Dodge’s Next-Gen Muscle Cars Will Continue To Have Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs)!

Tonight, the Dodge brand is unveiling one of the most anticipated vehicles out of Detroit in recent years. The vehicle will showcase the brand’s move towards electrification with its next-generation of “eMuscle” cars. But while that might be exciting for some, Dodge announced Monday that the 2023 model year would be the end of the HEMI era for the brand.

Since the announcement, several media outlets have posted that Dodge is eliminating the internal combustion engine (ICE) from its lineup completely after 2023 and that simply is not true. Multiple sources close to MoparInsiders.com have confirmed to us, that when the 2024 Dodge Challenger (LB) and Charger (LF) arrive on the scene in late 2023, both will be with ICE and battery-electric vehicle (BEV) powertrain options.

Those sources have indicated that while the HEMI lineup might not be returning, the all-new twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six-cylinder in both standard-output (S.O.) and high-output (H.O.) will be offered depending on the model.

The S.O. version of the Hurricane will put out around 400 horsepower and 450 lb.-ft. of torque. That is more powerful than the 5.7-liter (345 cubic-inch) HEMI V8. The S.O. is designed for optimized fuel economy and uses cooled exhaust gas circulation (EGR).

For the H.O., the engine is optimized for performance while maintaining significant fuel economy. The Hurricane H.O. will be good for at least 500 horsepower and 475 lb.-ft. of torque, putting it right about where the current 6.4-liter (392 cubic-inch) SRT HEMI V8 is.

The reason for the switch to the Hurricane inline-six is due to ongoing emission regulations. The new inline-six motors put out 15% fewer tailpipe emissions and use less fuel than the naturally-aspirated HEMI V8s do. Gotta love government policies.

While the grunt of a V8 might be gone, rest assured that you won’t be stuck with only electrified muscle car offerings when the next cars reach dealers in the 2024 model year.

But with the aftermarket and knowing how people are, we can only wait to see who pulls out the inline-six and swaps out a HEMI in the next-gen cars.