Dodge CEO Timothy Kuniskis has confirmed that the V8 Hellcat engine series will soon become history – but a high-end hybridized replacement is in development.
The Dodge SRT lineup is in quite high demand as it is, but the company sees no way to make the 6.2-liter monster V8 with its cast-iron block and supercharger compatible with the modern eco standards. Ditching the powertrain altogether and finding a new hybrid replacement is more viable, according to FCA.
Kuniskis has promised that this new powertrain would be on par with the old one, emphasizing that he believed in the future of muscle cars. He reminded that back in the 1970s, a crisis led to the discontinuation of large-displacement V8 engines, but it did not have a lasting negative impact on the industry in the end.