Dodge Slipped a Hemi V8 Into the New Charger With One Catch Nobody Saw Coming
Dodge fans have been crying for a Hemi V8 in the new Charger since the electric Daytona debuted.
The backlash hit hard when Dodge killed the beloved powerplant.
And Dodge slipped a Hemi V8 into the new Charger with one catch nobody saw coming.
Dodge answers prayers with supercharged Hemi power
Dodge finally gave muscle car faithful what they've been demanding — a Hemi V8 in the new Charger.¹
There's just one problem: you can't drive it on the street.
The 2026 Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak by Direct Connection packs a supercharged 354-cubic-inch Gen III Hemi V8 under the hood.²
This isn't some watered-down publicity stunt. The engine features forged internals built around a new aluminum block with H-beam connecting rods, Diamond aluminum pistons, and a forged-steel eight-counterweight crankshaft.³
A Whipple 3.0-liter twin-screw supercharger sits on top, force-feeding this beast enough air to run sub-eight-second quarter miles.⁴
But here's the catch — this Charger exists solely for NHRA Factory Stock Showdown competition.
Only 50 will be built by Riley Technologies in Mooresville, North Carolina, with a starting price of $234,995.⁵
The Drag Pak represents Dodge's first project under the newly reconstituted Street and Racing Technology (SRT) Performance division.⁶
Dodge even dangled a $26,000 bounty for the first racer to win an NHRA Factory Stock Showdown event in the Hustle Stuff Drag Pak — the highest payout ever offered under the contingency program.⁷
Dodge couldn't ignore the EV backlash forever
The electric Charger Daytona landed with a thud when it hit dealerships in late 2024.
Muscle car purists rejected the battery-powered replacement for their beloved Hellcats and Demons despite Dodge's marketing push claiming it was the "future of American muscle."
Most Charger and Challenger buyers over the past decade picked V6 models, but the Hellcat variants got all the attention and defined the brand's image.⁸
When Dodge killed the Hemi entirely and went all-in on electrification, longtime fans felt betrayed.
The Daytona's fake "Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust" — speakers hidden in the rear bumper generating synthetic V8 sounds at 126 decibels — became a punchline.⁹
Reviews acknowledged the electric Charger's performance credentials, but reviewers kept circling back to the same truth: it felt like every other EV on the market, just louder.¹⁰
Dodge tried spinning the narrative that only a "small minority" of hardcores cared about the V8, but those hardcores are the ones who made the Charger and Challenger cultural icons.
The company's attempt to eliminate two cylinders with the upcoming Hurricane straight-six models didn't help either.
Production kept getting delayed, and the four-door versions still haven't hit showrooms as promised.
Meanwhile, reports surfaced in March 2025 that Dodge engineers were actively working to bring Hemi V8s back to the street Charger by late 2026.¹¹
Dodge CEO Matt McAlear hinted at the possibility when he told The Drive that "V8s are no longer a bad word around the company" after leadership changes at Stellantis.¹²
The Drag Pak proves Dodge still has Hemi V8 production capability and engineering expertise.
Track-only Charger keeps Hemi dream alive
The Hustle Stuff Drag Pak comes loaded with carbon fiber components that cut 100 pounds compared to the previous Challenger Drag Pak.¹³
The hood, doors, front fascia, and rear hatch all use carbon fiber construction.
Despite its size, Dodge managed to keep weight near the NHRA's 3,600-pound minimum requirement for the Factory Stock Showdown class.¹⁴
Inside, the Drag Pak retains surprisingly civilized touches with carpet on the floor and the stock door cards and dash structure.¹⁵
An NHRA-approved chromoly roll cage protects the driver down to 7.50-second elapsed times.
The drivetrain sends power through a Coan Racing XLT three-speed automatic transmission to a Mark Williams Enterprises 9-inch rear axle with 4.30:1 gears.¹⁶
Weld Racing and Mickey Thompson handle the rolling stock, with skinny 17×4.5-inch front wheels for minimal drag and wide 15×11-inch rear slicks.¹⁷
Four-piston Brembo brakes and a parachute haul the Charger down beyond the finish line.
Buyers can choose from 18 exterior colors beyond the standard White Knuckle, including classic Mopar shades like B5 Blue, Plum Crazy, and Sublime.¹⁸
Three optional graphics packages include a red-and-blue striped version featuring the Direct Connection logo on the hood.
The Charger makes its competition debut at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, scheduled for March 5-8, 2026.¹⁹
Dodge's track-only Hemi Charger sends a clear message to muscle car fans: the V8 isn't dead yet, even if Washington regulations and corporate bean counters tried killing it.
Whether this leads to street-legal Hemi Chargers remains to be seen, but at least drag racers get to keep the dream alive.
¹ "Dodge Hustles Harder: Introducing First Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak," PR Newswire, October 31, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Chris Chilton, "Dodge Charger Finally Gets A Hemi V8, But You Can't Drive It Home," Car and Driver, October 31, 2025.
⁵ "Dodge Hustles Harder," PR Newswire, October 31, 2025.
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ Ibid.
⁸ Sam McEachern, "I Drove The Electric Dodge Charger Daytona, Get Ready To Get Mad," The Autopian, December 13, 2024.
⁹ "2025 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack Is an All-Electric Muscle Car," Road & Track, December 12, 2024.
¹⁰ Ibid.
¹¹ "HEMI® V8 Dodge Charger In The Works, But HURRICANE I6 Come First," Mopar Insiders, March 24, 2025.
¹² Kevin Williams, "Dodge Is Reportedly Bringing Back The Hemi V8," Jalopnik, March 25, 2025.
¹³ "Dodge Hustles Harder," PR Newswire, October 31, 2025.
¹⁴ "You Can Get a Hemi V-8 in a 2026 Dodge Charger, but There's a Catch," Car and Driver, October 31, 2025.
¹⁵ Chilton, "Dodge Charger Finally Gets A Hemi V8," Car and Driver, October 31, 2025.
¹⁶ Ibid.
¹⁷ Ibid.
¹⁸ "Dodge Hustles Harder," PR Newswire, October 31, 2025.
¹⁹ Ibid.
