Gearheads of a certain, um, vintage surely associate Dodge straight-six engines with the ‘Leaning Tower of power’, or the so-called Slant-Six mill from decades ago. However, if a new report is accurate, an inline-six cylinder will once again live under the hoods of certain Pentastar vehicles.
Sources cited by brand fan site StellPower allege that a new 3.0L turbocharged inline-six engine is on the horizon and will be first deployed in an array of rear-wheel-drive vehicles. Amongst the recipients could be the next-gen Charger and Challenger, plus whatever variants (300-based SUV, anyone?) are built from the bones of that platform.
Signs point to the existence of both gasoline- and hybrid-powered options, both backed by an automatic transmission.
The report goes on to say this engine (or its hybrid variant) could usurp the legendary 5.7L Hemi V8 in the Stellantis lineup, thanks to similar horsepower numbers and a wider torque band. While a blown I6 will surely have a different personality both in terms of power delivery and exhaust note than the mighty Hemi, there’s no doubt that engine is long due for some sort of shakeup. Your author says this with affection since he has owned two late-model Mopars with this exact mill. The 5.7L has remained stagnant in terms of power output for far too long.
[Editor’s note: Dodge seems to be officially denying any rumours of a new gasoline-powered six, telling Carscoops “The Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicle platforms as you know them today, along with the Hellcat powertrain, will continue production through 2023. In 2024, Dodge will transition to new platforms, new electrified muscle cars (the next generation of that platform will be a BEV, which will be shown in concept-car form Q1 or Q2 2022).” When pushed to clarify whether the Charger and Challenger lines could see a mix of EV power and gas engines, the spokesperson told the outlet, “The brand has only said BEV”. Obviously that leaves Dodge a bit of wiggle room, but we will take these rumours with a grain of salt.]
If the rumours are accurate, it is reasonable to speculate the inline-six could make somewhere between 300 and 375 horsepower, since those are the output bookends of the existing 3.6L V6 and 5.7L V8. If Stellantis takes the approach of offering it in regular and hybrid forms, there’s nothing to say it won’t rate the former at around 350 ponies and the latter in the 425-hp range. Such numbers would permit the same basic engine to replace two distinctly different legacy mills.
Stellantis is mum on all this, of course, since it is not industry practice to comment on future product. However, we do know that Dodge is well on its way to developing an all-electric muscle car for introduction in the 2024 calendar year. Could it play alongside this rumoured inline-six? We’ll keep our ear to the ground.
Keyword: Dodge Charger may or may not get turbocharged straight-six power