Dodge SRT in 2026: The HEMI Is Back, the TRX Returns, and Everything Is Changing

If you’ve been following the SRT world lately, you know something big is happening. Dodge killed the HEMI, fans revolted, sales collapsed, executives got fired, and now the whole thing is being unwound in real time. The SRT badge is back. The TRX is back. The HEMI is back. And the Charger is simultaneously an electric car, a twin-turbo six-cylinder, and — soon — a V8 again. If your head is spinning, you’re not alone.

Here’s a full breakdown of everything that’s happened and where SRT stands right now.

How We Got Here: Dodge’s Electric Gamble

The chaos starts with the death of the old Charger and Challenger in late 2023. After years of selling affordable, HEMI-powered muscle cars that became synonymous with accessible performance, Stellantis under CEO Carlos Tavares decided to go electric. The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona arrived — styled beautifully like a modernized ’68 throwback — but with twin electric motors instead of a HEMI V8. SRT fans were furious.

The numbers told the story. Through the first half of 2025, Dodge sold barely 4,300 Charger EVs total — roughly two sales per dealer across the entire country. For context, the old HEMI-powered Charger and Challenger were selling in the hundreds of thousands per year. The electric replacement was a commercial disaster.

The Firing of Tavares and the Return of Kuniskis

In May 2024, Tim Kuniskis — the architect of Dodge’s entire modern muscle car era, the man responsible for the Hellcat, the Demon, and the Jailbreak — was quietly shown the door by Tavares. Then in December 2024, Tavares himself abruptly resigned, nearly 18 months before his contract was set to expire.

Antonio Filosa took over as Stellantis CEO in early 2025 and almost immediately reversed course. Kuniskis came out of retirement, was named head of all American brands — Dodge, Ram, Jeep, and Chrysler — and the first thing he said publicly was that killing the HEMI was a huge mistake. His exact words: “Ram screwed up when we dropped the Hemi. We own it and we fixed it.”

That set off a chain of announcements that has been moving at a pace SRT fans haven’t seen in years.

The HEMI V8 Comes Back to Ram

The first domino to fall was the 2026 Ram 1500. Stellantis brought back the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 as an option — available on most trims for around $1,200 — after dropping it entirely from the lineup. Ram even put a “Symbol of Protest” badge on it, leaning into the controversy. The message was clear: we hear you, and we’re not going electric unless customers want it.

The 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX: The Big One

On New Year’s Day 2026, Kuniskis hosted a short film called “Resurrection” announcing the return of the TRX — and officially relaunching the SRT Performance Division across all American Stellantis brands. The last time Ram wore the SRT badge was the Viper V10-powered Ram SRT-10 back in 2006.

The 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX specs:

Engine: Supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 (the Hellcat engine)
Horsepower: 777 hp — up from the original TRX’s 702 hp
Torque: 680 lb-ft
0-60: 3.5 seconds
Top speed: 118 mph
Starting price: $99,995 (plus $2,595 destination — so $102,590 out the gate)
Availability: Second half of 2026

For comparison, the original TRX started at $71,690 when it launched in 2020. The new one costs significantly more, but it also makes 75 more horsepower. Kuniskis framed it simply: “Bringing back the nameplate isn’t enough. Ram set the bar five years ago with 702 horsepower, and that benchmark has been challenged.”

The 2026 Durango SRT Hellcat Jailbreak: Still Alive and Meaner Than Ever

While everyone was fighting about the Charger, the Durango quietly kept surviving. The 2026 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Jailbreak was announced in August 2025, bringing back the 710-horsepower supercharged V8 SUV with over six million possible customization combinations. A Jailbreak Custom Color program even lets buyers paint their Durango in nearly any color imaginable.

Durango retail sales were up 47% over the first half of 2024, and U.S. sales jumped more than 50% from Q1 to Q2 of 2025. While Dodge was hemorrhaging Charger EV sales, the old-school HEMI Durango was selling better than ever. That tells you everything you need to know about what SRT buyers actually want.

