It’s the end of an era for Dodge (STLA) and the beginning of an era for the electric upstart Polestar (PSNY).
During Avoid Speed Week in Detroit, the automaker announced that it was production halted on its popular Dodge Challenger and Charger muscle cars with the 2023 model year. However, Dodge will release 7 special edition models, details of which will follow later this year.
The muscle cars, with versions like the Demon, Hellcat, Redeye, Scat Pack, Shaker and Jailbreak have been in production since 2005, a very long time in the car world.
“We’re celebrating the end of an era — and the beginning of a bright, new, electrified future — by staying true to our brand,” Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis said in a statement. “[Dodge] will mark the last of our iconic Charger and Challenger nameplates in their current form in the same way that brought us here, with a passion for both our products and our enthusiasts.”
For a company that only offers 3 models – the Charger, Challenger and Durango – killing two of those models puts Dodge at a crossroads.
On the other hand, Swedish EV maker Polestar is making its own news and announcing its own ‘muscle car’, if you will, with electric power.
Polestar confirmed its O₂ concept roadster earlier today will be put into productionnow called the Polestar 6. The car is expected to launch in 2026, with reservations starting today.
“Following the overwhelming response from consumers and the press, we have made the decision to put this beautiful roadster into production and I am so excited to make it a reality,” Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said in a statement. “Polestar 6 is a perfect combination of powerful electric performance and the sensation of fresh air with the roof down.”
The Polestar 6 comes with impressive electric muscles under its sporty metal skin. The powertrain has an 800-volt architecture with twin motors that create 884 horsepower and 663 lb-ft of torque. Polestar says the car will go from 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds.
Right now there are no electric two-door coupes on the market that don’t cost hundreds of thousands (or millions) of dollars, and no electric convertibles at all. In what could be a coup for Polestar, it may have the only electric roadster on the market when the Polestar 6 comes out in 2026.
Now Porsche says it will make an electric version of its Boxster convertible, but CEO Oliver Blume has said it will come in the middle of the decade, with no firm launch date. GM also says an electric Corvette is coming but did not offer any details or launch date. The Corvette is traditionally offered with a removable hood or as a standalone convertible.
While we might not see a true convertible muscle car for a while to challenge the Polestar 6, don’t quite count Dodge – the king of muscle cars just yet. has previously said it has an electric muscle car in the works.
And maybe there’ll be a drop-top Dodge, too, for fans of American muscle who dream of a cruise down Detroit’s iconic Woodward Avenue.
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Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on Twitter and further Instagram.
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