Dodge's latest Copperhead SRT may lack a V8 engine and is not derived from the Charger.
**1997 Dodge Copperhead Concept**
The most significant car news and reviews, straight to the point.
Subscribe to our free daily newsletter to receive the most important stories directly to your inbox every weekday.
Things aren't always what they seem, or how they may appear to our eyes. On Thursday, during Stellantis' presentation on its turnaround plan, the automaker revealed the Dodge Copperhead SRT to journalists and analysts in a confined environment where no electronic devices were permitted. We had a glimpse of it for only about three minutes. The paint may have still been fresh, and touching it was off-limits!
During that brief viewing, it seemed like the Copperhead SRT was derived from the Dodge Charger, but that’s not the case. Tim Kuniskis, the Head of American Brands, CEO of Ram, and Head of SRT, had an exclusive one-on-one conversation with The Drive on the latest episode of The Drivecast regarding various upcoming products, including the Copperhead SRT. He disclosed an important detail, stating, “I can tell you that it is not based on the hard points of a Charger.”
You can listen to the full discussion starting from the moment Kuniskis shares details about the Copperhead below.
So why isn’t the Copperhead based on the Charger? “You couldn’t configure a Charger to have those proportions and that stance because of the multi-energy design with the battery housed at the bottom of the car—without compromising. I mean, for a show car, perhaps, but this car is not compromised. These are authentic hard points, with genuine production-intent proportions,” Kuniskis explained.
The multi-energy design Kuniskis mentioned is due to the Charger being built on the STLA Large platform. This platform can support various configurations, from electric to gas engines, as well as a transitional EREV powertrain. As Kuniskis pointed out, this design necessitates that the vehicle floor is elevated across all models to accommodate the battery in electric versions. Even gas-powered Chargers have this elevated structure, resulting in a considerable amount of open space beneath them.
Kuniskis did not confirm the exact platform used for the Copperhead but suggested it’s derived from the global Stellantis portfolio. This leads to numerous questions regarding where this flagship vehicle will be manufactured once it goes into production. “SRT can only be successful if it can utilize sunk investments from around the world [emphasis ours] and make the most of them. Attempting to create high-performance halo cars from scratch will not yield a return. It’s akin to racing purely for the sake of racing—it's a matter of ego. Investments that are already made need to be leveraged,” Kuniskis stated.
I caught sight of exhaust tips, and Kuniskis confirmed that the Copperhead “would have a combustion engine.” The use of “would” suggests certainty about it being part of the product roadmap I observed. But what type of gas engine will it feature? Don't automatically assume it will be a V8.
“We have some concepts and possibilities we're exploring. It could be something unfamiliar to you or something that doesn’t exist at this moment. It’s easy to look at our current offerings and conclude, ‘Okay, it’s a Hemi, it’s this, it’s that.’ However, this car is committed to being available from now until 2030, so there may be another engine that nobody knows about, which would be ideal for it,” Kuniskis mentioned.
Kuniskis revealed that Stellantis is "experimenting with some new technology" and indicated we’ll see it this summer, right before Roadkill Nights in August.
When asked about a hybrid V8, Kuniskis dismissed the idea, stating that such a setup would quickly date the car and eventually render it “an 8-track.”
The thought of a 426 Hellephant Hemi is enticing, but Kuniskis wasn’t swayed by the suggestion when it was brought up.
Interestingly, Dodge CEO Matt McAlear told The Drive in March, “We’re going to keep pushing the boundaries of this engine [the Hurricane I6] to see what it can achieve.” McAlear also confirmed that SRT is actively working on “upgrades we can provide for the Sixpack.”
Do you have a tip about future products? Reach out to us at tips@thedrive.com.
Dodge's latest Copperhead SRT may lack a V8 engine and is not derived from the Charger.
In a unique interview, the creator of the Hellcat explains why the Copperhead's dimensions are "authentically presented" and describes a hybrid V8 as "an outdated technology."