger builds on their channels. Dodge gifted a few of them to content creators—or, at least, loaned them out for the sake of making videos. They aren’t fully complete production models, but instead, they’re engineering take-off units that can’t be registered for road use. Rather than sending them straight to the crusher, it seems like Dodge had a better idea to stir up publicity. And look! It’s working!
Rob Dahm is one of the YouTubers currently taking the new Charger to its limits. In his video introducing the project, Dahm said it’s his to play with for two years, and he’s going to make a monster out of the SixPack’s boosted 3.0-liter inline-six.
Dodge GAVE me a 26 AWD Charger to Drag Race. We have different plans…
The 2026 Dodge Charger SPOOLS instantly on our 3D Printed Turbo Manifold
Right now, Dahm is building the car to compete with others at Roadkill Nights. That’s a Dodge event, so it makes sense that the brand would contribute to the cause of cool cars in attendance. He was never going to leave it stock, and on Thursday, he uploaded a video showing the Charger with a new 3D-printed exhaust manifold that spools the bigger single turbo lightning-quick.
In all, Dahm seems sold on the Hurricane engine’s potential to make big power. And for what it’s worth, so am I. The only vehicle I’ve driven with one is the Ram 1500, and even in such a heavy pickup, that thing likes to party.
Taking Delivery of My 2026 Dodge Charger (Drag Build)
Removing NEARLY 1,000 LBS From The HEAVY 2026 Charger!
It’s not like the Charger is that much lighter, though. That’s what YouTuber Evan Shanks is currently working on with his car that Dodge gifted him. He’s entering the same bracket-style competition as Dahm, and while he also completed a large single-turbo swap, Shanks has moved on to removing weight from the 4,700-pound car.
When all was said and done, Shanks dropped the car’s weight by 816 pounds, dropping it below the two-ton mark. Since it’s not a street car, he removed the extra seats, airbags, sound system, and sound-deadening material. This helped to address what many people see as the new Charger’s worst problem—well, aside from the V8 that’s missing under the hood.
Dahm and Shanks are just a couple of YouTubers building new Chargers. They certainly aren’t the only ones.
We Bought The Worst Car in America!
Testing The Worst Car In America
Cleetus McFarland is making videos with a Charger Daytona Scat Pack EV, except Dodge didn’t gift it to him. Instead, he negotiated with a dealer who sold it to him for $39,485—half of its $78,970 MSRP. I knew these things were deeply discounted, but who could have guessed that was even possible on a new car?
McFarland has been far less kind to the platform. His latest upload is titled, “Testing The Worst Car In America.” I guess you can do that when there’s no pressure to please the company that built it. Anywho, he’s almost gone full Whistlin’ Diesel on this car, entering it in a tug of war and toasting the tires off it.
These three YouTubers have a cumulative follower count exceeding six million. Sure, there’s some overlap between them, but the reach is still huge. Dodge is doing what it can to control the narrative around the Charger, gifting it to folks like Dahm and Shanks, who it knows will make something cool with them. Meanwhile, McFarland—whose channel has nearly five million of those followers—is trashing the thing.
It’s quite the juxtaposition. Either way, there’s a lot on the line for Dodge, as millions of enthusiasts’ opinions about the Charger will be swayed one way or another by the end of it. The Detroit muscle manufacturer is banking on the cars it gifted winning ’em over.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
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