“V8s are no longer a bad word around the company.” That’s the verbatim quote from Dodge CEO Matt McAlear announcing a titanic shift for the muscle car loyalists. To those loyalists who’ve forever cherished the signature roar of a HEMI V8, the return is a victory. Dodge will reassert its muscle car heritage, combining tradition and technology that will satisfy purists and introduce new converts.
The fabled HEMI V8, mighty symbol of unleashing American power, is back. The Dundee Engine Plant in Michigan will be fully operational by August at the earliest, inside sources reveal. The engine portfolio will include the 5.7-liter, 6.4-liter Apache, and supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat engines on Stellantis’ Gen III platform. Word on the street is that there will even be a go-around for a long-displacement iteration in the products in the pipeline in the not-so-distant future to give the HEMI brand name a boost. This is after the engine was put on hold from production in Stellantis’ Saltillo, Mexico plant, something that was largely under the decision of former CEO Carlos Tavares. His resignation seems to have paved the way for the return of the HEMI, much to the joy of muscle car enthusiasts.
While everyone is watching the return of the HEMI V8, however, Dodge is not resting on its laurels. The company is coming straight at its new twin-turbo Hurricane I6-powered Charger SIXPACK variants. These vehicles are going to redefine the six-cylinder performance handbook, documenting numbers higher than their forebears. The Charger SIXPACK four-door develops 420 horsepower, a 50-horsepower gain over today’s Charger R/T. And the two-door SIXPACK is a beast 550 horsepower, 65 more than the 2023 Charger Scat Pack. Production starts in May and sale this summer, as these trim levels are the first internal combustion engine (ICE) iterations of the LB-gen Charger on dealer lots.
Dodge’s hold on Hurricane I6 is a measured balancing of new capability and efficiency that is free from any sense of heritage. The engine devastates emissions but relentless power, giving gas-powered muscle cars an existence in a world of growing electrification. But some will sacrifice engineering perfection from the Hurricane for naked V8 brutishness. The noise, the torque, the presence itself of a HEMI motor these are things that fall outside of Dodge’s heritage.
The new 2026 HEMI-powered Charger promises the legacy of the Dodge. McAlear’s comment underscores the flexibility of the new Charger platform, a “multi energy platform” he refers to that can accommodate different powertrains. “This is just the first year, and you’ve got four powertrains that outperform every one that they’re replacing, with standard AWD? We’re just getting started. We’re going to have a lot of fun,” he said in a recent interview. This flexibility not only opens the door to the return of the V8 but also suggests great things for upcoming models.
The big picture for HEMI return is no charger phenomenon coincidence. The first to receive new production are the Ram 1500 and Dodge Durango, insiders say. The 5.7-liter V8 will power the Durango R/T again through the 2026 model year before redrawing in 2027. Leaked information points to the Ram 1500 line being able to return the HEMI, possibly as a high-output TRX model. The new cars are placed within Stellantis’ strategy of presenting a wide range of automobiles that will entice traditionalists but also perform for customers who are looking for today’s performance.
Not all Stellantis vehicles will get the V8, however. The new Charger platform cannot easily accommodate the current V8 with minor modifications, engineers report. To that end, attention currently is on the Hurricane six-cylinder and electric models. That’s following the industry trend toward electrification, even as Dodge attempts to determine how to preserve muscle car heritage.
The return of the HEMI V8 and introduction of the Hurricane I6 is an appealing mixture of yesterday and tomorrow. For true muscle car fans, these innovations are perhaps more about resolve so much more about Dodge’s commitment to performance and innovation restored. The company, faced with the realities of the contemporary auto design world, is faithful to its guarantee of delivering on the table vehicles that excite, inspire, and stay true to its heritage.
Whether you’re drawn to the nostalgia of the HEMI or the cutting edge capabilities of the Hurricane, one thing is clear: Dodge is ensuring that the spirit of American muscle lives on. As McAlear aptly put it, “We’re just getting started.”
