Dodge Is Done Making Muscle Cars With Manual Transmissions
The V-8 isn’t the only thing the new Dodge Charger is leaving behind.
Neither the battery- or gas-powered versions of the upcoming Charger Daytona will be available with a manual transmission, according to The Drive. The news, which has been confirmed by the automaker, means it’s basically done building muscle cars with stick shifts once and for all.
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This week’s unveiling of the new Charger was jam-packed with almost all the technical information about the next-generation muscle car that anyone could want to know. The company went into great detail about the dual-motor electric powertrain and standard all-wheel drive system. There was one detail that was curiously missing, especially for performance buffs—any mention of the vehicle’s transmission. And because of this, The Drive reached out to the publication to ask if a manual gearbox would be available as an option.
“No plans for a manual transmission,” the automaker told the publication.
Dodge’s statement doesn’t come as too much of a shock. It’s hard to even find a car with a stick shift these days, a trend that’s sure to continue since EVs don’t even need a transmission. Even some of its most ardent supporters, like BMW, have finally admitted its end is near. The Charger also hasn’t been available with a stick shift for a while, but Dodge did release a manual Hellcat version of its other muscle car, the since-discontinued Challenger, last year. Unfortunately, that car’s existence was more of a last gasp than a sign of hope for automotive purists.
Representatives for Dodge did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Robb Report on Thursday.
It may not come with a manual, but the first electric muscle car still has plenty to offer. The range-topping electric Charger Daytona Scat Pack comes with a dual-motor powertrain that produces up 670 hp and 627 ft lbs of torque. This version can rocket from zero to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds, though its 134 mph top speed does leave something to be desired. There will even be two gas-powered variants, the Sixpack H.O and Sixpack S.O., which both feature a twin-turbocharged inline-six Hurricane engine for enthusiasts who find the idea of a battery-powered muscle car to be sacrilegious.
Production of the all-electric Charger Daytona is scheduled to start this summer, while the gas-powered version will begin rolling off the line early next year. The automaker has yet to say how much its new muscle car will cost.
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