When it comes to buying a muscle car, the relative value of the old Dodge Charger Hellcat is difficult to beat, considering you get supercar levels of grunt for around $60,000. Still, this isn’t exactly cheap for many Americans, especially given how much cash you’d have to sacrifice to keep the fuel tank full.
Luckily, there’s an effective alternative with a similar body but less-extreme mechanicals lurking beneath the skin. For those on a tighter budget, Dodge’s non-supercharged Charger models can deliver breathtaking muscle at a fraction of the cost.
Dodge’s 392-Powered Charger Is An Old-School Muscle Car
2015 Dodge Charger SRT 392 front 3/4 angle in silverStellantis
Whereas the Dodge Charger Hellcat is more of a definition of an extreme modern muscle car weapon, the less powerful Dodge Charger SRT 392 and Scat Pack variants hark back to the good old days of the category. The muscle car golden era of the 1960s and early 1970s saw these machines loaded with naturally aspirated V8 engines, with the choice of a full manual transmission or a more relaxed automatic. With the grunt channeled to the rear wheels, sometimes with the aid of a primitive limited-slip differential, they were among the purest ways to secure performance.
The Charger 392 follows this recipe, with the vehicle equipped with a naturally aspirated 6.4-liter Hemi V8 since its introduction in 2015. With 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque on the menu, this four-door beast can blast from 0-60 mph in just 4.2 seconds. Plus, with the traction control off, it can leave the biggest pair of tire tracks the world has ever seen. Now that is priceless. While the power was sent to the rear wheels, one key difference compared to older muscle machines is that the SRT 392 was never available with a manual transmission, only with an eight-speed automatic.
In 2018, the SRT 392 was discontinued in favor of the Scat Pack. This was essentially a stripped-out, hardcore version of the 392, and was offered at a lower price. Whereas the 392 was loaded with extra performance and interior equipment, such as adaptive suspension, a more powerful Brembo braking setup, and leather seats, the Scat Pack didn’t get any of that. It was essentially an R/T model with the 6.4-liter engine, whereas the 392 featured the same specs as the range-topping Hellcat but with a less powerful naturally aspirated engine. The Scat Pack was offered until the seventh-generation Charger was discontinued in 2023.
The Hellcat Is Much More Extreme
2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat rear 3/4Stellantis
Whichever way you look at it, the 392 and Scat Pack models are significantly less hardcore than the SRT Hellcat. While the former gets a similar level of standard equipment to the Hellcat, the crucial ingredient it lacks is the wild supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8. While based on the same 5.7-liter Hemi engine as the 6.4-liter unit, the Hellcat was a bit of a hybrid of both. It used the same stroke as the 5.7-liter, but the larger bore of the 6.4-liter engine to create its 6.2-liter displacement.
There weren’t many differences between the engines overall, with the main alterations being an enhanced cooling system to handle the extra power delivered by the supercharger. The 2.3-liter supercharger provided a wild 11.6 psi of boost, which afforded the Hellcat a peak power figure of 707 hp. Or in other words, comfortably over 200 hp more than the larger 6.4-liter unit could muster. The result was a Charger that liked to leave most of its rear tires on the road if you decided to give it some, making it harder to drive than its naturally aspirated siblings. To go along with this, it also got more aggressive styling.
If it’s excitement you want, it’s difficult to recommend the SRT 392 or Scat Pack over the mighty Hellcat.
The Less Powerful Models Are Arguably Better Overall Value
2020 Dodge Charger Scat Pack 6.4L NA Hemi V8 EngineStellantis
The thing is, while excitement is great and all, you don’t necessarily need it every time you drop the kids off at school or head out to the grocery store. As a four-door sedan that offers decent practicality, there’s a strong argument for its usefulness as a family-friendly daily driver. In this regard, the NA 6.4-liter cars make more sense, and not just because they’re less wild on the road.
They’re also much cheaper on the used market. Whereas the average used value for the SRT 392 stands at only $38,500, an average Hellcat demands closer to $64,000. The later Scat Pack models have held their worth a little better, with their current averages sitting just north of $40,000. The superior daily usability and considerable $20,000 discount ensure the Charger stacks up well to a Hellcat on the used market, especially the SRT 392.
Used examples of these may be older than the subsequent Scat Pack, but standard variants are equipped with superior, more numerous toys and provide the exact same level of performance. The Scat Pack may be a little rawer, but the SRT 392 is the better family sedan unless you can track down a Scat Pack that has been graced with all the options on the menu.
The Hellcat’s Collectability Is The Main Reason Behind The Value Gap
2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat exteriorStellantis
While the Hellcat’s extra performance is partly the reason for its greater used value, there’s also the subject of desirability. Even though the Hellcat isn’t any rarer than the 6.4-liter units, its extensive production run, legendary performance, and halo-range positioning ensure that it’s one of the poster children of the old-fashioned V8 performance cars being ditched in favor of more efficient, less exciting models going forward.
This sent collectors and new buyers into a frenzy when they reached the end of the line in 2023, with Dodge having no trouble selling off its last Hellcat vehicles. It was the opposite for the 6.4-liter cars, as illustrated by Dodge having to offer the remaining Scat Packs with considerable incentives to move them. As the middle-of-the-road option, it’s unlikely that the SRT 392 or Scat Pack variants will ever reach the same level of collectability as their more powerful siblings, unless they eventually become extremely rare. While this makes it a rather forgettable option for speculators, it means that used-car bargain hunters can secure a modern, full-fat muscle car at a relative bargain.
There Are Still Things To Bear In Mind When Buying A Used Charger
Dodge Charger SRT 392Dodge
We get it, you’re already hearing that sweet 6.4-liter Hemi singing in your head, and you’ve already checked your bank account as you actively try to justify purchasing either an SRT 392 or Scat Pack. Aside from spending your hard-earned dollars on securing one in the first place, you already have to keep the thing running daily. Fortunately, like its smaller 5.7-liter sibling, the 6.4-liter Hemi engine has proven to be a solid performer when it comes to reliability over the years.
Aside from a few minor issues, nothing major has cropped up over the years, with one of the more common ailments being the ticking Hemi issue. It consists of a ticking noise that becomes apparent when the engine is cooler, then fades as it warms up. This is usually caused by wear to the powerplant’s roller lifters and camshaft lobes, as the engine doesn’t lubricate these areas well enough under lower loads. Over time, this lack of lubrication causes damage to the components, which leads to the ticking. To sort out the issue, you’d need to part with around $4,000.
Keep the engine frequently maintained, though, and it’s a largely solid and dependable unit. You will have to pay more to have it serviced than other cars, though, given there are eight spark plugs and coil packs to deal with. Maintenance aside, there’s also the question of keeping the tank filled up. The 6.4-liter Hemi may be more frugal than the Hellcat engine, but with an average fuel economy figure of 18 miles per gallon, it’s not exactly what you’d call a fuel sipper.
Given how the used market has treated the 6.4-liter-equipped Charger thus far, it’s unlikely it’ll suddenly become in demand anytime soon, especially since the Hellcat is still the apple of collectors’ eyes and muscle car enthusiasts. And that is exactly why you shouldn’t look this particular gift horse in the mouth, as you’ll have a proper muscle car on your hands, but at a fraction of its more revered sibling.
Sources: Classic.com, Dodge.
