Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack EV vs. Ford Mustang Dark Horse Comparison Test: End of the Muscle Car?

What precisely is a muscle car? Depends on who you ask. Younger readers will likely point to modern iron like the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Dodge Challenger coupe and Charger sedan—any American car with rear drive and an optional V-8. Our esteemed older readers likely have different ideas—dismissing the aforementioned as pony cars and pointing to intermediate-bodied coupes with V-8s as prime examples—your Chevelles, Fairlanes, or original Chargers. Others still likely look at the slot-car-sized Mustangs and Camaros of the ’80s and ’90s as the cream of the crop.

No doubt most if not all agree, however, about what a muscle car does. It announces you’ve begun your day and when you’ve arrived. It encourages you to look over at the driver next to you at the light and think, “Yeah, I got ’em.” It inspires you to tell your buddies, “Watch this!” as you roast your rear tires and next week’s paycheck in a parking lot. We’re talking about a type of car that invites viral mobs to take over inner-city intersections so you can show off how many donuts you can (or can’t) do before smacking into a light pole. These are cars for hooligans and more responsible enthusiasts, united in their love of fun and shenanigans.

Muscle cars have of course been at risk before, but you might say things look dire as we round out the first quarter of the 21st century. The future of the V-8, long viewed by many American enthusiasts as a birthright, is uncertain among rising global temperatures, stricter emissions regulations, and consumer sentiment. Beyond the social hurdles at play, automakers haven’t invested much in them as of late, preferring smaller, more power-dense turbocharged six-cylinders or electric motors in their place.

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The Status Quo

The segment is also undergoing another period of contraction and change. The Camaro, long the Mustang’s foil, is dead yet again with GM offering vague promises about its future return.

As for the Mustang, it remains a source of stability. Bolstered by the popular Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, the traditional Mustang coupe and convertible soldier on strong thanks to some timely 2024 updates. Underneath the ’60s-throwback sheetmetal, the newest Mustang sports a heavily revised chassis, suspension, and steering system designed to make the Ford a more agile driver through bends, all while running with reworked engines—including a freer-breathing 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 designed to make more power.

The Mustang Darkhorse is the lineup’s show pony, a new trim level Ford hopes will one day be as well-known as its Shelby models. Its 5.0-liter V-8 makes 500 hp and 418 lb-ft of torque (a 20-hp boost over the Mustang GT), driving the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or, as seen in our test car, a 10-speed automatic, plus a Torsen limited-slip differential.

A modern homage of sorts to past Mustang Boss models, the Dark Horse is designed to dominate dragstrips and road courses alike. Ford fits it with a grab bag of performance hardware, including extra body bracing, stiffer anti-roll bars, massive six-piston front and four-piston rear Brembo brakes, and Magneride dampers. The handling package on our Mustang test machine also adds super-sticky track-ready Pirelli tires, a more aggressive suspension setup, and an aero kit with a removable front splitter and a rear Gurney flap on the decklid. Total out-the-door price for this loaded Mustang Dark Horse: $80,950.

While the Mustang soldiers on, the Dodge Challenger joins the Camaro in the great junkyard in the sky, despite a surprising surge to the top of the sales charts in recent years. Dating back to the mid 2000s, the Challenger and related Charger sedan are now replaced by Stellantis’ new two- and four-door 2024 Dodge Charger. This Charger, coincidentally, is the first modern American muscle car—if you’re willing to call it such—to forgo a V-8. The Charger Sixpack features Stellantis’ new 3.0-liter twin-turbo Hurricane I-6 under its long hood, while the Charger Daytona will swap the engine and eight-speed automatic for a 400-volt, 100.5-kWh battery pack, dual permanent-magnet motors, and single-speed transmissions.

Dodge promises us the Daytona will pick up where the Challenger and Charger models left off. The Daytona Scat Pack Track package is currently the top of the heap until the SRT variant arrives. Its front- and rear-mounted motors combine for up to 670 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque (with Power Boost; nominal output is otherwise “just” 630 hp), promising quicker straight-line performance than any street-legal muscle car to come before it thanks to a combination of all-wheel drive, mechanical limited-slip differentials, and the instant torque available via electric motors. The Charger Daytona should be more than just a one-trick pony, though. The Track pack—standard for what’s become a long 2024 model-year run—adds six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes, adaptative dampers, staggered 20-inch wheels, and a slew of software-derived drive modes such as Launch Control, Track, Drag, and Drift/Donut to go with the standard Auto, Eco, and Sport settings, plus a battery-conditioning mode for extended track sessions.

But muscle cars are about more than just the “go.” To that end, the Dodge both looks and sounds the part. Expertly melding styling cues from vintage ’60s and ’70s Chargers, the new Charger is only 2.0 inches shorter (though on a far longer wheelbase) than its ’60s predecessors, giving it truly sinister visuals curbside.

Holding down the audible end of the spectrum is the car’s unique “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust.” Essentially two speakers with a dedicated amplifier strapped behind the Charger’s rear bumper, the Fratzonic system blends the sounds of vintage Mopar muscle to give the package a menacing thrum of its own, barking on startup, rumbling at idle, and screaming at wide-open throttle. Although the new Charger pays homage to the blue collar original, its pricing directly reflects modern realities: Our fully loaded test car stickers for $85,965.

