Hellcat Returns: Dodge Charger Gets the 6.2 V8 for 2028

The supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 is returning to the Dodge Charger for 2028, according to an internal Stellantis document obtained by MoparInsiders. The document maps out the eighth-generation Charger's (LB) planned powertrain roster, and it includes a new SRT variant that bolts the Hellcat to a ZF 8HP95 eight-speed automatic.

For anyone who assumed Dodge had surrendered entirely to inline-sixes and batteries, consider this the strongest signal yet that the blown V8 lives.

The Hellcat shows up under engine code ESD, identifying the 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 SRT engine mated to the 8HP95. Sources indicate the internal "HEV" designation stands for "Hellcat Equipped Vehicle," not hybrid EV, which may be someone at Stellantis having fun.

The engine appears for both LB29 and LB49 models, the two-door and four-door Charger, respectively. So the supercharged Hemi is planned for both body styles in 2028. MoparInsiders' earlier reporting indicated the two-door would arrive first, with the four-door following; the document confirms both are in the program but does not establish whether they reach dealers simultaneously.

The rest of the lineup keeps the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane six across three states of tune: 420-horsepower Standard Output, 550-hp High Output, and 600-hp High Output Plus (Super Bee), plus engine code ELD, the 400-volt battery-electric Daytona powertrain. The electric model stays on the 2028 plan.

Here is the detail that stands out. The 8HP95 has traditionally lived in high-output all-wheel-drive Stellantis products such as the Durango SRT Hellcat, Ram 1500 TRX, and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. The internal document lists the new blown-V8 Charger as rear-wheel drive, unlike the current Hurricane-powered, all-wheel-drive car.

The document identifies the engine family but gives no final output rating. The 777-hp Hellcat found in the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX suggests one possible path, but the Charger's exact output and calibration aren't confirmed.

The 2028 timing lines up with the Charger's first slated midcycle refresh, and matches what MoparInsiders reported back on March 1. Dodge has yet to formally confirm the 2028 Charger SRT Hellcat, and internal product plans can change.

[Images: Stellantis]

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