Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept previews the future of muscle cars
Dodge embeds an exhaust note and gearshifts to keep the enthusiasts hopeful
Roar, growl, rumble, burble – auditory attributes one usually associates with an American muscle car were on the verge of becoming extinct, courtesy of electric motors. Though, Dodge believes the electrification of cars doesn’t necessarily have to translate into silent machines with no gearbox. Or that’s what the brand’s latest all-electric Charger Daytona SRT Concept muscle car would have you believe. The future of the muscle car is here.
Before stepping into the future, Dodge seems determined to honour its past. Numerous references from the Chargers of the 60s and the 70s can be found on this electric muscle car’s exteriors. It starts with the squared-off mean looks reminiscent of a certain Dominic Toretto’s traditional choice of Charger. The vertical detailing on the front grille and the hidden headlight setup hark back to the classic Charger era. Even the new three-pointed Fratzogs badge design was initially deployed on the Dodge muscle cars between 1962 and 1976.
Dodge claims the Daytona SRT concept “drives like a Dodge, looks like a Dodge and sounds like Dodge”. While the design certainly screams Dodge, the American carmaker has installed a Fratzonic chambered exhaust’ to make this EV scream literally. The specially-enabled exhaust on an EV essentially pumps out computer-generated V8-rumbling sound notes at 126 decibels in an attempt to retain the muscle car’s auditory legacy.
The firm hasn’t revealed any specifications for the Daytona SRT Concept EV but mentioned having an 800V electric powertrain powering the EV muscle car it likes to call ‘Banshee’. Dodge claims this Banshee powertrain will make the electric muscle car faster than a 717hp Hellcat “in all key performance measures”. The concept even features a ‘push-to-pass’ button on the steering wheel, offering a momentary extra boost of power.
None of these has gotten the auto enthusiast community talking like Dodge’s ‘eRupt’ transmission. This EV transmission system mimics the standard transmission from an ICE car, requiring the driver to change gears at predetermined shift points. Complemented with the electric motor’s instant torque, these supposed ‘gearshifts’ are capable of “throwing shoulders into seatbacks in true Dodge style”. So enthusiasts now seem to have a must-tick option in all their future Dodge EV buys.
While the exteriors may be a nod to the muscle cars of the old, the cabin is a stark contrast by comparison. A curved 16-inch digital dial display angled towards the driver combined with a 12.3-inch infotainment screen is a significant upgrade from any other current Dodge production car. The roof is a panoramic glass unit, similar to a Tesla, the starter buttons resemble the flip-up action from Lamborghini supercars, while the lightweight rear seats can be folded down to make this futuristic muscle car more practical. And to offset the weight disadvantage of the floor-embedded batteries, carbon fibre gets generously splashed across numerous cabin elements.
All these seem like a heartfelt attempt by Dodge to influence the diehard V8 muscle car enthusiasts into making the transition to electric. Would this convince you? Leave your comment below.
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