Dodge Developing Active Aero Airfoil System for Charger Daytona
A recent patent application indicates that Sterantis may add active aerodynamics capabilities to the Dodge Charger Daytona.
The patent application, first discovered by CarBuzz and filed by Sterantis in 2023 and then published by the USPTO on May 9, shows pop-up wings on the front edge of the Charger's front mask. Typically, the flaps attached to the flaps deploy into the updrafts, like the active aero elements of the Pagani Waira supercar.
According to the documentation, the front wing could be a single unit or multiple sections deployed using actuators. The angle of the wing could be automatically adjusted based on the current drive mode or manually controlled by the driver.
The redesigned Dodge Charger in 2024 will have a gasoline inline 6-cylinder engine, but this feature appears to be specific to the electric Charger Daytona variant. The airfoil is attached to the Daytona's unique R-wing, a raised area with air channels under the front end. This allowed the designers to give the new Charger a proboscis similar to the iconic 1968 model.
The Charger Daytona, which is expected to arrive at dealerships this summer, will be available in R/T and Scat Pack configurations with a dual motor all-wheel drive powertrain and 100.5 kwh battery pack. Dodge may be saving the Active Aero for another future Charger variant (possibly called the Banshee) similar to the Hellcat.
Dodge's Detroit rivals are also considering Active Aero for future performance models. General Motors has filed a patent for an active aero for its C8 Corvette ZR1, possibly to be unveiled this summer, and Ford is trying to patent a deployable dive plane.