When Dodge chose to kill the long-running Charger and Challenger models due to tightening fuel economy standards and the aging platform that underpinned both models, enthusiasts across the U.S. lamented their demise. However, it turned out that Dodge had a trick up its sleeve and after teasing the future with the Charger SRT Daytona EV Concept, the muscle car brand has turned up the heat with the company unveiling the 2024 Charger which writes a new chapter in the history of Dodge performance.
Challenger is Dead, Long Live Charger
A big change that buyers will notice before they even focus on looking at the car itself is that the Challenger name is absent. Instead, the Charger nameplate will be used on both the two and four-door models with the Challenger nameplate being retired.
Move beyond that and you’ll see that the concept’s exterior styling has been carried over mostly unchanged. While some of the more radical elements were cut to comply with the needs of production and pesky safety regulations, the core elements are all present and accounted for. That includes the modern interpretation of the 60’s Charger’s front end as well as the prominent rear liftback.
The 2025 Charger will be available both as an EV and as an ICE variant which means the biggest styling difference between the two will be the R Wing pass through which will be exclusive to the EV. The ICE models get a conventional hood and front grille which still looks stylish but lacks some of the EV’s cool factor. Dodge revealed that it chose to reveal the two-door first and we think that was the right call since it gave customers enough time to get used to the idea versus the possibility of creating detractors if the four-door was revealed right out the gate.
Purposeful Interior Is All About Having Fun
The interior also gets its fair share of concept-inspired updates and is a departure from the analog theme that defined older models. The dual-screen layout from the concept is present and accounted for with the driver getting a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster standard with a bigger 16-inch unit optional. Both screens are paired with a 12.3-inch infotainment system and the look as a whole is a nod to the 1968 original complete with the pistol grip shifter.
A cool thing that we like about the cabin is the new “Attitude Adjustment” ambient lighting system that allows drivers to pick from 64 different colors with the system even altering its appearance depending on what’s happening (like opening the doors or starting the car.) Cloth and vinyl trim will be standard on base models but as you climb higher up the trim ladder, dressier materials will appear including Nappa leather upholstery and supportive sport bucket seats.
EV or ICE? Choice Reigns Supreme in Charger Performance
The 2024 Charger will eventually be available as either an ICE-powered model or a pure EV. In the meantime, the all-electric Charger Daytona will be the first to showrooms and will come in two flavors: R/T and Scat Pack. Both trims get a 400-volt architecture and are powered by dual-electric motors.
However, the performance differences emerge when you compare the raw numbers with the Scat Pack launching with 630 hp while the base R/T gets a slightly tamer 456 hp. Those numbers get boosted a bit when the Power Shot feature is activated with the Scat Pack briefly making 670 hp while the R/T sees its figure get bumped up to 496 hp.
The Charger Daytona will also be debuting Dodge’s Direct Connection upgrade kits with the R/T getting a Stage 1 kit while the Scat Pack gets a Stage 2 kit that allows it to get even more performance. Dodge confirmed that the EV versions weigh 5,838 lbs and while Dodge made upgrades to the suspension and even equipped the Daytona with the largest tire package ever offered on a Charger, there’s still a price to pay in terms of range with the R/T getting 314 miles of range between charges while the Scat Pack sees its range dip to 260 miles. The Scat Pack can make the sprint to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds while the R/T does the same feat in 4.3 seconds. Dodge’s Fratzonic Exhaust system will also be standard on the EVs (including the Banshee) and will allow them to have a distinct sound though we get to wait to hear what it exactly sounds like since Dodge is still finalizing it.
The ICE versions will appear next year and they will be called Six-Packs. That moniker is a sly nod to the six-barrel carburetion system that was available on the 340 cubic-inch small-block and 440 cubic-inch big-block V8s. These days, the V8 has been pitched and all combustion models will be powered by the venerable 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six which already sees duty in Jeep and Ram models. In the case of the Charger, they will make between 420 and 550 hp. Dodge says that there are no plans for a V8 option, but don’t expect that to stop ambitious aftermarket buyers that might swap it out for an eight-cylinder after they buy it.
When Can I Buy One?
The Charger Daytona will arrive this summer as an early 2024 model with only the two-door configuration being available at launch. The rest of the lineup will appear next year with the combustion models and the four-door versions appearing after the EVs have a chance to entrench themselves in the market. Pricing information was also not released but look for the EVs to have a noticeable premium with the Hurricane-powered variants not straying too far from their V8-powered cousins when it comes to pricing.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.