Back in February we heard that rumors were being spread at the Detroit Auto Show about the Barracuda nameplate being brought back to replace the Dodge Challenger. We also exclusively reported last summer that later this year SRT will offer a factory supercharger option on the LX- platform SRT8 models. Now it appears the two rumors are converging to become something more.
According to a report on Allpar, not only is an SRT-branded Barracuda going to replace the Dodge Challenger sometime around 2014-2015, but it'll be be the first vehicle to sport a supercharged HEMI engine. The engine in question is said to be a 6.2-liter V-8 instead of the new
6.4-liter V-8, which seems odd to us.Our original report regarding the supercharged HEMIs in the SRT8 vehicles said the new option would appear late in 2012 for the 2013 model year. Our source told us the supercharged V-8s would put out approximately 540-570 horsepower and would use a twin-screw supercharger kit.
While the timing all seems murky at this point, both the resurrection of the Barracuda and the option of supercharged HEMIs seems to keep popping up in the rumor mill. This can only mean good things for enthusiasts in the near future.
-----
I think this makes sense. They have to, at some point, take the current Challenger somewhere. Why not stop production and start building a Barracuda?
Patrick