New Dodge Charger is now available in Europe, but is left-hand drive only
American muscle car is now ICE and electric, but unlike the Ford Mustang, it’s left-hand drive only
The Dodge Charger has apparently entered “its most ambitious chapter yet” as the American muscle car goes on sale in Europe for the first time. Available with a choice of petrol and electric powertrains, it’ll be left-hand drive only and only available via specialist importer KW Automotive.
In a release issued online, Dodge said: “Charger continues to stand for fearless performance and bold design. Now, as it returns to Europe, a new chapter is about to begin – stay tuned.”
The Charger, which is now offered with a choice of so-called ‘Sixpack’ petrol model and all‑electric ‘Daytona’ variants, has been available in the US for more than 12 months. The American maker confirmed from the outset plans to bring the car to Europe, with no further news until now.
The base Charger R/T gets a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, which with 420bhp apparently boasts “the most standard horsepower of any muscle car”. Above this sits the 550bhp Charger Scat Pack with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo ‘high-output’ engine.
But if you thought the electric cars would lack drama, think again. The entry-level electric model – badged Daytona R/T – gets a dual-motor powertrain with 536bhp. The all-singing, all-dancing Daytona Scat Pack boosts this to 670bhp, with a claimed 0-62mph time of 3.3 seconds – faster than the brand’s Hellcat Redeye, which features an 808bhp supercharged V8.
The gargantuan 100.5kWh battery featured in the Charger Daytona EVs has a peak discharge rate of 550kW in order to maximise acceleration by allowing the motors to draw as much energy as the battery can provide over the span of a quarter of a mile, which Dodge estimates the Scat Pack will complete in just 11.5 seconds – a vital metric for any American muscle car.
Underneath every new Charger sits parent company Stellantis’s STLA Large platform, which was also set to underpin models like the next-generation Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio, as well as forthcoming electric Maseratis. However, Stellantis recently announced a huge multi-billion pound investment plan titled FaSTLAne 2030, including a new STLA One architecture to cater for all cars from European superminis to V8 pick-up trucks.
Dodge Charger SRT Banshee to be performance flagship
As well as the R/T and Scat Pack models, an even more powerful Daytona Charger SRT Banshee version is still to come. Performance stats for this particular model are still under wraps for now, but it will use an 800-volt propulsion system, rather than the 400-volt set-up in the R/T and Scat Pack cars.
The entry-level Charger Daytona R/T delivers 308 miles of range on the American EPA test cycle, while the faster Scat Pack apparently can only go 241 miles before the enormous battery is out of juice. No Europe-relevant WLTP data has been announced. The right ultra-rapid charging point will allow for a 20 to 80 per cent top-up in just 27 minutes.
As mentioned, the Charger Daytona R/T and Scat Pack use two electric motors for all-wheel drive. The front motor can be disconnected to improve range and efficiency when needed, while the rear motor incorporates a mechanical limited-slip differential to increase traction and performance.
Despite the near-silent nature of most EVs, the Charger Daytona will make its presence known with a ‘Fratzonic Chambered exhaust system’ that uses two speakers to create “Hellcat levels of sound intensity,” says Dodge. The Daytona Charger Scat Pack also gets Donut and Drift modes, in addition to Track and Drag modes.
New Dodge Charger design and interior
The design of the new Charger has been influenced by the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept from 2022, itself inspired by the iconic second-generation Charger – which played a villainous role in the film Bullitt – and the Charger Daytona, though not its enormous rear wing and Sputnik-esque nose cone.
Nods to the Charger’s forefathers include the rising beltline, pronounced rear quarter panels and slim grille design, while an R-Wing on the front end of the electric Daytona, designed to increase downforce, is carried over from the 21st Century show car. Other details borrowed from the concept include the full-width front light bar and red “ring of fire” LED tail-light design.
The triangular logo on the Charger’s nose will be unfamiliar to anyone apart from hardcore Mopar muscle fans. It’s called the Fratzog and was used by the Dodge brand from 1962 to 1975, but is being brought back for the marque’s next-generation cars.
Offering the new Charger as a two-door coupé and four-door saloon allows the one model to replace both the outgoing car and its Challenger cousin. The coupé and saloon Chargers also benefit from a hatchback tailgate, plus the Charger Daytona EVs get an additional 42-litre frunk under the bonnet.
Details inside the cabin include a 12.3-inch central touchscreen angled towards the driver, a 10.25-inch or 16-inch digital instrument display depending on the model, wireless smartphone connectivity, a modern interpretation of the “pistol-grip” shifter and three-spoke steering wheel with paddles behind to adjust the strength of the regenerative braking in the electric models.
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