Born in the sixties, the Dodge Charger was an icon of the classic American muscle. Big V8 up front, menacing looks, and the statement it made cemented its place in the history of American car culture.
Today, the modern Charger (up until the newest EV) is a four-door sedan, but it still attracts the attention of muscle car enthusiasts. There are many variations for every type of driver, and the engines range from reliable V6 Pentastars to classic HEMI V8s and even fire-breathing supercharged Hellcats.
While V8s naturally get all the attention from performance junkies, the humble Pentastar shouldn’t be underestimated. With huge aftermarket support for the muscle icon, the V6 can also be turned into a great performer.
Here are 11 performance mods for the Dodge Charger V6 that can seriously wake up your car, and most of them are beginner-friendly.
1. Cold Air Intake Kit
First things first, start by improving how your engine “breathes.” Remove the restrictive factory airbox and swap in a good cold air intake kit. It will make your Pentastar V6 more responsive, unlock a couple of horsepower, and improve the throttle response a bit. It is a perfect starter mod to get you into the world of aftermarket upgrades.
Image: S&B Filters
The best part? The air filters used in cold air intake kits are reusable, so you don’t need to change them periodically. Stick with reputable brands to ensure a factory-like seamless fit, a durable finish, and no issues down the road.
2. Exhaust System
An upgraded exhaust system will pair perfectly with the cold air intake. Any quality upgrade to the exhaust system will improve exhaust gas flow, helping with the “breathing” again and freeing up more horsepower by reducing backpressure.
Image: Magnaflow
You can straight pipe the whole system, and it might be cool for street cred, but if you want to keep your new exhaust system tolerable and legal, go for a complete system from a reputable brand.
3. Upgraded Throttle Body
Bolt-on aftermarket throttle bodies or porting the stock throttle body does not add horsepower, but it is great prep work for future power mods. You can retrofit the HEMI throttle body, which is 80 mm, and it can be ported to 87 mm.
You can go aftermarket and get the 78 mm BBK throttle body or port your existing stock unit for more flow. A bigger throttle body will give your Pentastar V6 more torque at lower RPMs and improve throttle response.
4. Pedal Commander® Throttle Response Controller
Speaking of throttle response, the modern Dodge Charger is a drive-by-wire vehicle like almost all modern vehicles. It uses sensors and actuators to move the throttle valve, and the ECU controls and regulates all of the operation. That means the system has restrictions and an unwelcome throttle lag built in from the factory. Performance upgrades improve the throttle response to some extent, but nothing completely eliminates the electronic lag.
That is where the Pedal Commander® throttle response controller comes in. It plugs right into the pedal position sensor and modifies the factory throttle signal with vehicle-specific software. Pedal Commander® eliminates throttle lag and gives you four fully programmable driving modes—Eco, City, Sport, and Sport+. The modes are pretty much self-explanatory, and each one has nine sensitivity levels, so you get 36 settings to fine-tune the pedal response exactly how you want it.
Pedal Commander® does not occupy the OBD II port, and it does not leave diagnostic flags on the ECU. It is completely plug-and-play, 50-state-legal, and comes with a free mobile app to control it wirelessly. Plus, with the built-in Anti-Theft feature, you can disable the gas pedal completely whenever you need extra vehicle security. That is your aftermarket performance upgrade, providing complete peace of mind!
5. ECU Tuning
Tuning the ECU is necessary to get noticeable gains from your intake and exhaust upgrades. A proper ECU tune will tie together your other mods and allow the Pentastar V6 to produce optimum power.
Options like Livernois and Underground Tuning provide plug-and-play or PCM-unlock solutions with gains of up to +30 HP and improved drivability. Custom dyno tuning with DiabloSport can push these numbers further for even more gains.
6. Gear Ratio Upgrade
If your Charger is an RWD, this upgrade is a complete game-changer. You get better 0-60 without adding any more power. The stock final ratio of the base model Charger V6 is 2.62:1, and you can upgrade it to 3.09, 3.70, or 3.90. The final gear swap improves acceleration dramatically.
While cruising RPMs may rise slightly, especially with aggressive ratios like 3.70 or 3.90, the trade-off is worth it for quicker launches. Keep in mind your speedometer may need recalibration to remain accurate after the swap.
7. Bigger Injectors and E85 Tuning
E85 fuel allows for a more aggressive timing and lower temperature in combustion, making the engine produce more efficient and safer power. You will need around 30% more flow in fuel delivery, so bigger injectors are a must to run E85 properly.
8. Upgraded Downpipes
The Pentastar V6’s cylinder heads are cast as one unit with the exhaust manifolds, so you don’t have the traditional headers upgrades for this platform. But you can still upgrade the downpipes with high-flow cats, or even go catless. You will need to get your ECU re-tuned after this, but the difference in power is instantly noticeable.
9. Better Suspension
If you plan to track your Charger, dialing the suspension in is a must-have upgrade. Many coilover suspension kits and chassis bracing options are available on the market. Keep in mind that anything too aggressive will throw off the daily driveability of your car.
Image: Eibach
A good set of coilovers from a reputable brand like KW and a set of beefier sway bars should stiffen the suspension enough for enthusiastic driving without sacrificing daily comfort.
10. Better Brakes
Chargers are big and heavy cars, and stock brakes just don’t cut it, especially if you added a noticeable amount of power. You can upgrade your stock brakes with high-performance rotors and pads and get stainless-steel brake lines to defeat fade. Or if you want to go all in, you can get big brake kits complete with 4- or 6-pot calipers for immense stopping power.
Image: Wilwood Brakes
11. Going Forced Induction
Nothing comes close to forced induction if you’re after serious power. A supercharger sends compressed air into the intake manifold, and it is belt-driven, so you don’t have to wait for it to be engaged like a turbocharger.
Image: RIPP Modifications
There are complete kits out there from very well-known brands, such as the RIPP supercharger kit for the Pentastar V6. Although the fuel economy takes a hit, and installation is a serious project, your Pentastar will produce a reliable 400-450 wheel horsepower!
In conclusion, do not sleep on the Pentastar V6 Charger. It is a potent platform, and with the right upgrades, it can become a great performer without sacrificing much in terms of daily driveability.
