The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona Sounds Both Decent and Terrible

Dodge had billed the outgoing Challenger as an “authentic, modern muscle car,” but times have changed. The model is being replaced by a new two-door Charger and it’s being launched as an electric vehicle.

And if that wasn’t enough, authenticity has been put aside. The sound of the Charger Daytona is the best example of this.

More: 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona starts at $59,595

We’ll get into the details in a moment, but give it a listen before you dive into the marketing hyperbole and divisive opinions. What does it look like? Does it sound good or bad?

While everyone can draw their own conclusions, this seems to be a mixed bag of commonalities. In some situations, the Fratzonic chamber exhaust does a respectable job of recreating the rumble of a traditional muscle car. Is it perfect? ​​No, but it’s still pretty good.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case, as sometimes the sound is weird or a little too futuristic. The startup sound also seems similar to the one featured on the Charger Daytona SRT concept, so it feels fake and out of place. It’s also like the team couldn’t decide whether they wanted to replicate the sound of a muscle car or go in a new futuristic direction, so they did a bit of both for shocking effect.

Of course, Dodge doesn’t see it that way, as the brand’s CEO Matt McAlear said the Fratzonic chamber exhaust produces a “raw growl” and “delivers the adrenaline that customers expect.” That sound is created by two “high-efficiency, extreme bandwidth transducers coupled with two Fratzonic chamber passive radiators, all housed in a custom enclosure and powered by a dedicated amplifier rated at up to 600 watts.”

To better reflect what’s happening, the system “integrates driver and vehicle inputs, such as accelerator pedal position, speed and torque output, to deliver the Charger Daytona’s signature performance sounds.” That’s because the faster you drive, the louder the noise becomes. However, there are a multitude of “sound scenarios” and the experience changes depending on the drive mode selected.

Dodge also offers a stealth mode that seems to shut out all nonsense sounds. It’s billed as “completely silent” and presumably offers a more traditional electric vehicle experience.

In addition to revealing the car’s sound, Dodge announced a new 20-part video series that will highlight the “revolutionary facets and features” of the 2024 Charger. The first video plays like a 37-second soft commercial, so you might not want to sit on the edge of your seat for the next 19 weeks.

As a reminder, the 2024 Charger Daytona starts at $59,595 and features a 100.5 kWh battery pack and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system. The R/T produces up to 496 hp (370 kW / 503 PS), while the Scat Pack develops up to 670 hp (500 kW / 679 PS). The models also offer a range of up to 510 km.