The 2026 Durango lineup is also going all-HEMI for the U.S. market — every trim uses a HEMI V8, with the Durango GT getting the 5.7L and the SRT Hellcat keeping its supercharged 6.2L. They even brought back B5 Blue to the entire Durango lineup for 2026, the first time in eight years.

The New Charger: Three Powertrains, Maximum Confusion

This is where things get complicated. The current Charger lineup now has three different powertrain directions happening at once:

The Electric Charger Daytona — The EV that started the controversy. The 670-hp Scat Pack version is genuinely quick and won a Ward’s 10 Best Interiors award for 2025. But sales have been dismal, and the high-powered Banshee edition (which was supposed to top 1,000 hp) has reportedly been cancelled. The problem isn’t the performance — it’s emotional. SRT fans want V8 thunder, not electric torque.

The SIXPACK Charger — The gas-powered answer: a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six called the Hurricane SIXPACK. The Charger R/T makes 420 hp and the Charger Scat Pack makes 550 hp. The Scat Pack is being marketed as the most powerful vehicle in the industry under $55,000. It’s fast, it sounds different than a HEMI, and traditional muscle car fans are still divided on it.

The HEMI V8 Charger (Coming Soon) — Reports from Mopar Insiders confirmed that a HEMI V8 Charger is in development, with Dodge responding only that “multi-energy options have always been a part of the plan.” No official announcement yet, but expect a proper Charger SRT Hellcat successor to be announced before 2027.

More SRT Models Coming: What’s on the Horizon

Kuniskis said he plans to make more than 25 announcements through 2026 and beyond. Stellantis’ Investor Day presentation outlined plans to expand SRT across Dodge, Jeep, and Ram. Confirmed and rumored developments include:

2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX — Confirmed. 777 hp, available late 2026.
2027 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee SRT — Confirmed by Stellantis Investor Day.
Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat — Reportedly in development with HEMI V8 power, expected late 2026 announcement.
Dodge Copperhead SRT — A rumored sports car under the Dodge brand. No official confirmation, but it keeps appearing in credible reports.
Dodge GLH — A revived performance badge reportedly planned for the Hornet platform.
Jeep SRT models — Stellantis confirmed more SRT variants across Jeep in their Investor Day presentation. A Gladiator with the 6.4L HEMI has been teased.

What This Means for Existing SRT Owners

If you own a Grand Cherokee SRT, Trackhawk, Durango SRT, or old Charger/Challenger SRT, the news is mostly good. The SRT brand’s revival means parts support, aftermarket development, and community interest in your vehicle is only going up. These machines were already appreciating — the Trackhawk in particular has become a collector’s item since production ended — and the renewed attention on the SRT nameplate keeps them relevant.

The used market for HEMI-powered SRT vehicles has also strengthened. Buyers who wanted a HEMI Charger or Challenger SRT and couldn’t stomach the new electric or inline-six versions are snapping up used examples. If you’re thinking about selling, timing is good. If you’re thinking about buying, prices on used SRT vehicles have ticked up but are still reasonable compared to what the new stuff costs.

Bottom Line

The short version: Dodge went electric, fans left, sales collapsed, leadership changed, and now the whole company is course-correcting at full speed. The HEMI is back. The TRX is back. The SRT badge is back. The Durango Hellcat never went anywhere. And there are reportedly a dozen more SRT announcements still coming.

Whether you love the new direction or think the electric Charger was a mistake from the start, one thing is clear — this is the most interesting moment for the SRT brand in a decade. We’ll keep covering every development here at The SRT Garage as it happens.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT: The Complete Owner’s Guide — Everything you need to know about owning one of the best SRT vehicles ever made.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT vs Trackhawk: Is the Upgrade Worth It? — Both legends. One decision.

Dodge Charger SRT 392: The Complete Owner’s Guide — The last great HEMI Charger before everything changed.