Stellantis’ $10 Billion Gamble Could Bring Back V8 Muscle Cars

Stellantis has a brand new plan to boost profits, but one of its core ideas is a blast from the past. The automaker plans to lavish $10 billion of investment on its US divisions, and some of that money could help return a V8 muscle car to Dodge’s lineup, a report says.

The Stellantis management team, headed by new CEO Antonio Filosa, is set to announce $5 billion of new funding for North American activities this week, according to Bloomberg. That cash is on top of $5 billion already earmarked for the US side of the Stellantis operation, which bosses think is the most likely to return the overall business to full health after ousted CEO Carlos Tavares focused much effort on Europe.

Related: Dodge Axes Most Powerful Charger Daytona Before Launch

Top of the list of brands to benefit from the new cash pool is reportedly Jeep and, in the longer term, Chrysler may finally be rebooted with more than just a couple of ancient minivans in its portfolio. But the part of the strategy sure to get enthusiasts excited is the prospect of a “new Dodge V8 muscle car.”

This is far from the first time we’ve heard of plans for a new Dodge V8-powered model, which will almost certainly be the new Charger coupe and sedan, though Bloomberg’s sources didn’t drill down that far into the details.

Last year, Dodge claimed the old Hemi V8 from the now-dead Challenger and previous generation Charger wouldn’t fit in the bay of the new Charger, which is built around the Stellantis STLA Large platform and designed to accept either Hurricane inline six-cylinder engines or electric motors. But this summer, Dodge chief exec Matt McAlear was singing a different tune, saying, “Don’t be surprised if it would fit.”

The Charger Daytona EV is a flop, and although there’s much more interest in the Hurricane combustion Chargers, many fans would certainly prefer a V8. And though not part of the original plan, that’s looking more possible now that the Trump administration has relaxed emissions requirements.