Internal Combustion Engine Returns to the 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack

The most powerful version of Stellantis’ new Hurricane inline-six engine will find a home under the bulging hood the hotly anticipated, internal combustion version of the 2026 Charger. Known as the Charger Sixpack when equipped with the six-cylinder engine, it stands alongside the all electric Charger Daytona.

A benefit of Stellantis’ new chassis technology, Dodge planned to have both electric and internal combustion versions of the Charger from the beginning. Now, though, we know that the Charger Sixpack will pack up to 550 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque, which will allow it to reach 97 km/h (60 mph) in just 3.9 seconds with a little help from the standard all-wheel drive.

Like the Charger Daytona, the internal combustion engine (ICE) Charger Sixpack will come in two variants (at least for now). The Scat Pack will feature the high output (H.O.) engine, which makes 550 hp, while the R/T will make 420 hp and 468 lb-ft of torque.

Dodge fans will note that in both cases, that’s less than the equivalent electric model. The Dodge Daytona R/T makes 456 hp, while the Scat Pack gets a stunning 630 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, and both benefit from a brief power boost function that increases power by 40 hp for 10 seconds at a time.

Still, 550 hp is nothing to sniff at, and Dodge says it has designed the twin-turbocharged engine to deliver a gut punch of acceleration. The Hurricane I6 is tuned to deliver 88 per cent of its torque as early as 2,500 rpm, and over 90 per cent between 3,000 and 6,000 rpm. It will take 91 octane fuel, though, so budget for premium.

This being Dodge, the Charger Sixpack is designed to get up to all kinds of silly business, especially when it meets a straight stretch of road. As noted, the standard AWD helps it put down its power faster (while also helping it stay on the road when the going gets slippery), but the front axle can be disconnected as needed.

This not only helps fuel economy (the Eco driving mode uses this quality), it also means that the car comes with standard line lock, which clamps the brakes down on the front calipers without applying brake force to the rear wheels, allowing drivers to perform big burnouts (ostensibly to warm up the rear tires and help acceleration at a drag strip, but we all know it’s for the ‘gram).

On a more serious performance note, the Charger Sixpack comes with standard launch control and a mechanical limited slip differential to increase stability and traction through the corners. The car should also feel planted because it’s extremely wide. In a presentation to the media, Scott Kruger, Dodge’s design president for North America said that the Charger is one millimetre shy of being so wide that it requires a three-lamp cluster atop the cabin, like a commercial truck.

That width also helped the design team achieve a widebody design that looks aggressive (and no doubt helped the EV team squeeze more batteries into the chassis). As opposed to the Charger Daytona, the Charger Sixpack’s long engine means that it cannot spare the hood space for the diving hood cutout that Dodge refers to as an “R wing” on the EV.

In fact, the engine is so tall that the hood required a bulge to get the powertrain to fit. In addition, the ICE Charger comes with its own larger grille and a hood vent that features a “Sixpack” logo and a special bezel.

The back is also unique, featuring stainless steel exhaust tips and a rear bumper that features the name “Charger” debossed into it, as opposed to "Daytona" on the EV. A standard gloss black rear spoiler helps with high speed stability.

Otherwise, though, the design of the ICE version is more or less identical to the already quite handsome Charger Daytona. Like the electric version, the Charger Sixpack will be available in both two- and four-door body styles.

The story is the same inside, though a logo on the dash reads “Charger” in the Sixpack version, instead of “Daytona,” as can be found in the electric version.

Dodge says it will start taking orders for the high output Charger Sixpack Scat Pack this month, with prices starting at $72,290 (incl. $2,295 destination fee). The model will start arriving at Canadian dealerships before the end of the year. The standard R/T trim will arrive later, with prices starting at $62,290.