- The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona arrives with two doors and an EV powertrain, but a four-door version and gas-powered models are coming next year.
- Every new Charger has all-wheel drive, with the EV’s dual motors making up to 670 horsepower; Sixpack models with the twin-turbo straight-six peak at 550 horses.
- Along with multiple body styles and powertrains, the new Charger offers a variety of interesting features and options.
Despite basically hiding the production version of the new Dodge Charger Daytona in plain sight for more than a year after revealing the surprisingly similar concept, the brotherhood-of-muscle brand had planned even more surprises. Not only did we learn that the Daytona EV will be offered in two- and four-door configurations, but we found out that the Charger will offer a pair of gas-powered models too, which also offer both body styles. Since the production rollout is a little convoluted, and there are variations between the two available Daytona trim levels and features, we’re here to help explain those details.
Configurations and Roll Out
The name Daytona only applies to the electric Charger, which will debut in R/T and Scat Pack guise. All variations have a discreet rear hatchback, but the two-door Daytonas that will arrive for the 2024 model year have a coupe-like appearance. Production on those begins this summer at Stellantis’s Windsor Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada, with the cars expected to reach dealerships in the fall.
For the 2025 model year, Dodge will make the Daytona available with four doors. It will also introduce the gas-powered Charger Sixpack, which will be offered with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six in two potencies. The standard-output (S.O.) engine will make 420 horsepower, and the high-output (H.O.) engine will make 550 horses. Here’s where things get a little muddy. The four-door Daytona, the four-door Sixpack S.O., and the two-door Sixpack H.O. will all start production sometime in the first four months of 2025. While it hasn’t been confirmed, we expect the two-door Sixpack S.O. and four-door Sixpack H.O. will start production later next year (unless Dodge decides those are the Sixpack’s only two configurations, so TBD).
The same timeline likely applies to the max-performance Charger Banshee that’s been confirmed to arrive sometime in 2025. As the EV equivalent of the V-8 Hellcat, the Banshee will have an 800-volt architecture (double that of the regular Daytona models) and an exclusive two-speed transmission. We also expect it to make over 807 horses and have a quarter-mile time in the 10-second range.
Differentiating the Daytona Trims
The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona will be the first to hit the streets. The EV versions will be immediately identifiable by their unique R-Wing front end that features a pass-through opening (gas-powered models will not have this distinctive feature).
While both the R/T and Scat Pack will have dual electric motors creating all-wheel drive, for the 2024 model year only, every R/T will have a standard Stage 1 kit from Dodge’s Direct Connection that boosts peak power to 496 horses; the Scat Pack will have a Stage 2 kit that boosts peak power to 670 ponies. Next year, those kits will be optional, so the base-level EV models will be less powerful. The R/T and Scat Pack all share a 93.9-kWh battery, but their estimated ranges are 317 and 260 miles, respectively.
When it comes to standard equipment, the R/T rides on 18-inch wheels whereas the Scat Pack has 21-inchers out of the box. Every Daytona has a fully independent suspension, but improved dampers are found on higher trims, with the Scat Pack’s optional Track Pack (more on that later) adding adaptive dampers. Typically, the Track pack includes a set of upgraded Brembo brakes with 16.1-inch rotors with fixed tw0-piece front calipers, but for 2024 only, both Daytona models get that setup as standard.
Inside, the R/T comes standard with a 10.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and the Scat Pack has a 16.0-inch unit. A mix of cloth and vinyl is the default upholstery in the R/T, which also has front seats with adjustable headrests. Standard driver-assistance technology on both Daytona models includes automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, blind-spot monitoring, driver-attention monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, and traffic-sign recognition.
The Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack also has exclusive drive modes. The list includes Track, Drag, Drift, and Donut. The latter two are especially intriguing. Donut mode allows the car to spin only the rear wheels and rotate without traction-control intervention. Drift mode lets the driver choose between three slip-angle levels, with the rear axle receiving a torque bias. The damper settings and traction-control system also adjust to allow the Scat Pack to slide around like a scene from Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift. A Race Prep mode further allows drivers to prepare the Scat Pack for a drag-strip run or lapping a racetrack, with the ability to cool or warm the battery when necessary.
Optional Equipment
When the Daytona R/T and Scat Pack go on sale, they won’t come as a one-size-fits-all affair. There are several options and packages that allow customers to customize each car to their liking. Among the notable options are a full-length glass roof that replaces the standard black-painted surface, an 18-speaker Alpine sound system, a head-up display that utilizes augmented reality, and ambient interior lighting that’s adjustable and also corresponds with drive-mode settings, driver inputs, and other animations.
While Dodge hasn’t yet released any pricing details, it has announced several option packages that include the Blacktop package (black 20-inch wheels), the Plus package (“Attitude Adjustment” ambient interior lighting, high-backed seats with fixed headrests), Carbon & Suede package (carbon-fiber trim and faux-suede accents), and the Sun & Sound package (likely the pano roof and upgraded stereo). Customers can also choose between an interior with black or red nappa leather. Optional driver assists include a 360-degree camera system (including a view to help prevent curb rash), a camera view that shows blind spots in the gauge display, as well as front and rear parking sensors.
Finally, Scat Pack customers can opt for the Track Pack, which includes the aforementioned brake upgrades as well as wheels and tires designed for higher performance. The package includes 20-inch wheels that are 11.0 inches wide in front and 11.5 inches wide in the back. They’re wrapped with staggered Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires, sized 305/35ZR-20 front and 325/35ZR-20 rear. Also included with the Track Pack is a performance data recorder that lets users record and latter analyze on-track driving. There’s a dashcam function too that can be manually operated.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.