New Patent Hints at Active Aero for Dodge Charger Daytonas

First discovered by CarBuzz, a new filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office gives us our first hint at a potential active aerodynamic setup for the front end of the forthcoming Dodge Charger Daytonas. While the new Charger Daytonas will be offered in both gas-powered and all-electric versions, this bit of tech seems more suited to the EV version, which doesn’t need as much airflow through front-mounted heat exchangers.

Filed by FCA US LLC, a legal entity within the larger Stellantis organization, the patent shows images of adaptive flaps placed on the nose of the new Charger that can adjust to improve front-end downforce. We’ve seen this sort of tech in high-end exotics such as the Pagani Huayra before, but never in a more mainstream application like Dodge’s muscle car.

According to the patent filing, the design of the front airfoil features actuators that could “change lift and drag to suit different driving conditions and aid in braking (e.g., a high drag position.) For example, the airfoil section may be adjusted to a single angle of attack or a dual angle of attack.”

To make sense of this, recall how the new Charger’s nose—dubbed “R-Wing”—has openings under the uppermost horizontal line of the rectangular front end, allowing air to pass through the nose and flow over the curved hood. The design is a clever nod that visually hearkens back to the rectangular face of second-generation Chargers while also enabling more efficient airflow. Since the Charger Daytona EV doesn’t have a radiator, the air that would have been previously routed toward a grill can be directed up and over the car. By enabling air to pass through the nose rather than smack against the upright surface and create a pileup at the car’s tip, drag and front lift can both be reduced, which should help with range.

Now, as far as those trick active elements in the patent are concerned, picture that airfoil divided into two parts, each adjusted independently to optimize front downforce for the driving conditions. In high-speed corners, perhaps one side flips up a bit to increase downforce on the outside front wheel that’s fighting for grip as it redirects the heavy vehicle. In heavy braking moments, both pieces of the active aero system could flip skyward (think the rear wing of the McLaren Senna or the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS) to increase downforce onto the nose, helping it scrub speed more efficiently.

While this active-aero setup appears to be in its development stages, the potential for such tech to arrive on Dodge’s revived muscle car is real. Dodge and the Charger are no strangers to innovating a car’s front end for aerodynamic purposes. The pointed nose fitted to the front of the 1969 Charger Daytona was part of an aero kit that enabled those winged wonders to brake records on track, and they are now some of the most sought-after collectible cars extant. While we’re not insinuating that the new EV versions will be instant collectibles, the parallels on the engineering side are obvious.

With Dodge already hinting that a higher-performance version of the Charger, dubbed the “Banshee,” is in the works, we’re excited to see just how wild an active-aero muscle car can be. It’s certainly too early to call this a guarantee, but Dodge, you have our attention.

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