Dodge Just Proved It: New HEMI Charger Is Coming
I told you to expect a Halloween drop—this wasn’t even the one I was teasing—but I’ll take it. Dodge rolled out the Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak at Las Vegas, and it’s exactly the signal we needed: HEMI in the new chassis. Not rumors. Not sketches. A car that fired up, staged, and made its first public pass at the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals. NHRA
Why this Drag Pak matters (and why I’m so loud about it)
- It’s a new-gen Charger with a supercharged 354-ci HEMI (paired with a 3.0L Whipple). That’s not Hurricane power—this is the V8 fans have been begging for, built into the current platform.
- Dodge didn’t just display it; they launched it down the strip on Halloween. The engineering is and how to optimize the Hemi V8 is already solved—engine fitment, cooling, electronics, driveline. Translation: production HEMI Charger packaging work is very far along. NHRA
- Production intent details: Dodge/Direct Connection are positioning Drag Pak as a limited, factory race car. Multiple outlets and Dodge’s own channels highlight the package, blower, and limited build approach; reports point to ~50 units and a eye watering $234,000 price tag. Maybe some of that cost is the R&D associated with getting the Hemi to fit into a new Dodge Charger? Don’t know but I am 100% confident now there will be a Hemi Charger by Roadkill Nights 2026 with this new Drag Pak sporting a Hemi.
That’s the headline: if they can bolt a blown HEMI into this body and run it for the world to see, a street HEMI Charger is a matter of timing and trimming, not “if.”
The receipts (what Dodge actually showed)
Dodge’s official comms and coverage from the weekend line up:
- Stellantis/Dodge news posts and social: “Hustle Stuff Drag Pak” branding, new-gen Charger body, supercharged HEMI focus.
- On-track debut: NHRA’s own event report confirms the first public launch happened at The Strip on October 31, 2025—no numbers on the boards, just the flex. NHRA
- Program framing: Limited factory race car, track-only, with coverage noting very small build counts and a high price typical of Drag Pak programs. (Again: think ~50 units, mid-$200Ks.) PR Newswire
Connect the dots to a street HEMI Charger
Dodge already previewed how they’ll share design/parts across trims with the SEMA Six-Pack Charger concept—hood, aero, strobe side graphics, and a Mopar parts list that’s clearly production-minded. That concept was all about showing the hardpoints (and selling accessories) while the powertrain chess game played out. Now we’ve got the Drag Pak proving V8 packaging in the same Charger body. Put those two moves together and you get the roadmap because Stellantis told us years ago the new Charger was suppose to be a 1,000hp Hurricane inline 6 based drag vehicle. Now all of sudden, its not, and has a Hemi V8 in it. Did Dodge recognize the Hurricane inline 6 based Drag Pak wouldn’t sale or was there issues with the engine? Whatever happened, I’m just glad there is a Hemi V8 back in the Dodge Charger and we are all one step closer to Hemi’s being in a production Charger. New Atlas
My read
Dodge didn’t have to rush a Drag Pak out this fall. They chose to—and chose HEMI over the rumored mega-Hurricane race motor. That’s market reality finally beating powerpoint fantasy because we all know Stellantis under former CEO Carlos Tavares would have push forward with either a Hurricane or EV powertrain. If you’re asking me for dates, I’m looking straight at Roadkill Nights season for a HEMI street reveal window, with trims ranging from the 5.7 Hemi V8, to the 6.4 Hemi that made a return into the Durango as an R/T model, and finally a supercharged 6.2L Hemi V8 (Hellcat or “Cuda” trim) to give the brand back it’s usual stack of Hemi V8’s. This move should all there to be a variety of price points for each engine from Hurricane to Hemi, and allow us to finally have the Charger we want.
