We probably sound like a broken record at this point when we say that as with most automakers nowadays, they've sealed their commitment towards electrification, and that includes a brand like Dodge which is known for the "Brotherhood of Muscle". Unsurprisingly, not a lot of gearheads welcomed the idea of a Charger or Challenger that's powered by electrons and with a sound that's synthesized through speakers. The good news is, the V-8 still has a future in Dodge's lineup, but there's a massive catch.
The V-8 Will Live On... Under The Durango's Hood
During the reveal of the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis told Motor Authority that the V-8 won't die, and instead, it will live on in a Dodge. Just don't expect it in a Challenger or Charger though. That's because it'll continue to live under the hood of the Durango midsize SUV. Kuniskis said, "Hang on, not in that (the Durango) car." This likely means the Durango will have a V-8 option for the 2024 model year, but whether it'll live on past that is still uncertain.
What we can guarantee right now is which V-8 will continue to live under the Durango's hood and which one will go the way of the dodo. Expect the naturally-aspirated 5.7-liter and 6.4-liter HEMI V-8s, with the latter powering the Durango SRT-8, to live on. However, Kuniskis once again confirmed that the Hellcat-badged V-8s will cease to exist after the 2023 model year, and that includes the one found in the recently-revived Durango Hellcat. Yes, the V-8 will live on, but none of them will be bolted with a supercharger from the factory.
But The Durango's V-8 Future Is Also Uncertain
On a related note, the Charger and Challenger replacements won't be getting a V-8, hence the series of "Last Call" models to send off Dodge's V-8 muscle car and to bring an era to a close. The Dodge Durango will continue to be sold for the 2024 model year, and it will indeed still have a V-8 since it's still not going to be a new-generation model. By then, the midsize SUV will already be 13 years old, having been first released for the 2011 model year.
The Durango's Jeep counterpart, the previous generation (WK2) Grand Cherokee has now moved on to a new generation model that's now riding on a brand-new and significantly more modern WL platform. Also noteworthy is the fact that while the three-row Grand Cherokee L still has a V-8 option, the two-row model doesn't anymore come with a V-8.
When asked when a next-generation Durango will be released and whether it'll migrate to the WL platform, Kuniskis wouldn't give any firm answers. What he did say is that the Durango won't be discontinued anytime soon because the SUV already has its own niche. But when asked if the Durango sells strongly enough to live beyond the current model, Kuniskis said, "Yes, absolutely."