Dodge isn't doing too well. In 2025, the manufacturer reported selling 28% fewer units than in 2024, totaling 101,927, and being the second-largest loser in the Stellantis catalog. Of the units it sold in 2025, the Dodge Durango accounted for the majority of those sales. Unsurprisingly, the Dodge Charger Daytona was the slowest-selling model in Dodge's skeleton crew fleet.Whether Dodge's current state is due to the discontinuation of its most popular models, investment in electric vehicles, the global economy, or all of those factors and more, Dodge is in dire need of calmer waters. If you ask us, we think that Dodge could turn things around by introducing five new models to its catalog.This article focuses on five hypothetical models that we believe would have a positive impact on Dodge if they were built. We've based our choices on Dodge's previous models, the existing hardware used by its production vehicles, and the market demand. We Need Another Viper dodge viper mainWe'd wager that the Dodge Viper was the first thing that came to mind when you saw the title of this article, and we'd be lying if we said that it wasn't the first thing we thought of, too. In case you forgot, it wasn't emissions regulations that cause the end of the Dodge Viper, though we doubt its 8.4L V10 would've lasted long after the Viper's production ended in 2017.A key factor was federal safety regulations requiring side-curtain airbags that sped up its demise.Now, to talk about the return of the Dodge Viper is wishful thinking at best. With emissions regulations keeping automakers in a chokehold, it's more than likely that if Dodge ever considered bringing back the Viper, it wouldn't have a V10.The Viper's V10 engine – for those who don't remember – was essentially a heavily modified version of the V10 engine Dodge used in its pickup trucks. The V10 was inseparable from the Viper, and with the V10 already extinct, creating a new V10 from scratch is definitely out of the question.A V8 seems like the best bet, although we wonder, is a Viper really a Viper if it doesn't have a V10 engine? Maybe asking for a sixth-generation Dodge Viper might be too far-fetched. Then, instead, what about a car that emulates the brutish nature of the Viper and holds in the same position in Dodge's fleet as the Viper did?In 2005, Chrysler unveiled a potential Corvette rival based on the Viper platform, which we think might be the fitting formula for the hypothetical sixth-generation Viper. The concept was called the Chrysler Firepower, a rear-wheel-drive grand tourer that relied on the strength of a 6.1L Hemi V8 engine. Although it might just be a flight of fancy, whether it's the Viper, Dodge could stand to gain from adding a halo car, which Dodge's CEO, Matt McAlear, has previously expressed interest in.Compare these specs below to see what we mean. A Sibling To The Durango 2026 dodge durango-rt 392 -launch-edition As we've said, the Dodge Durango has done all the heavy lifting for Dodge's sales over the last year. That isn't surprising considering that it has consistently been Dodge's bestselling model. There's merit to its dominance over Dodge's sales catalog, and that boils down to two reasons: market demand and Dodge's catalog variety. The North American market has long since been obsessed with SUVs and, as of late, compact SUVs.It's the North American market demand that has made the Durango the bestselling model. Its popularity is also partly the result of Dodge's catalog consisting of only four models (three of which haven't found much favor with Dodge's clientele), compared to the dozen or so models that once populated it.That said, Dodge could use another SUV with the muscle-car performance and flair, but in a two-row mid-size SUV. At present, the Dodge Hornet, the only other SUV offering from Dodge, which we didn't think was coming back this year, commands 288 horsepower in its most potent form.We're thinking of reviving a model like the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, which was powered by a supercharged, torque-laden V8 engine that offered impressive acceleration, the grunt to pull up to 8,000 lbs, and could contend with the likes of the BMW X5 M and Mercedes-AMG GLC 63. The Return Of The V8-Powered Charger 2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Red Front AngleDodge tried to ease the pain we felt as the Dodge Charger met its end by introducing seven Last Call models to mark the end of one of America's best muscle cars ever. Lamented alongside the last-generation Charger was the V8 engine that powered it, which is now nowhere to be found in Dodge's current model lineup; the current-generation Dodge Charger is powered exclusively by the 3.0L Sixpack inline-six-cylinder engine.To no one's surprise, the absence of the V8 engine in the Dodge Charger has angered Dodge's customer base.In an interview with The Drive, Dodge CEO Matt McAlear alluded to the possibility of different variants and powertrain configurations of the current-generation Dodge Charger. Whether that means that the V8 engine might return, only time will tell.Still, in the meantime, we can only hope that when it does return, it'll be to power a potential Hellcat variant of the current-generation Dodge Charger. Ram has brought back the Hemi V8 engine to its lineup, and reports suggest we'll see it return to the Dodge Charger in 2027. However, these are merely rumors as Dodge has yet to make any announcement regarding its return. A Sports Car Like The Dodge Copperhead Concept 1997 dodge copperhead concept frontWe've covered the return of the Viper, a new midsize muscle SUV, and the V8-powered Charger. Now, we'd also like to propose that Dodge direct its efforts to creating a new affordable sports car akin to the Dodge Neon SRT-4. This pick is inspired by more than what we wish Dodge could do.Earlier this year, McAlear mentioned while talking to The Drive that there is a market for an affordable sports car that, in McAlear's words, "affordable-price vehicles that not only just get you from point A to point B, but do so with style, attitude, and performance". Dodge previously tested the idea of an affordable sports car with the Copperhead concept in the late 1990s.The Copperhead concept, based on the Dodge Viper's platform, was designed as a smaller, budget-friendly alternative to the Dodge Viper. The concept car envisioned a two-door roadster powered by a 2.7L V6 engine that drove the rear wheels exclusively. Aside from its specs, the baby Viper was reportedly priced at roughly $30,000, which is close to the hypothetical affordable sports car Dodge's CEO alluded to. Wagons Are Making A Comeback 2008 Dodge Magnum SRT8While SUVs dominate America's sales leaderboard, wagons generally don't experience the same love in the United States. The result of America's relationship with wagons has led to some of the most exciting performance wagons we've seen, such as the BMW M3 Touring CS, being unavailable in the United States.While not available in the US, the BMW Touring CS was just one of the handful of performance wagons we've seen debut in the last five years. That said, the fifth vehicle we think could breathe new life into Dodge would be a revival or successor to the Dodge Magnum SRT8.Even though production ended more than a decade ago, due to the 2008 financial crisis and Dodge prioritizing SUVs over wagons, we still sing the Dodge Mangum SRTR8's praises today. There's merit to it. The Dodge Mangum SRT8 was a power-laden family hauler defined by its vocal 6.1L Hemi V8, which sent 425 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque directly to the rear wheels, allowing it to reach 60 mph from a standstill in 5.1 seconds.Similar to the Dodge Durango's sibling, we'd wager that a station wagon with a sonorous V8 engine at its core, boasting a spacious interior and thrilling performance, might fare well in the local market. When it was still in production, the Dodge Magnum SRT8 shared the same platform as the Dodge Charger.Today, the Dodge Charger is based on the STLA Large platform, which can accommodate a range of large vehicles, so maybe this hypothetical wagon could rely on it too. Still, Dodge has in no way alluded to nor confirmed the possibility of a performance wagon returning to its fleet, let alone a regular station wagon.
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