With the all-electric Dodge Charger Daytona arriving first, the reimagined Charger initially presented a future of muscle without gasoline. Now, as the Sixpack models powered by Stellantis' twin-turbo 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-6 reach owners, the conversation shifts. For many, this gas-powered version is the Charger they awaited.
This new powertrain invites a look back at Mopar's interesting history with six-cylinder power, particularly in Australia. Over five decades ago, Chrysler Australia built the Valiant Charger R/T E-49, featuring a "Hemi Six Pack." This was not a V8, but a triple-carbureted 265-cubic-inch inline-6 producing over 300 horsepower at a time when U.S. muscle cars were losing power to emissions rules.
Designed with American input, the Australian Hemi Sixpack used a canted-valve design. It propelled the Charger R/T E-49 with 302 hp, achieving quarter-mile times just over 14 seconds and proving a straight-6 could be a legitimate muscle engine.
Today's Dodge Charger Sixpack feels like a modern reinvention of that Aussie legend. Both deliver competitive performance as alternatives to traditional V8s. As new owners take delivery of their Hurricane-powered Chargers, they should tip a hat to the pioneering Australian forefather that helped pave the way.