2025 Dodge Charger Daytona Unveiled for the First Time

Dodge gives us a look at an improved pre-production vehicle more than a year after revealing the Charger Daytona SRT Concept.

 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona Unveiled for the First TimeDodge has almost given us a grief tour since the Charger and Challenger that we are familiar with have been put to pasture. Top brass warned us that the day would come, which sparked rage and denial; they created a limited edition of Last Call models to give a fitting farewell, which was a component of the negotiating process; and in December, after more than ten years, manufacturing of the V8-powered vehicles finally came to a stop, triggering a depression. Let's see whether showcasing the brand-new, electric, two-door Charger Daytona brings about a wave of acceptance.

Based on the remarks left under Dodge's Instagram announcement, I assume we have some way to go before we truly get out of this funk. People are generally happy that the Charger will soon be available in two doors again, but for the time being at least, there is a greater dislike for electric powertrains than anything else. Nevertheless, there is merit to this recently revised design that Dodge unexpectedly revealed to us.

DodgeA lot seems to be similar with the Charger Daytona SRT Concept we saw in 2022, notably the aggressively sloped hood and tiny grille aperture. With the LED headlights taking up the front, the car looks different from a head-on angle. You probably didn't think the pass-through aero grille would remain, though. In addition, the roofline seems a touch higher, but that may just be the result of the freshly revealed car's beltline not being as wrinkled as it was on the concept.

Naturally, after you add reflectors to the fenders, regular wheels, and other design elements, any automobile will appear different from the design exercises that came before. Even though Dodge makes it obvious that this is still a pre-production model, the final result appears to be much more realistic. The ones that come off the production line will undoubtedly all be the same hue. 

This car is almost certainly the electric version because it has "DAYTONA" lettering out back and the revived Fratzog logo up front. Both forms of branding have been closely associated with the Charger's foray into battery power. And even though traditionalists malign the switch, a source tells us the top performance model will pack more than 880 horsepower.

For the gas-only diehards among us, we also got insider confirmation that the twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six will find its home underneath the next-gen Charger's hood.

It's anyone's guess when the new muscle car will debut in full, especially since Dodge's parent company has pulled out of auto shows altogether. What we do know is the automaker promises a "late 2024" release date, so we only have months to wait instead of years. Enjoy these photos in the meantime and let me know what you think in the comments.