Dodge Reintroduced the V6 Durango Due to a Shortage of V8 Engines.

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      If you've been keeping up with the resurgence of internal combustion engines among the various Stellantis brands, you likely know that SRT is making a comeback after a short break, continuing its "V8 all the things" mission. This raised questions about how far Dodge, Ram, Jeep, and Chrysler could stretch the concept. However, it seems we've hit a limit: there just aren’t enough V8 engines available to keep up.

      This isn't a significant issue for Ram; the brand effectively managed customer expectations during the Hemi revival. Meanwhile, Jeep’s V8 comeback is in its infancy, as the popular Grand Cherokee hasn’t yet officially benefited from it. On the other hand, Dodge has had to save the older Durango SUV from retirement simply because the company lacks other offerings. The brief-lived, Italian-made Hornet faded away due to the cancellation of electrification incentives and new tariffs, eliminating the brand’s only affordable, mass-market option. Currently, Chargers are scarce as Stellantis increases production of the new internal combustion Sixpack models.

      Consequently, the Durango now accounts for nearly 90% of Dodge's sales. Yes, you read that correctly. Although the Durango is used to high production numbers, it has been five years since Dodge experienced this level of consistency. While this is a positive situation for Dodge—it’s better to sell Durangos than nothing at all—the SUV's unexpected popularity has created a new challenge for Stellantis: it can’t produce V8s quickly enough.

      This is another positive problem, and to tackle it, Dodge wisely decided to keep the V6 model in production for 2026, increasing the overall number of vehicles it can sell while also lowering the Durango’s base price. Recently, we spoke with Dodge CEO Matt McAlear, who previously stated that the Hemi would be the standard engine for 2026, and we asked for clarification on what seemed like a change in direction.

      “We announced our intention,” McAlear admitted. “We announced an all V8 lineup.” He accurately noted that bringing back the V6 did not violate any commitments.

      “We didn’t change our pricing or position,” McAlear emphasized. “We maintained the price point we launched the V8 with on the GT 5.7. We never removed the V6 from production for other markets. We had it for fleets, Canada, Mexico, and Europe.”

      Indeed, the Hemi remains available, just as McAlear promised for 2026; there are now simply more affordable, V6 options available.

      “What we discovered was that as consumer demand for this vehicle continues to rise,” McAlear explained, “we couldn’t satisfy all the demand as quickly as we wanted to with the Hemi while trying to increase Hemi production for multiple models.”

      And by this, he refers not only to Dodge but also to Ram and Jeep, which have their own requirements from the company's V8 program.

      “To meet consumer demand, we had no other reason for this decision,” McAlear said. “[Durango is] currently the fastest-moving vehicle in our portfolio. That's why we brought back the V6.”

      There’s no guarantee that this unplanned expansion will carry on into 2027, according to McAlear.

      “If necessary, and if there’s consumer demand at that price point while maintaining the GT 5.7, RT 392, and Hellcat, we will consider it,” he stated.

      He also mentioned that increasing V8 production capacity is essential to the company’s immediate strategy.

      “We’re focused on increasing Hemi production as we’ve indicated, and we will keep working towards that goal,” he added.

      McAlear also pointed to this situation as evidence that Stellantis's multi-energy platform strategy is paying off.

      “Just as we shifted our focus from the Charger to the Hurricane engines instead of the BEV,” he noted. “Things could change next week. Things can change tomorrow. We could revert to 100% battery electric production if desired.”

      “We are here to meet consumers where they are with their choices. We’re providing the power of choice and freedom of choice.”

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