Dodge is preparing to give European enthusiasts a rare chance to buy a modern American performance car through official channels. To mark the Charger nameplate’s 60th anniversary, the brand is bringing the eighth-generation Charger lineup to Europe in both electric Daytona and gasoline SIXPACK forms, with KW Automotive handling distribution across 20 countries and customer deliveries expected to begin around the first quarter of 2027.
The first challenge for European buyers will be the Charger’s sheer size. The new model stretches 206.6 inches in length, 79.8 inches in width, and 59 inches in height, riding on a 121-inch wheelbase. In electric Daytona form, it weighs 5,838 lb. By comparison, a BMW i5 M60 measures 199.2 inches long, 74.8 inches wide without mirrors, and 59.3 inches tall, with a 117.9-inch wheelbase and a curb weight of 5,247 lb. That puts the Dodge between the i5 and the much larger i7, making it a seriously big car, especially as a two-door coupe.
Although the gasoline models will attract the traditionalists, the battery-electric Charger Daytona is the centerpiece of Dodge’s European strategy. It uses a 100.5 kWh battery pack with a 400V architecture and two electric drive modules. The range-topping Daytona Scat Pack produces 670 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, enabling a 0-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds and a quarter-mile run of 11.5 seconds. The BMW i5 M60 delivers 601 horsepower and 605 lb-ft, meaning the Dodge offers more straight-line muscle than one of Germany’s quickest electric sedans, likely at a lower price.
The Daytona Scat Pack also includes some of Dodge’s more controversial electric-era features. There is a PowerShot button on the steering wheel that provides a temporary 40-horsepower boost, along with Drift and Donut modes and the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system, which generates artificial exhaust sound through external speakers. The gimmicks may not win over every skeptic, but the underlying hardware is more convincing. At Dodge’s European test event at Italy’s Balocco Proving Ground, the dual-motor system delivered precise torque distribution and strong corner-exit traction, giving the car a level of composure that old rear-wheel-drive muscle cars rarely achieved.
Europe will also receive the Daytona R/T, a version Dodge discontinued in North America after the 2025 model year. With the factory Stage 2 upgrade, the European R/T produces 536 horsepower and 404 lb-ft of torque while using the same battery and dual-motor hardware as the more powerful Scat Pack. Keeping the R/T in the European lineup makes sense, because many markets impose heavy taxes on combustion-engined cars and offer more favorable rules for electric vehicles.
Dodge is also adapting the Charger Daytona for European charging infrastructure. While 2027 North American models will use the Tesla-style NACS connector, European cars will arrive with the region’s standard CCS2 port. Because the STLA Large platform uses a 400V system rather than the faster 800V architecture found in cars such as the Porsche Taycan or Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, charging speeds are respectable rather than class-leading. Dodge says a fast charge from 20% to 80% takes just under 30 minutes, prioritizing compatibility across multiple countries instead of chasing peak charging figures.
For buyers who still want an internal-combustion engine, Dodge will also offer the gasoline-powered Charger SIXPACK. The old 5.7-liter and 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engines have been retired, replaced by Stellantis’s 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged Hurricane inline-six paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The entry-level SIXPACK R/T produces 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque, reaching 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and completing the quarter-mile in 12.9 seconds. The SIXPACK Scat Pack uses the high-output version of the engine, delivering 550 horsepower and 531 lb-ft to cut the sprint to 60 mph to 3.9 seconds. The gasoline models are slower and more expensive to run than the top electric version, but they will appeal to drivers who want a more mechanical experience.
Dodge’s marketing leans heavily on heritage, drama, and the idea of American authenticity, but the real achievement is engineering a single platform that can accommodate both a large battery pack and a twin-turbocharged inline-six without losing the car’s basic proportions. Both versions share the same wide stance, sleek roofline, and performance-focused cabin. The Charger is undeniably large for European roads, and combustion versions may face steep registration taxes in some markets, potentially pushing prices beyond £64,000 in high-tax regions. Even so, the combination of official availability, factory warranty, and unmistakable character makes the new Charger a bold and welcome alternative in a market that has become increasingly uniform.