No matter your personal definition of “muscle car,” the new Charger Daytona unquestionably generates some existential questions for those who love the format. Can an all-wheel-drive electric car ever really be taken seriously? Can the muscle car even survive electrification?

Beyond looking the part—which both cars tested here unquestionably do—a real muscle car needs to do three things well: dominate on the track, be an exceptional boulevardier and back-road companion, and encourage the immature fun so synonymous with the genre.

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Racing For Pinks

The first item on our muscle car purity test agenda: the dragstrip. The Ford weighs in as the flyweight of the two at, er, 4,028 pounds. The far larger Charger tips the scales at—yes, really—5,916 pounds. Its battery pack accounts for 1,356 of them, according to Dodge.

We’ve long since become used to the blistering accelerative performance of multiple permanent-magnet motors and all-wheel drive, and again here it proves its advantages, allowing the Charger Daytona to overcome its pound-per-horsepower disadvantage to smack down the Mustang Dark Horse. Using Launch Control and its Drag mode, the Charger’s getaway was smooth as it hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and ran through the quarter mile in 11.5 seconds at 120.5 mph, the boombox soundtrack more dramatic than the run itself.

The Ford, to its credit, wasn’t far off. Even without a launch control setting (that’s exclusive to manual Dark Horses), the Mustang was easy to catapult in its own Drag mode—banging out a respectable 3.7-second 0–60 run and a 12.0-second quarter mile at 118.4 mph. Given the late surge in speed we observed in the Mustang, we expect the Ford would’ve run down the Charger in a longer drag race.

When it comes to whoaing down, the Dodge posted a respectable 104-foot stop from 60 mph, while the Ford’s borderline insane 86-foot stop is among the best we’ve recorded. Ever.

Less of a surprise is how the two cars performed in our handling tests. Designed for track duty, the Mustang won on the figure-eight course, lapping it masterfully in just 23.7 seconds at 0.86 g average.

The big Charger Daytona, on the other hand, posted a respectable 24.1-second lap, averaging 0.84 g in the process—quicker than any Hellcat-equipped Challenger or Charger (or Mustang GT) we’ve tested. But there’s clearly room for improvement. The Charger Daytona’s laps were anything but clean—the quickest one came with the car in its Track setting with stability control switched off, but even then the Dodge fought us the whole way, limiting acceleration until the front wheels were arrow straight, repeatedly locking the front brakes on corner entry, and spinning the inside front tire through corners—an odd sight coming from any muscle car.

Efficiency isn’t traditionally among the reasons people buy muscle cars. Even so, it’s worth diving briefly into the topic given this electric powertrain’s novelty. The Charger Daytona Scat Pack Track package with performance tires is EPA-rated at 74/66/70 mpg-e and 216 miles of driving range. In our 70-mph Road-Trip Range test, it cleared only 185 miles. With a middling peak charge rate of 180 kW (largely a consequence of its 400-volt electrical architecture), recharging from 5 to 80 percent took 44 minutes. The 800-volt architecture Dodge promises for the upcoming Charger Daytona SRT is meant to improve power delivery, pull weight out of the car, and charge twice as quickly as the existing model. Releasing a new EV in 2025—let alone a performance EV—without an 800-volt system is damning your customers to a frustrating road trip and track experience.

Likewise, however, the Mustang Dark Horse guzzles gas like it’s in need of refreshment after running the Kentucky Derby, netting an EPA-rated 14/22/17 mpg and 272 miles of range. That latter figure is aspirational at best, and you should expect to spend 10 minutes every 200 miles or so at your nearest source of premium fuel.

Vanishing Point

Track testing done, we set our navs for some of our favorite roads to see if the Charger Daytona could muscle back into contention. Surprisingly, it does.

Thanks to its generous size, cushy cabin, and ample power, the Charger Daytona is at home dusting up highways. There’s plenty of space to spread out in both rows, with the cabin’s fit, finish, and overall quality far and away the best we’ve seen in a Dodge this century. Without a transmission to contend with, ample passing power is just a flex of your big toe away. Should another driver goad you into it, more juice (and an appropriately loud response from the Fratzonic) is just a thumb press away via the Power Shot button. Despite the big 20-inch wheels and the sticky, staggered 11- and 11.5-inch-wide tires, the Dodge’s ride is sublime and the cabin quiet, the Fratzonic exhaust’s subdued thrum in the background lulling the inattentive into believing this Charger is like any other before it.

Once real-road corners come its way, the bad behavior we observed at the track mostly fades away, too. While prone to unleashing little wisps of smoke from its inside front and rear tires, the Charger’s great braking power and feel, low center of gravity, responsive steering, and good body and chassis control make it quite fun on a good back road. Driving it like you would a powerful rear-drive car instead of one with all-wheel drive helps make the most of the Charger Daytona, as you get into a rhythm of flying down straightaways, braking hard for corners, and patiently waiting for the next straight. Unlike some contemporary electric performance cars, there’s no software trickery such as rear torque bias occurring to make this car feel more agile; it is very much a big sedan and drives like one. Uncorking it on a curvy road feels like you’re doing something you’re not supposed to—which in a way is a muscle car’s entire point.

