Bad news for the “save the manual” crowd: Dodge stopped offering the manual transmission on the Challenger Hellcat in late 2021 – but all is not lost.
There has been chatter about the issue on Mopar forums for a while now and Dodge confirmed to Road & Track that it stopped offering the manual transmission on the Challenger Hellcat in November 2021.
“The manual transmission is temporarily unavailable for ordering in the Dodge Challenger Hellcat,” a spokesperson told Carscoops. “There’s a revised calibration coming for that powertrain combination. As I said, it’s a temporary situation, but I do not have a firm date to share for Hellcat MTX orders re-opening.”
Read Also: Dodge’s Direct Connection Will Unleash Your Hellcat V8 And Cover It Under Factory Warranty
When asked what advantages, specifically, the revised calibration would offer, the spokesperson simply responded “continuous improvement.” Fortunately for fans of changing their own gears, the six-speed manual transmission is still available on Challenger R/T models with the 5.7-liter V8 and the Scat Pack with the 6.2-liter V8.
The Dodge Challenger Hellcat is powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8 that makes 707 hp (527 kW/717 PS) and 650 lb-ft (881 Nm) of torque. Power only rises from there, with the SRT Hellcat Redeye package pushing the figure all the way up to 797 hp (594 kW/808 PS).
Both models can have another 10 horses added if owners opt for the Jailbreak package. Dodge’s revived Direct Connection team, meanwhile, can add even more power with warrantied modification packages that can be installed at select dealers.