Documents Point to V-8 Dodge Charger Hellcats Returning in 2028

The Dodge Charger may regain its defining supercharged V-8 for the 2028 model year, but this is not yet a Dodge product announcement. Reported internal documents show a 6.2-liter Hemi Hellcat engine under development for rear-wheel-drive, two- and four-door Chargers.

The documents reportedly pair that engine with a ZF 8HP95 eight-speed automatic transmission. If the program reaches production in that form, it would restore the basic formula that made earlier Hellcat Chargers distinctive: a supercharged V-8 sending its output to the rear wheels, with sedan practicality available alongside a two-door body.

That is the strongest conclusion the documents support. Dodge had not confirmed their contents when the report was published, and the material does not establish horsepower, price, fuel economy, production volume or a final on-sale date. Those omissions leave open whether the reported model will become a broadly available Charger variant, a costly specialty car or something in between.

Horsepower remains an unanswered question

Figures of 717 and 777 horsepower have been discussed as possibilities, but neither is a confirmed specification for the Charger. The 777-hp figure belongs to the 2027 Ram 1500 TRX SRT’s version of the supercharged 6.2-liter V-8; its use in that truck does not establish what Dodge would select for a different vehicle, drivetrain and market position.

Engine output is only one part of the engineering picture. A rear-wheel-drive Charger must translate that output through its transmission, tires, chassis calibration and electronic controls. The reported ZF automatic is a credible piece of the proposed layout, but no acceleration, braking, cooling or durability results have been disclosed for the alleged Charger program.

The rear-drive configuration would also set the Hellcat apart from today’s Hurricane-powered Chargers, which come standard with all-wheel drive. That distinction matters beyond tradition. All-wheel drive helps a powerful car deploy torque in poor weather and during hard acceleration, while rear-wheel drive preserves the layout closely associated with the previous Hellcat. The documents identify the configuration, not how Dodge would balance traction, weight and everyday usability.

The V-8 would join, not replace, a broader lineup

The reported 2028 planning material does not depict Dodge abandoning its newer powertrains. It retains three versions of the 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six: a 420-hp Standard Output model, a 550-hp High Output version and a 600-hp High-Output Plus Super Bee. Electric Charger Daytona offerings also remain in the indicated range.

That would make the Hellcat an addition to a multi-powertrain Charger family rather than a complete reversal of Dodge’s strategy. The current six-cylinder car already offers substantial performance. A Cars.com test of the 2026 Charger Scat Pack Sixpack described its 550-hp engine, standard all-wheel-drive hardware and grand-touring character, while also noting that it lacks the V-8 sound associated with earlier Chargers.

For muscle-car fans who believed Dodge was moving away from what made the Charger exciting, the reported Hellcat return could provide a reason to pay attention again. The engine’s sound, rear-drive layout and connection to the previous generation carry an appeal that a horsepower figure alone does not capture.

Price and practicality will determine the comeback’s reach

Nostalgia does not settle the commercial case. The 2026 Charger Scat Pack Sixpack starts at $56,990 including destination, according to Cars.com, and its tested Plus-trim car reached $69,355 with options. Those figures are not estimates for a future Hellcat, but they show that the existing high-output Charger already occupies expensive territory before a supercharged V-8 is added.

Everyday constraints remain relevant as well. The present Charger is a large car, and independent testing has identified its size as a limitation on tight roads and in confined parking. A four-door Hellcat could offer meaningful passenger access and versatility, but neither that body style nor the engine eliminates the purchase-price and operating demands associated with a high-output performance car.

That is why further confirmation matters. The documents point to a recognizable and technically plausible 2028 Hellcat revival in two body styles, but Dodge has not publicly committed to it. Confirmed output, pricing, production plans and final specifications will determine whether the V-8’s return represents an accessible expansion of the Charger range or a narrowly positioned tribute to its past.

By Robert McKinney — Editor-in-Chief for AMI’s automotive and mobility coverage, with a mechanical engineering background and a decade reporting on powertrain systems, EV innovation, and global vehicle manufacturing.