Despite the seemingly back-and-forth decision-making with a HEMI V-8-powered Charger, one major factor still isn't going anywhere: emissions and fuel economy compliance. Regardless of demands and wants of the customers, automakers still have to abide by federal regulations limiting exhaust emissions and fuel economy ratings.

Dodge and V-8s go together like baseball and hot dogs. The former is made better because of the existence of the latter. When former CEO Carlos Tavares was at the helm of Stellantis, Dodge’s parent company,