SEMA First Look: Mopar’s “Sixpack” Charger Is Real, Ram’s “Dude” Brings the Vibes, and the Drag Pak Quietly Confirms the V-8 Fits
I’m in Vegas, I’m caffeinated, and I’m going to say the quiet part out loud: the new Charger looks flat-out mean in person, even with the Hurricane Inline 6 under the hood. Mopar rolled out a “Sixpack” concept in Stryker Purple that’s basically the catalog turned to 11 in design out of 10—carbon-fiber hood/splitter/ducktail, functional vented fenders, a one-inch Mopar spring drop, Brass Monkey 21s, and a cat-back plus cold-air intake on the 550-hp twin-turbo I-6. Translation: it sits right, it breathes a little better, and the stance finally matches the attitude. This is a parts roadmap for early owners, not a secret new trim—still useful if you’re itching to mod on day one to by the Charger. Car and Driver
Right next to it, Ram showed the Sublime-green “Dude” 1500 concept—an homage to the late-’60s/early-’70s Sweptline Dude sport trim. It’s 5.7 Hemi-powered, sits lower, runs satin-black 22s, carries retro C-stripes and “Dude” bedside callouts, and even sneaks a color-popped interior with an in-console safe. It’s pure sport-truck energy, and yes, it looks the part in the metal. If Ram’s testing the waters for a production street truck, this is the right way to do it. Car and Driver
Now to the headline you actually care about: the Drag Pak. Dodge rolled out a 2026 Charger Drag Pak, factory-built for NHRA Factory Super Stock, and here’s the truth that matters—under that hood is a 354-ci Gen III Hemi with a 3.0-liter Whipple twin-screw on top. It’s a turnkey, trailered race car with the right hardware and support bits (Riley Tech chassis work, FSS-class spec), limited to 50 units, with an MSRP of $234,995. Dodge itself frames it as “sub-8-second capable” out of the box for the intended class. It is not street legal, it is not cheap, and 99% of you won’t buy one. But it absolutely confirms what we needed to see: the new chassis can swallow a blown Hemi with room to spare, from the people who actually build them. Car and Driver
Does that mean a street-legal V-8 Charger is announced? No. Does it make the business case any easier? Also no—because emissions, certification, pricing, and a not-so-simple order book exist in the real world. But if you’re reading the board like I am, the combination of (1) a Mopar concept with a taller bonnet and cooling/aero tricks, and (2) a factory Drag Pak with a supercharged Gen III Hemi in the same body shell, is the clearest on-floor hint that a production V-8 variant is technically feasible. Whether they green-light it (timing, trims, certification path) is a product-planning call, not an engineering limitation.
A few quick, grounded takeaways from the floor:
- The Sixpack concept is a catalog preview: CF aero pieces, one-inch Mopar lowering springs, functional fender vents, 21-inch Brass Monkey wheels, Mopar intake and cat-back. Expect these cues—or close analogs—in Direct Connection/Mopar parts lists, not a unique drivetrain.
- The Ram “Dude” concept is calculated nostalgia that actually lands—lowered stance, retro graphics, Sublime paint, and a Hemi underhood. If Ram wants an SRT-ish street truck lane again, this is the on-ramp.
- The Drag Pak’s 354-ci supercharged Hemi, 50-car run, and $234,995 MSRP are official—and the “sub-8-second capable” framing is directly from Dodge’s briefing to the media. Again: trailer queen, not a tag car.
Back to the sound/feel conversation. I’ve said it before: the Hurricane Sixpack is seriously quick and will shock a lot of folks on the street—especially with AWD tricks—but it won’t sound like a Hemi without help. The Mopar cat-back and intake on the concept are a start, and the aftermarket will absolutely find the note. Still, the visceral “thump” crowd is going to hold the line until a V-8 variant is in showrooms. The Drag Pak’s existence doesn’t promise that—but it makes that dream a lot less hypothetical.
Bottom line from Day 1: Mopar brought a realistic mod path for Sixpack buyers, Ram reminded everyone that fun, loud street trucks still belong, and Dodge quietly parked a supercharged Hemi inside the new Charger silhouette where everyone could see it. If you’re waiting on a street-legal V-8, nothing was announced—but the camo’s getting thinner.
