Dodge Previews Charger PPV Prototype

Source: MoparInsiders ↗

Dodge showed an early police-equipped version of its new Charger at Police Fleet Expo 2026, giving law enforcement agencies their first look at what appears to be the replacement for the previous-generation Charger Pursuit, MoparInsiders reported. Dodge is calling the car the Charger PPV, for police pursuit vehicle.

Stellantis has not confirmed a production police model. In a statement to The Detroit News, the company said it highlighted its current public safety and specialty vehicles at the show, including the Durango Pursuit, the retail Dodge Charger, the DJ Emergency Response Vehicle and the Grand Wagoneer COV.

“Law enforcement agencies are naturally interested in the new Charger, so it was important for us to give attendees an opportunity to see the vehicle in person and experience it firsthand,” the statement said. “However, it’s too early to provide any additional details beyond what has already been shared publicly. We’ll have more to communicate at the appropriate time.”

Jason Meyer of Team One Network, which photographed the prototype at the show, said Dodge is targeting summer 2027 to open Charger PPV orders, according to MoparInsiders. Stellantis has not confirmed that timing.

Built on the Charger Sixpack R/T

MoparInsiders reported that the prototype is based on the Charger Sixpack R/T and uses the standard-output version of Stellantis’ twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six. In the civilian R/T, that engine makes 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque and is paired with the 880RE eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Charger PPV is expected to come standard with all-wheel drive. The civilian R/T’s all-wheel-drive system can also run in rear-wheel drive, but Dodge has not released final specifications showing how the police version will be configured.

Changes for police equipment

Photos of the prototype show an interior that differs from the civilian Charger in several ways:

• The large production center console has been removed, opening space for radios, siren controls, computers and switches.
• The pistol-grip electronic shifter and push-button start remain, mounted in a simpler center section, rather than the column-mounted shifter used in the previous Charger Pursuit.
• A police partition separates the front seats, which appear similar to the standard R/T seats, from the rear passenger area.
• The rear seat is still a standard cloth bench.
• The rear door panels still carry factory power-window switches and door-lock buttons, a sign the car is an early development vehicle.

The eighth-generation Charger’s liftback design, with a large hatch connecting the passenger compartment to the cargo area, had raised questions about separating detained passengers from equipment stored in the rear. The prototype adds a divider behind the rear seat and a large equipment tray in the cargo area.

Dodge says police Charger is “part of the plan”

Less than 48 hours before the prototype appeared, Chrysler and Dodge CEO Matt McAlear told MoparInsiders at Roadkill Nights that a police Charger is “absolutely part of the plan.” He said he had met with the General Services Administration and the company’s fleet team, which he said is “actively working with the California Highway Patrol and the Michigan State Police, two of the main bodies that help set the standards for what a pursuit model must be.”

“It’s always taken a Charger to catch a Charger, and it’s not something we’re walking away from,” McAlear said.

Dodge has been exploring a new police Charger since at least October 2024, when it showed images at a police industry event of a then-2025 electric Charger Daytona R/T fitted with law enforcement equipment. That version was listed with dual electric drive modules, full-time all-wheel drive, 456 horsepower, 404 lb-ft of torque and more than 300 miles of estimated range.

What is not yet known

The Charger PPV is not part of the Michigan State Police 2027 model year evaluation, where the Durango Pursuit in 5.7L and 3.6L versions is the only Dodge entry, so no MSP test data exists for the car yet.

Dodge has not announced police-specific suspension tuning, brakes, cooling, electrical systems, equipment packages, pricing or performance certification.