Dodge announces last of the line Chargers and Challengers, reveals 213kW plug-in hybrid SUV

Dodge Speed Week has just taken place in Pontiac, Michigan, with a number of announcements – not least the electric muscle car concept that previews an incoming production vehicle due 2024.

Outside of the brand’s future electric ambitions, however, the American carmaker revealed plenty of products for combustion performance enthusiasts to get excited about today.

Dodge’s long-standing pair of muscle cars, Charger sedan and Challenger coupe are nearing the end of their lifecycle, with production earmarked to end before 2024.

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To mark the occasion, Dodge teased seven new special-edition models for the 2023 model year – six of them harking back to iconic Dodges of the past and the seventh slated as “the last of its kind” final edition, due to be revealed at this year’s SEMA Show in November.

The 2023 Dodge lineup of Chargers and Challengers also reintroduces a number of heritage paint colours to the palette – an expansion of Dodge’s SRT Jailbreak customisation program, with each 2023 model vehicle bearing a commemorative “Last Call” plaque under the bonnet.

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Dodge CEO, Tim Kuniskis said: “We are celebrating the end of an era… the brand will mark the last of our iconic Charger and Challenger nameplates in their current form in the same way that got us here, with a passion for both our products and our enthusiasts that drive us to create as much uniqueness in the muscle car community and marketplace as possible”.

The seven special editions remain cloaked under cover, with more information to be released later this year. Commemorative final models will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis at top-selling North American Dodge dealerships.

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Returning to the 2023 lineup are a number of beloved heritage colours, including B5 blue, plum crazy and sublime green. A modern favourite, destroyer grey, also makes its return. All 2023 Charger and Challengers will also carry a “345” emblem on the fender, in reference to the 345 cub inch capacity of the 5.6-litre V8 Hemi.

The entire pool of “Last Call” 2023 Chargers and Challengers will be allocated to dealers simultaneously, a levelling force for buyers looking to identify and secure their vehicles for purchase.

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Ordering and pricing information will be released to US customers closer to the 2023 Charger and Challenger’s on-sale date.

But as a pair of performance icons prepare to bow out, Dodge simultaneously introduces three performance variants of its new Hornet small SUV.

The Dodge Hornet is a new small-SUV offering to the North American market, and shares much of its underpinnings with the Alfa Romeo Tonale. Dodge unveiled three performance-oriented variants, comprising two powertrain options, during its Speed Week event.

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There’s the Dodge Hornet R/T, the Hornet GT and Hornet GT GLH Concept.

The Hornet R/T is a plug-in hybrid, Dodge’s first-ever electrified performance offering, combining a 1.3-litre turbocharged aluminium engine with a 15.5kWh battery, producing a combined 213kW and 520Nm, with just under 50 kilometres of electric-only driving range. Dodge claims this to be the most powerful vehicle in its segment.

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The Hornet GT is more conventionally powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged ‘Hurricane4’ four-cylinder engine, producing a combustion segment-leading 198kW and 400Nm.

The third model displayed, the Hornet GT GLH Concept, is based on the GT but showcases an array of Dodge-branded upgrades available through Dodge’s aftersales catalogue, Direct Connection.

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The electrified R/T also packs a hidden sting, with an ‘overboost’ function included by way of Dodge’s ‘PowerShot’ boost button. The PowerShot feature unlocks another 19kW in reserve for just 15 seconds (with a 15-second cooldown to follow), and shaves a whole second off the Hornet R/T’s 0-100km/h time.

Dodge Hornets will be produced at Stellantis’s plant in Pomigliano d’Arco near Naples, Italy. North American orders for the combustion-powered Hornet GT opened on August 17, with deliveries expected in late-2022. The plug-in Dodge Hornet R/T is expected to launch in North America in the third quarter of 2023.