The Business Case for Dodge V8s Is Weak, Believe It or Not

More than 30 years ago, Dodge introduced a new, two-seat sports car concept that had the wheelbase of a Mazda Miata, a body inspired by the Corvette, and the ten-cylinder engine out of… well, nothing at all. While many believe the Dodge Viper‘s engine was lifted out of a pickup, those stories are apocryphal. While the basic layout and dimensions were indeed cribbed from that side of the shop, Lamborghini engineers had more to do with the Viper’s engine than anybody working on a Dodge Ram.

But that was the “old” performance world—one where the car could lead and the truck could follow. It was also just a weird time for Chrysler, a company that has seen more than its fair share of them. And under the corporate umbrella of Stellantis, it’s happening yet again. For lack of a better term, Dodge is facing what amounts to an identity crisis. Just a year ago, it was the V8 performance brand. If you think about it, that reputation has been forged by one engine: the Hemi, a marketing contrivance that was put together not to sell cars, but pickups.

Remember when Jon Reep first hit the airwaves with his signature query?

The image of a Hemi-powered Ram hauling an old Charger is a perfect metaphor for the sales strategy Chrysler has employed ever since. With this new truck-centric mission came a new truck-centric series of performance engines. With the company’s engineers focused on building motors that would make truck owners happy, a durable iron block became the foundation for every variant we ever saw, be it the 5.7-, 6.1- or 6.2-liter (yes, Hellcat included). Why? Because the money is in the trucks.

In light of that, what does the business case for a Dodge V8 look like in 2025? When we sat down with Dodge CEO Matt McAlear to talk shop, he acknowledged that there are V8 fans out there who may feel left in the lurch by the company’s new electrification strategy, but there’s more nuance to it than one may glean from the rhetoric being tossed around among enthusiasts. As McAlear said, “V8” is no longer a bad word at Stellantis, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the market is there.

If you look back at the cars Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology division had its hand in between 1992 and today, you’ll be greeted by a list that is short on large-displacement power. While the Viper’s prestige may have carried Chrysler’s reputation, most of the automaker’s fun cars were based on far more pedestrian offerings. We got sporty Neons, Calibers, and Crossfires, which (like the Viper) featured lightweight aluminum engines. But V8s? Those were relegated to trucks and SUVs, and apart from a few sporty nods (5.9 R/T, anybody?), they weren’t really on the fun-car radar, at least until 2005—the first model year of the then-newly-revived Charger.

“We’re not telling anyone to fall out of love with ICE or horsepower or V8s. You’ve got the V8 people, V8 lovers, EV haters. OK well, fortunately, we just got done selling them a V8, there are still some left,” he said. “Go buy that one.”

That may sound dismissive, but McAlear has a point. There are tons of leftover Hemi Chargers and Challengers rotting on dealer lots right now. Don’t believe us? Go look. Troves of Last Calls are sitting around with no markups—and no buyers. If the demand is as strong as The Internet claims, surely these monsters would be spoken for by now?

Perhaps this is a reflection of the broader market. The industry has changed a lot over the course of three decades. Low-slung sedans and coupes are no longer sales leaders, but afterthoughts. Trucks and SUVs rule the day, riding on regulatory headwinds that simultaneously incentivize ballooning curb weights and punishing manufacturers for producing inefficient powertrains. But remember, the money is in the trucks. If there is to be a business case for Dodge V8s, it will likely stem from demand at Ram. Meanwhile, customers facing record-setting commute times are clamoring for ever-more comfortable and spacious interiors, driving an even larger wedge between the opposing constraints of size and efficiency.

Something’s gotta give; but Lord, give me another V8.

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