The Hurricane engine may never have crossed the Atlantic to power an Alfa Romeo or a Maserati, but it continues to make headlines in the United States. After replacing the legendary HEMI V8s under the hood of the new Dodge Charger, the twin-turbo inline-6 from Stellantis is clearly poised to reach a new milestone. The automaker has just confirmed that on August 8, it will unveil the most powerful Dodge Charger SIXPACK ever produced.
An announcement that shows Stellantis hasn't yet finished tapping into the potential of its new six-cylinder engine.
The Hurricane Continues to Gain Momentum
Today, the gasoline-powered Dodge Charger is available exclusively with the 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six engine, offered in two power levels. The entry-level version produces 420 ch, while the «High Output» variant delivers 550 ch and 720 Nm of torque thanks to its twin turbochargers.
But Dodge is now promising an even more powerful version, without revealing any specific figures. The brand simply refers to it as «the most powerful Charger SIXPACK ever built,» suggesting that the Hurricane engine will undergo a major upgrade. The unveiling is scheduled to take place at the Roadkill Nights event, held on August 8 in Pontiac, Michigan—an event that, over the years, has become Dodge’s preferred venue for showcasing its most spectacular new models.
More than 600 horses?
Officially, Stellantis has not disclosed the engine’s power output or the modifications made to it. But several clues are already fueling speculation. The current most powerful version delivers 550 ch with boost pressure reaching nearly 30 psi thanks to its two Garrett turbochargers. To take it further, engineers could simply increase the boost pressure, revise the engine mapping, improve cooling, or optimize the intake and exhaust systems. Many American observers therefore believe that this new version could exceed 600 chevaux. However, it is expected to remain below the 670 ch of the electric Charger Daytona 100 %, which remains the most powerful model in the lineup for now.
Potential that has already been demonstrated far beyond the official figures
This announcement isn't really that surprising after all. A few weeks ago, we were already mentioning The Incredible Preparation performed by American racer Morgan Evans. By installing a large turbocharger on a completely stock Hurricane engine, she managed to extract nearly 800 chevaux without modifying the engine’s internal components. The crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, and timing system remained stock, demonstrating the robustness of this engine designed by Stellantis. This proves that this six-cylinder engine has significant room for further development. Even though the future Dodge model will obviously be much more practical than a dragster-spec build, this demonstration has already given a glimpse into the Hurricane’s true capabilities.
A Response to Critics
This power boost also comes at a challenging time for Dodge. Despite its performance, the new Charger is struggling to win over some enthusiasts, many of whom lament the disappearance of the HEMI V8s. By offering an even more powerful version of its twin-turbo six-cylinder engine, Stellantis is clearly seeking to reignite interest in its gasoline-powered muscle car and prove that the Hurricane isn’t just a replacement for the old V8s, but an engine capable of writing its own story. The date is now set for August 8. All that remains is to find out just how far Stellantis has actually decided to push its new inline-six.
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Stellantis doesn't seem to understand that it's mainly the melodious sound of the V8 that appeals to American muscle car enthusiasts. The European style with 6-cylinder engines—even turbocharged ones—isn't really their thing.
I think they know that, but the problem is that they aren't producing enough V8 engines for the pickup trucks, so for now they can't put them in the Charger.
Those Americans really do live on another planet. They're just barreling headlong into the wall at an ever-increasing speed!
I completely agree with Jonathan—American muscle cars have always been equipped with those nice, big V8s. They aren't always very powerful, it's true, but the sound of a V8 is fantastic.
Putting a 6-cylinder engine in an American muscle car is sacrilege—even a powerful 6-cylinder.
American culture is a total aberration—we shouldn't mess with it. A V6? Sure, why not—that's already been tried.
I love technological advances—some things need to be improved for the good of everyone, not just for the benefit of a few, right?
That’s why I’ve always preferred European—or even Asian—cars: efficient, advanced engines and effective suspensions, whereas American cars settle for overhead-valve engines with truck-sized displacement and chassis designed for straight lines. That may no longer be the case, but it was by drawing inspiration from others that they made progress… Their only recent contribution is the SUV craze 😞
Well, of course they’re more than happy to leave the 3-cylinder engine with the oil-bath belt to us; in fact, you can see the EXCELLENT financial results of the Stellantis Group—and of all those who have strictly followed EU directives. (VW Group)
While Stellantis is completely behind the times when it comes to the undeniably electric future of the automotive industry, engineers are hard at work developing a new V6…
Really?
Is that your priority?
Why this—relatively detailed—article about the (new) American 6-cylinder engine? Especially since—according to the article—it isn’t even planned for Europe… or is it?? At the same time, there’s silence regarding the European (Italian) 6-cylinder engines. Is this a form of «preparation»—mentally priming the European public—for a future standardized (top-of-the-line) engine lineup in the form of this U.S. 6-cylinder engine?