What Does Scat Pack Mean On Dodge Chargers And Challengers?

The Scat Pack name has been deeply ingrained in Dodge's DNA since its debut in the late 1960s. Originally coined as part of the brand's clever marketing campaign, the name represented a select group of cars — including the ever-so-popular Charger R/T, Coronet R/T, and Dart GTS. The moniker was inspired by the "Rat Pack" of Hollywood fame and hinted at the speed and power, which carved its niche and set the tone for Dodge's dominance in the muscle car era. But, what does the name Scat Pack mean today?

What began as a simple marketing stroke has evolved into a modern performance trim that turns heads. Despite going through multiple iterations, the Scat Pack has always been about one thing: performance. Today, Scat Pack versions of Dodge Charger and Challengers are the top muscle car trims in the brand's lineup. Even as Dodge looks to an electrified future with the launch of the new Charger Daytona EV, the Scat Pack will continue to embody power and modern engineering.

The name Scat Pack first roared onto the scene in 1968, during the golden age of American muscle cars. Dodge, collaborating with Ross Roy advertising, introduced the Scat Pack to group its high-performance models into an exclusive club. The Scat Pack name was inspired by the "Rat Pack," a cultural reference to Frank Sinatra and his crew. The name "Scat" added to the branding's edge, playing on the meaning of leaving quickly — a suitable description of these muscle cars tearing down the dragstrip. Beyond its cars, Scat Pack expanded into a lifestyle brand, complete with its merchandise, badges, and even a newsletter, "The Dodge Scat Pack Club."

Entry into the original Scat Pack wasn't just for anyone. Only Dodge models that could clock a quarter-mile in the 14-second range could earn the Scat Pack badge. This included the Coronet R/T, Dart GTS, Charger R/T, and later, the Coronet-based Super Bee.

Although the Scat Pack name disappeared from Dodge's lineup in 1971, the term continued to serve as a symbol of performance. The brand revived the name in 2014 for the Dodge Challenger, Charger, and Dart GT as a three-stage performance package. Stage 1 added Cold air intake, exhaust, and ECU calibration. Stage 2 added a Scat Package 2 badge and camshafts. Stage 3 introduced advanced upgrades like free-flow headers, a revised ECU, and CNC-ported cylinder heads.

Today, the Scat Pack name serves as a high-performance trim level for the Charger and Challenger lineups, where it sits between the entry-level R/T models and the Hellcat variants. For those debating Scat Pack vs. Hellcat, the Scat Pack version is more affordable. While it may lack the Hellcat's supercharged fury, the Scat Pack still offers impressive performance. It features a smaller hood scoop, improved fuel economy, a toned-down grille, cloth seats, and a 0-60 mph time of 4.2 seconds — about 0.7 seconds slower than the Hellcat's acceleration time of 3.6 seconds.

In modern Chargers and Challengers, Scat Pack is regarded as a huge performance upgrade to the base models. At its core is a 6.4-liter 392 HEMI V8 engine, which delivers 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. With this engine, the Scat Pack versions of the Charger and Challenger can go from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds, clocking a quarter mile in 12.7 seconds. These performance stats allow the Scat Pack to bridge the gap between the 370 horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI V8 R/T variants, and the 717 horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged V8 Hellcat trims.

The Scat Pack is a unique trim that stands out from the Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle car lineup, with features like Brembo brakes, adaptive suspension options, a shaker hood with a Mopar cold air intake, and launch control. Besides its mechanical prowess, it also embraces modern design cues that nod to its heritage. These are features like the 392 HEMI Fender badges, iconic bee stripe, Scat Pack grille, and 20x9-inch low-gloss granite crystal aluminum wheels.