Although Mopar may not have initiated the muscle car rivalry decades ago, Stellantis is determined not to concede entirely to Ford’s Blue Oval. As the Dodge Charger celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, the brand is gearing up to remind enthusiasts that the Ford Mustang isn’t the only performance icon around. The Brotherhood of Muscle will return to Pontiac, Michigan, for the 11th edition of MotorTrend’s RoadKill Nights, where Dodge plans to showcase its most powerful inline-six-powered muscle car to date.
The Dodge Charger first debuted as a concept in 1964, but the production version didn’t reach showrooms until 1966. While the original Charger lineup featured various V-8 engine options, the modern iteration has been without an eight-cylinder unit since its introduction. Instead, every petrol-powered version of the current Charger is equipped with one of two 3.0-litre Hurricane inline-six engines, giving rise to the “Sixpack” designation.
Dodge compensates for the absence of two cylinders with a pair of turbochargers, providing performance levels that surpass all but the previous generation’s Hellcat V-8. The standard Charger R/T variant delivers 420 hp and 468 lb-ft of torque, while the high-output Scat Pack version produces an impressive 550 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque.
Although Dodge has not confirmed the exact specifications of the upcoming model for RoadKill Nights, expectations point toward a Hurricane engine tuned to exceed 600 hp. Considering the numerous modified versions of this engine that have appeared at past RoadKill Nights events, achieving that figure should not be too challenging for the brand. However, based on Dodge’s phrasing—calling it “the most powerful Sixpack-powered Charger yet”—it’s unlikely that the new model will surpass the 670-hp all-electric Charger Daytona EV in outright power.
Regardless of whether this upgraded Sixpack outperforms the electric muscle car, Dodge clearly needs something to reignite enthusiasm for the Charger name. Once a dominant force in its segment, the Charger has now become the slowest-selling vehicle in the United States, according to CarEdge. The company currently holds a 385-day supply of Chargers, with roughly 10,800 units sitting at dealerships, while only about 1,250 have been sold in the past 45 days. Mopar enthusiasts continue to hope for the long-awaited return of the Hellcat V-8 to the Charger lineup, but an official announcement has yet to arrive. While such a revival would certainly generate excitement, it remains uncertain whether a Hellcat variant could deliver meaningful sales volume.
The latest iteration of the Charger Sixpack is scheduled to make its official debut during the RoadKill Nights celebrations on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan.
