It’s not often that automakers can do a surprise drop these days. From everyone having a cell phone camera to photograph prototypes testing out in the wild to a barrage of leaks, the element of surprise has proved rather elusive over the past few years. So, consider this a surprise: Dodge has teased an unveiling on Friday, and it sure sounds like a possible new Hellcat model is in the works.
Engines aren’t often celebrities these days, but the Hellcat engine is different. When it was first unveiled for 2015, this supercharged 6.2-liter 707-horsepower V8 instantly became a household name for brawny American speed. It was Earth-shattering output from a normal car brand, which is why just about everyone from your uncle to the Soundcloud rapper your little cousin was listening to was talking about it. While the infamous motor was killed off in the Charger and Challenger after 2023, it’s still alive in the Durango, and all the clues Dodge has dropped point towards a resurgence of Hellcat speed.
How about we start with the audio clip Dodge shared on its Instagram broadcast channel? It sounds undeniably like a fly-by clip of a supercharged V8, that deep rumble with a piercing whine overtop. Then there’s the teaser story, which shows a spinning wheel with a Fratzog center cap throwing smoke and rubber off the tire. Finally, the date feels like a major clue, August 8, or 8/08 in M/DD format. That’s the output of the 2018 Challenger SRT Demon on pump gas, but it’s also the start of Roadkill Nights in Detroit, where Dodge has stated it will reveal a new muscle car. All signs point toward some kind of Hellcat announcement, but what could it be?
Let’s run through the possibilities here. The Durango Hellcat is the only thing Dodge currently makes with the 6.2-liter supercharged V8, but there’s never officially been a Durango Hellcat Redeye. However, the high-output supercharged V8 should fit, and a purple Durango Hellcat was spotted at a film shoot in Detroit last month, as per the Metro Detroit News. Photos from the shoot seem to show fender emblems that aren’t silver, giving this theory some added plausibility.
Less plausible is the unveiling of a Hellcat-powered new Charger. While the Fratzog center caps shown in the teaser point towards the latest Dodge in the portfolio, making the Hellcat powertrain play nice with the new-generation electrical architecture will likely take some time. Sources suggest that Dodge is exploring the feasibility of stuffing the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 into the new Charger’s body, but it seems a bit soon to schedule an unveiling, assuming the project is feasible at all.
Then again, what if the sound clip Dodge shared is synthesized? The electric Charger Daytona Scat Pack already uses speakers to pump out simulated engine sound, and given that it’s been more than a year since the regular electric models were shown to the public, we’re still waiting on the purported 800-volt high-performance variants. With the six-cylinder models already having been unveiled, maybe it’s time to show off the fast electrics.
As it stands, the potential for another Hellcat model is pretty exciting, so I’ll be keeping my eyes glued to the interwebs tomorrow in anticipation of Dodge’s next big move.
(Top graphic credit: Dodge)
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