Yahoo Autos Dodge Challenger could get a downsized turbo straight-six
Dodge has confirmed plans to ditch the V8, and a new report sheds light on how it hopes to keep the next-generation Challenger exciting in spite of downsizing. The coupe will reportedly inaugurate a twin-turbocharged straight-six engine that will offer Hemi-like horsepower.
Citing anonymous sources, website StellPower wrote that the 3.0-liter engine is called GME-T6 internally. It should have been unveiled by this point, as earlier reports claimed that the new Jeep Grand Cherokee would usher it in, but vibration- and noise-related issues have allegedly delayed its introduction. It's now scheduled to make its debut in the next Challenger that's tentatively due out in 2023 as a 2024 model.
Enthusiast website Muscle Car & Trucks speculates that, in its standard configuration, the straight-six will at least match the 5.7-liter Hemi V8's 372-horsepower rating while offering more torque than its bigger sibling's 400-pound-foot output. Some degree of hybrid assistance could push the six's output to somewhere in the vicinity of 700 horsepower, which would allow Dodge to replace the 6.2-liter Hellcat V8. Rear- and all-wheel-drive variants will be available, according to the same report, but a naturally-aspirated six will not be offered.