As for the Dark Horse, it delivers its own surprise considering it’s so singularly focused on track performance. While unquestionably louder, smaller, and less comfortable than the Dodge, the Ford is nevertheless a great place to be as you cover a large number of miles. We advise you to ignore the slow, finicky infotainment system and abysmal interior quality you paid $81,000 for and just focus on the drive. The Magneride dampers help make an otherwise firm suspension setup tolerable on poor-quality roads, the occasional tramline is easy to fight with the light steering rack, and the Coyote V-8—despite its high redline—is equally happy loafing along in 10th gear at 1,500 rpm as it is at the top of third at 7,500 rpm.

We are certainly happier wringing out the Dark Horse on a good back road. If the Dodge tolerates twists, the Mustang thrives through them, coming alive in a way few muscle cars do. There’s immediacy to the Ford’s inputs that’s usually only found in great driver’s cars. Toggled into its Sport or Track modes, the Dark Horse is explosive and addicting to run through the gears, even if we’d ultimately prefer the manual-equipped version. The Mustang’s nose is equally quick to turn in, scything corners like skates into ice, its chassis and suspension tuning exhibiting a refined poise that reminds us just how long Ford has been making Mustangs.

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It’s About More Than Numbers

As thousands of social media clips of muscle cars—usually Mustangs, if we’re honest—leaving car gatherings can attest, there’s something about a muscle car that can turn even the most mature adult into an idiocy-prone teenager again. We won’t ever officially encourage such antisocial behavior as burnouts, drifts, or donuts on public roads, but there’s a time and place for everything, and a muscle car is expected to deliver.

The Ford unquestionably does. Thanks to some clever software engineering, most Mustangs (including the Dark Horse) have nifty features like a line lock for burnouts and a “drift brake,” for, well, drifting. Although we typically prefer to do these sorts of things without help, these two functions unquestionably make it all easier. After a bit of menu diving in Drag mode, line lock holds the front brakes and allows you to roast your rear tires to your heart’s content. If you get tired of that, the drift brake (accessible in Track mode with traction control off) lets you use the Mustang’s innovative electronic parking-brake handle to lock the rear tires like a rally car’s, allowing owners to do their best Ken Block impressions without ruining their parking brake.

When it comes to antics like this, the jury remains out on the Charger Daytona. Its only party trick as of now is Drift/Donut mode, which turns down the front motor’s wick to give the car a rear bias and gives the stability control a little more margin for slippage. Getting the heavy Charger drifting takes some effort, a lot of real estate, and a little speed. The Dodge will drift, but it’s difficult to sustain given the rear motor is only good for 335 horses on its own and it must contend with the massive, sticky tires. We suspect drifts and donuts could come easier to Charger Daytona owners who opt for all-season rubber and/or smaller wheels.

As for burnouts? Oh boy. The Charger Daytona disappointingly can’t do one. It’s simply too heavy and has too much grip for that rear motor to overcome physics and turn rubber into smoke. Dodge promises the coming SRT variant will be able to do a standing burnout, but until then, the Charger Sixpack is likely to be the only Dodge burning rubber.

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Can an EV Ever Be a Muscle Car?

No matter how you define “muscle car,” after testing the Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack extensively, we are open-minded about EVs’ potential to be a legit part of the group. The Charger certainly hits many of the required marks. Beyond looking the part, it feels it. The dual motors—for all their lack of tire-roasting capability—make up for it with their instant neck-snapping power delivery and V-8-like torque curve. The Fratzonic Exhaust provides the audio and tactile feedback of a real engine, only pulling you out of the illusion when you notice the car keeps “revving” and hasn’t shifted in a while. The Charger Daytona passes the muscle car sniff test, even if there’s some room for improvement with regards to its charging speed, excessive weight, and inability to burn rubber.

The Mustang Dark Horse? It’s difficult not to look pridefully at the Ford as an American. It is unapologetically a muscle car—it’ll torch its rear tires, step out on you if you’re greedy with the throttle, and destroy your ear drums—but it’s also capable of hanging with many of the rest of the world’s great sports car. Its front end has so much bite and grip and its chassis is so well-sorted and composed that a skilled driver can easily hang the Dark Horse onto the bumper of a Porsche or BMW on a curvy back road or take it to a track day and make no apologies. It’s a muscle car, but it’s also very much more.

Despite the shaky state of the muscle car, the new Charger Daytona proves an EV can certainly be one. For now, however, the best one remains powered by a good old-fashioned V-8. Times are changing, but the Mustang remains a refreshing constant.

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2nd Place: 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack Track Package

Verdict: Our first preview of the 21st-century muscle car is a promising one. We hope Dodge continues to refine the idea.

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1st Place: 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Verdict: If this is peak muscle car, the format is certainly going out on top.