Dodge Charger Daytona is a muscle car with a twist - it's fully electric
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's a muscle car with a twist: the new Dodge Charger Daytona is fully electric. And it has the primary muscle car ingredient - power.
"We didn't set out to design an EV first. We set out to design a muscle car first. The (Daytona R/T) has 496 horsepower, and we also have a 670-horsepower Scat Pack version, that does 0-60 in 3.3 seconds," said Matt McAlear, Dodge CEO.
Another key muscle car component is here as well, muscular looks. If you know your classic cars, you'll see hints of the iconic second-generation Dodge Charger of 1968-1970 in the design.
"At the same time, if you're not familiar with that car, you just see a beautiful muscle car that puts a smile on your face," noted McAlear.
But won't people miss that booming V8 sound? Dodge has that covered, with something called "Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust," which replicates simulated muscle car sounds via speakers behind the rear bumper.
So, it's about as muscle-car-like as an EV can get. Power...looks...and sounds. Dodge even stuck with an old-school burly shifter on the center console, instead of a knob or buttons for gear selection. The Charger Daytona R/T starts at just over $60,000, while the more powerful Scat Pack model is priced closer to $70,000.
On the other hand, a lot of people who crave muscle have no interest in an electric muscle car, no matter how well it performs, and no matter how good it looks. They want something with a gasoline-burning engine up front, and not a "frunk." Dodge says, just hang on.
There will soon be a variation with a powerful twin-turbo six cylinder gasoline engine topping out at over 500 horsepower.
"In the first year, we've got four powertrains, and two-doors or four doors on this vehicle which will hopefully give everyone what they want," McAlear said.
Well, perhaps everyone except those who would still like a V8. But recently, hints at such an engine hasn't been ruled out at some point. So, the Dodge V8 muscle car may just be on hiatus. In the meantime, if a muscle car with electric power sounds intriguing, Dodge has created one.
MORE: New plug-in hybrid models let drivers ease into the EV experience
