As someone who owns and drives the new eighth-generation Dodge Charger Daytona two-door, I’ve had plenty of seat time to form real opinions about this car—beyond spec sheets and press photos. And one thought keeps coming back to me every time I walk up to it, every time I drive it, and every time I park it and look back over my shoulder:
This car would be absolutely perfect as a convertible.
Dodge has never offered a factory-built Charger convertible. That’s true. But history also shows that where Dodge leaves a gap, the aftermarket often steps in. Companies like Droptop Customs have already proven there’s real demand for open-air muscle, and they’re currently working on a convertible version of the new Dodge Charger. That alone should tell Dodge something important: people want this.
What makes the idea even more compelling is that the eighth-generation Charger (LB) is fundamentally better suited for a convertible than the Challenger (LA) it replaces. The new Charger rides on a 121-inch wheelbase, compared to the Challenger’s 116-inch wheelbase. That extra length matters. In simple terms, it gives engineers more room to properly reinforce the structure, improve ride quality, and maintain usable rear seating—even with the roof removed.
Then there’s the platform itself. The Charger is built on Stellantis’ STLA Large architecture, which is roughly 20% stiffer than the outgoing LX-based platform. Structural rigidity is one of the biggest challenges when designing a convertible, and Dodge already has a strong foundation to work from. This isn’t the 2000s anymore—modern materials, smarter engineering, and stronger architectures make convertibles far more feasible without sacrificing performance or safety.
From a market standpoint, a Charger convertible would finally allow Dodge to fully challenge the Ford Mustang on equal footing. Right now, Mustang owns the factory muscle convertible space almost by default. Camaro is gone. Challenger is gone. That leaves a wide-open lane Dodge could easily step into with a Charger convertible—especially one that looks this good.
And looks matter here. The new Charger’s longer proportions, low roofline, and natural widebody stance make it an ideal visual candidate for an open-top design. This is already the widest body in the industry, paired with an aggressive performance hood and bold lighting signatures. Drop the roof, keep the wide hips, and you’ve got a modern American muscle convertible that would turn heads everywhere.
One of my biggest personal complaints about the new Charger is the lack of a true open-air option. Dodge does offer a glass roof, but it doesn’t open. It lets in light, not air. For a brand that has always leaned into emotion, sound, and driver engagement, that feels like a missed opportunity. A convertible fixes that instantly.
What really seals the argument is the powertrain lineup. Dodge already has everything it needs.
The Charger Daytona models—both two-door and four-door—deliver full horsepower right out of the box. The Charger Daytona Scat Pack EV puts down 670 horsepower and 627 lb.-ft. of torque, delivering HELLCAT Redeye-level performance with a 0–60 mph time of just 3.3 seconds. That kind of performance in a convertible would be nothing short of outrageous—in the best possible way.
On the gas side, the upcoming 2026 Charger SIXPACK R/T is powered by the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter HURRICANE standard-output (S/O) I6, producing 420 horsepower and 468 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s good for a targeted 0–60 mph time of 5.0 seconds, a quarter-mile in 13.6 seconds, and a top speed of 168 mph. That’s more than enough performance for a daily-drivable convertible muscle car.
Then there’s the Charger SIXPACK Scat Pack with the HURRICANE high-output (H/O) I6. With 550 horsepower and 531 lb.-ft. of torque, it delivers 0–60 mph in 3.9 seconds, a quarter-mile in 12.2 seconds, and a top speed of 177 mph. All of that, wrapped in a driver-focused, award-winning interior and aggressive widebody design, feels like the perfect recipe for an open-air flagship.
Just as important, the Charger lineup already offers flexibility: two-door, four-door, and hatchback configurations. Adding a convertible wouldn’t replace anything—it would expand choice. In a market where convertibles are becoming rare, that choice could be exactly what pulls new buyers into Dodge showrooms.
This wouldn’t be about chasing volume. It would be about impact. A Charger convertible would be a halo of emotion, style, and American performance—something Dodge has always done best.
