The Various Challenger Engines & Their Specs

This is the smallest engine ever made available to the third generations of Challengers. As the base level, economy friendly V6 running from 2008-2011 models, it’s no surprise this little V6 made very little power in comparison to the other engines in the Challengers. These weren’t exactly the “go fast engine.” Instead, they are a great option for those who want the look of a Challenger without spending too much money on gas.

• 3.6 inch bore x 3.2-inch stroke
• 250hp, 250lb-ft of torque

For 2011, Dodge got on board with the idea that nobody who owns a Challenger should be going slow. So, they offered a beefier V6 with a wider bore and slightly longer stroke. Sure, it’s still very similar in terms of displacement to the smaller 3.5L, but it offers more than 50 additional ponies. With over 300 hp, this engine has landed itself in specialty models such as the all-wheel-drive GT Challengers. 

• 3.8 inch bore x 3.3-inch stroke
• 305hp, 268lb-ft of torque

The 5.7 Hemi was the first of the third generation Hemi engines to appear on today’s market. It was only right they be paired with the Challenger upon its initial rebirth. Since the dawn of the third generation Challenger, this mighty 5.7L Hemi has been paired with the R/T models. Sure, in 2011 it returned with some revisions to increase power output but the internal characteristics have stayed virtually the same, which maintains its displacement. As a favorite for engine swaps and serious mods, it’s not looking as if we’ll see this engine ride off into the sunset any time soon.

• 3.917-inch bore x 3.578-inch Stroke
• (2008-2010) 370hp, 398lb-ft of torque
• (2011-current) 375hp, 410lb-ft of torque

When the SRT team got involved with the Challenger, they were sure to pair the initial run with a larger engine than the mighty 5.7L. With a giant bore peering over the 4-inch mark, it’s no wonder the 6.1L topped out with 425 hp. These engines were powerful and stout but were shortlived. Dodge had major plans for the Challenger, however, and would push these engines out for the 2011 model debut.

• 4.055-inch bore x 3.579-inch stroke 
• 425hp, 420lb-ft of torque

We’re going in order of displacement, not power so up next we have the most powerful of the Challenger engines, which isn’t the largest. The 6.2-liter Hemi engine can be found in either the Hellcat or Demon Challengers. 

These engines share the same bore diameter of the larger 6.4 but the same stroke as the much smaller 5.7. Though with some boost combined with the mad scientist engineers at Dodge, these engines were not only capable of breaking into 9 second quarter mile times, but also were able to lift the front tires off the ground. 

• 4.09-inch bore x 3.578-inch stroke
• 707hp, 650lb-ft of torque (Hellcat)
• 840hp, 770lb-ft of torque (Demon)

Here we end our list of engines with the 6.4L mother of third-gen Hemi engines. This engine has been making plenty of waves as it is capable of turning out some serious, naturally aspirated, power. This engine has not only the largest bore available to third gen Hemis but also the longest stroke. Dodge seems to have remembered the value of displacement by pairing the large bore with a 3.72 inch stroke. The massive 6.4L has been stealing hearts since 2011 and shows no sign of stopping. 

• 4.09-inch stroke x 3.72-inch stroke
• (2011-2014) 470hp, 470lb-ft of torque
• (2015-current) 485hp, 475lb-ft of torque

The V6 platforms are offered in a range of Challenger submodels and are fairly common. Why wouldn’t they be as they are paired with the most affordable Challengers on the market? With that being said, the types of mods commonly made to these engines are more modern than what you may find on the Hemis. 

Owners can easily swap in tunes, intakes, and exhaust parts to help these engines turn out a little more power. Although, superchargers to transform a modest V6 powered Challenger into an all-out sleeper are commonly sought after as well. 

The Hemi engines are powerful and bring back the feeling of real muscle with their throwback badging and their whopping displacement. Because of this, the kinds of mods done are all over the board. Most are looking to utilize forced induction to keep up with the trend set by the beastly Demons and Hellcats, but tuners and intakes are common enough to top the demand for that. Another popular mod is stroker kits. That’s right; third-gen Hemis are often stroked out to massively increase the power output as well.