Straight Six to Replace 5.7 Hemi?

We all have learned that Dodge is moving to electric vehicles in the near future.

That being said, there are a lot of articles on the Internet about Dodge using a turbo-charged straight six to replace the Pentastar and 5.7 Hemi. Reportedly, the engine will produce between 350-400 hp.

Here is an excerpt from one of the articles:

"Fiat-Chrysler is developing a straight six-cylinder engine for Jeep and Ram to replace the Hemi V8. That’s news in itself but there is a lot more going on. The rumor of a straight-six popped up on Allpar a few years ago. It is confirmed by various patents applied for as discovered by Mopar Insiders, and from Chrysler engineers listing the engine on resumes.

The Tornado engine would be compact, under 3.0-liters, featuring forced induction. It would utilize both a single- and twin-turbocharger setup. With Fiat-Chrysler’s eBooster system the engine could be a punchy replacement for both the current Hemi V8 and both 3.2- and 3.6-V6 Pentastar engines. The eBooster system uses electricity to aid in reducing turbo lag, especially in large turbo applications. Rumors are that the future twin-turbo version would use different cylinder heads. This would allow it to be used in higher-end Alfas, SRT performance models, and future Maserati products.

The development of an entirely new six-cylinder application was said to have been kicked off after direct-injection tests on the Pentastar V6 proved disappointing. Chrysler engineers decided an entirely new six-cylinder engine would need to be developed. Of course, many European manufacturers use the straight-six engine architecture with great success. Chrysler’s last straight-six was quietly put to rest in 2008 when the Jeep JK-series was retired.

With the apparent merger of Fiat-Chrysler and PSA in the works it will remain to be seen how it will affect the Tornado’s future roll-out and model applications. Initial rumors suggested Jeep would be the first to get it. That makes sense because it would probably be manufactured at one of Dundee, Michigan, assembly plants. This is close to Toledo, Ohio, where Jeep Wranglers are produced.

The Trenton, Michigan, assembly plant would also assemble the high-performance versions. It is currently the source for SRT V8 and higher quality engine applications. These are only guesstimates because actual production could be years into the future."


https://www.allpar.com/threads/turbo-straight-six-to-beat-392-hemi-power.235832/

 

I agree. There is nothing like the sound of a big V8.

In 1970, Dodge had a special 6-cylinder base model- "The Deputy." It packed a 225 slant-six with 145 hp!

 

Car Scoops is disputing the straight 6-cylinder rumor. Its editors contacted Dodge and this was its response;

"[We haven’t] spoken to any of those outlets. 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). We will release additional details in regard to our future Dodge product plans over the next 24 months.”

Here is an excerpt from its Dec. 15, 2021 article:

And just to make absolutely sure, we asked our press contact if the Challenger and Charger replacements, regardless if they continue with the same names or if they adopt new ones, will be offered exclusively with electric or a mix of BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) and ICE (Internal Combustion Engines) variants, and his response was: “The brand has only said BEV”.

The inline-six GME T6 engine isn’t a new rumor, far from it, as it’s one that has been persisting for years now, even before it had a name, including in 2018 and 2019. But those were different times and much has changed from when Dodge and Chrysler were under the umbrella of FCA. In 2021, the entire group was merged with France’s PSA forming the Stellantis Group and have since signaled and communicated plans to move to an all-electric future which encompasses their traditional muscle cars, as confirmed by our Dodge contact.

Developing and releasing a new gas engine for a year or two, all while investing in electric powertrains and platforms, is akin to a media group making plans to transition from paper to the internet yet devoting precious funds in a spanking new printing machine. It makes zero sense.

See: Dodge Teases Electric Muscle Car Concept, Looks Like A ’68 Charger

Dodge officials have also said on record that while the Hellcats will die in late 2023, we could see a little overlap between the current ICE-powered Challenger and Charger and their electric muscle car replacements. “We didn’t say that the current cars are going to die in 2024. There might be a little overlap, but you’re not going to have years and years and years of the classic and the new one at the same time,” Dodge chief executive Tim Kuniskis told Muscle Cars & Trucks in August, 2021.

However, in recent months, Stellantis officials have backtracked on the timeline regarding the end of the current Challenger and Charger, with Kuniskis telling Motor Trend a couple of weeks ago that they will both be phased out in late 2023, though you will still be able to find them in dealership lots through 2024.


Why You Shouldn't Fall For The Rumors About Dodge Replacing Challenger, Charger Hemi V8 With New Inline-Six Turbo In 2024 | Carscoops