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Stellantis dropped a bunch of Dodge and SRT news this week, and while it’s still not doing the obvious thing by putting a V8 in the current-generation Charger, it is doing something else that should have been part of the program for the controversial new muscle car from the beginning.
Stellantis commissioned a pair of drift cars that, while still powered by the twin-turbo, 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six, will at least be able to eradicate tires like true muscle cars. One is a coupe dubbed the Boost, and the other is a sedan dubbed the RPM (for Rapid People Mover), which will give rides to attendees at the automotive lifestyle events these cars were built for. They’re debuting at Roadkill Nights in suburban Detroit, then head to the next Gridlife event at Laguna Seca, as well as FuelFest in Arizona.
Stellantis
The builds started with the Sixpack H.O. spec of the inline-six, which is rated at 550 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque from the factory. Both were upgraded to what Stellantis calls a “conservative estimate” of 750 hp with aftermarket turbos (with a single-turbo setup for the coupe), new intakes, and MoTec engine management systems. The coupe also got a new exhaust system, while the sedan received new intercoolers and cooling-system hardware, perhaps to ensure reliability during repeat taxi rides.
A drift car needs more than power, so the Chargers were also converted to pure rear-wheel drive (stock versions have all-wheel drive with a front-axle disconnect) and had their eight-speed automatic transmissions swapped for manuals. Obligatory modifications like roll cages, reinforced driveline components, and widened fenders top things off. It’s a shame Dodge won’t build cars like these itself, but they should at least look pretty cool smoking tires in front of crowds of enthusiasts. And that takes the Charger a step closer to fulfilling its potential.
Stellantis
Stellantis
The reason why the new Charger has been such a disappointment for so many people is that it misses the point of the last one. Combining the iconic styling of the 1968 Charger with modern powertrains seems like a recipe for success until you realize that nobody cared what the last Charger looked like. It was beloved as a cheap and easily accessible route to rear-wheel drive and V8 power. Maybe that’s why new Charger sales have been dismal. The new Charger is technically a better car, but it doesn’t do the things fans want.
Dodge seems to realize this. It’s gifting cars to content creators to prove that the new Charger is a great tuning platform like the old one (which is why you’re seeing so many Charger videos on YouTube), and the drift cars will serve a similar marketing purpose. They’ll do the things fans want Chargers to do. Now all Dodge needs to do is make that V8 option happen.
Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he’s not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.
