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Before the parts list, the number that should shape your whole build: a full bolt-on package on a 5.7 Hemi R/T is worth roughly 18 to 25 rear-wheel horsepower. On a car making around 370 at the crank, that is about five percent. Five percent is a dyno result. It is not a feeling.
That is not an argument against modifying the car — it is an argument for spending the money in the right order. The things that genuinely change how a Charger R/T drives are, roughly: tires, brakes, gearing, then power. A set of proper summer tires transforms a heavy rear-drive sedan in a way no intake will.
And the specific trap on this engine: it is speed-density, not mass-airflow. The 5.7 reads manifold pressure to calculate airflow, so bolting on a cold air intake without a tune gives the computer no new information to act on. This is exactly why so many owners report an intake sounding great and feeling like nothing. The intake is not the mod; the intake plus the tune is the mod. Buy them together, or buy the tune first.
One more honest note on exhaust. Cat-back systems are a sound modification. They are worth buying for that reason — the Hemi has a genuinely great voice and the factory muffler hides it — but expect a handful of horsepower, not a transformation. The exhaust work that does make real power is long-tube headers, and that means a tune, emissions consequences and a much bigger bill.
Ten upgrades below, ordered by how much difference each actually makes per dollar.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michelin Pilot Sport 4S Summer Tires | $1,000–$1,600 per set | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | DiabloSport inTune i3 Platinum Tuner | $400–$600 | Amazon |
| 3 | HP Tuners MPVI3 with Credits | $400–$700 plus credits | Amazon |
| 4 | BBK Performance Cold Air Intake (5.7/6.1 Hemi) | $250–$400 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | K&N 63 Series AirCharger Cold Air Intake | $300–$450 | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | Corsa Xtreme Cat-Back Exhaust | $1,200–$1,800 | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | Borla ATAK Cat-Back Exhaust | $1,000–$1,600 | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | Flowmaster American Thunder Cat-Back | $700–$1,100 | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | Kooks Long Tube Headers with High-Flow Catalytic Converters | $1,800–$3,000 | Amazon · eBay |
| 10 | Oil Catch Can Kit (5.7 Hemi) | $120–$300 | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S Summer Tires
The single biggest change you can make to a Charger R/T, and the one almost nobody lists as a mod. A 4,300 lb rear-drive sedan on all-season tires is limited by grip in every direction — accelerating, braking and turning. Proper summer rubber changes the car everywhere at once, which is more than any bolt-on does anywhere. Start here and you will spend the rest of the budget more wisely.
- Max-performance summer compound
- Available in common R/T sizes including 245/45R20 and 275/40R20
- Large improvement in wet braking over all-seasons
- Long-standing benchmark in the category
- Improves acceleration, braking and cornering simultaneously
- A safety upgrade, not only a performance one
- Makes every later mod work better
- Summer compound — unusable below roughly 45°F
- Expensive as a set, and wears faster than all-seasons
DiabloSport inTune i3 Platinum Tuner
The mod that makes every other mod work. A handheld tune is worth 15 to 20 or more horsepower on its own and, crucially, it is what lets the ECU take advantage of an intake and exhaust on a speed-density engine. It also unlocks the quality-of-life changes owners actually notice daily: shift firmness, throttle response, tire size correction and switching off rev hang.
- Preloaded 5.7 Hemi performance tunes
- 87 and 91+ octane options
- Tire size, axle ratio and shift parameter adjustment
- Saves the stock file for returning to factory
- Largest single power gain of any bolt-on here
- Fixes drivability annoyances, not just peak numbers
- Required to realise gains from intake and exhaust
- Locks to one vehicle — factor that in if you sell the car
- Affects powertrain warranty coverage
- Newer model years may need an unlock service
HP Tuners MPVI3 with Credits
The alternative for anyone who wants a custom tune rather than a canned one, or who plans to keep modifying. You buy the interface and credits, then work with a remote tuner who builds a file around your specific parts, fuel and altitude. It is more effort and more money than a handheld, and it is what serious builds use for a reason.
- Full read and write access to the factory ECU
- Data logging for remote tuning
- Works with a wide range of tuners
- Supports staged revisions as parts change
- A custom file beats a canned tune on a modified car
- Logging is genuinely useful for diagnosing problems
- Grows with the build instead of being replaced
- Requires credits per vehicle on top of the hardware
- Needs a competent remote tuner — the tool is not the tune
- Steeper learning curve than a handheld
BBK Performance Cold Air Intake (5.7/6.1 Hemi)
A well-established intake for the 5.7 and 6.1 Hemi covering a very wide model-year span, in powder-coated or blackout finishes. Fitted alongside a tune it is worth somewhere in the region of 5 to 15 rear-wheel horsepower depending on the dyno and the day, and it changes the induction note immediately. Fitted alone on this engine, expect mostly sound.
- Fits 5.7 and 6.1 Hemi Charger, Challenger, 300C and Magnum, 2005 onward
- Large-diameter tube with high-flow filter
- Powder-coated chrome or blackout finish
- Bolt-in installation, typically under an hour
- Simple, reversible, no tuning required to fit
- Noticeable induction sound under throttle
- Long production history and good fitment
- Speed-density engine means little gain without a tune
- Filter needs periodic cleaning and re-oiling
- Hot-day heat soak if the airbox is not well sealed
K&N 63 Series AirCharger Cold Air Intake
The mainstream alternative, with a sealed heat shield that addresses the main weakness of open-element intakes — drawing warm engine-bay air when you are sitting in traffic. K&N publish fitment data extensively and the washable filter is rated for very long service intervals, which is the honest long-term cost argument against disposable paper.
- Sealed heat shield around the filter
- Washable, reusable conical filter
- Model-specific fitment listings
- Limited lifetime warranty on the kit
- Heat shielding is a real advantage over open filters
- No ongoing filter cost after the cleaning kit
- Easy fitment with good instructions
- Same speed-density caveat — pair it with a tune
- Over-oiling the filter can foul sensors
- Premium price for the category
Corsa Xtreme Cat-Back Exhaust
The one to buy if you want the Hemi loud outside and civilised inside. Corsa’s reflective sound cancellation is specifically engineered against highway drone, which is the failure mode that makes people remove aftermarket exhausts six months later. Xtreme is their most aggressive tuning — pick the Sport version instead if you commute long distances.
- Reflective sound cancellation aimed at drone
- Stainless steel construction
- Mandrel-bent, bolt-on fitment
- Choice of Sport and Xtreme sound levels
- Aggressive outside without cabin drone
- Build quality and finish are excellent
- Strong resale value used
- Among the most expensive cat-backs available
- Power gain is small — this is a sound purchase
Borla ATAK Cat-Back Exhaust
The loudest of Borla’s three sound levels and the most popular choice on R/Ts for exactly that reason. Borla’s S-Type sits a step quieter if ATAK proves too much; both are stainless with a million-mile warranty. This is the classic American V8 note rather than Corsa’s more refined voice — pick on preference, not specification.
- ATAK — Borla’s most aggressive sound level
- T-304 stainless steel
- Million-mile warranty
- Straight bolt-on, no cutting
- Unmistakable Hemi voice at wide-open throttle
- Excellent build quality and warranty
- Quieter S-Type available in the same family
- ATAK does drone at some highway speeds
- Very loud on cold start — consider your neighbours
- Modest power gain
Flowmaster American Thunder Cat-Back
The budget-conscious pick, typically several hundred dollars under Corsa or Borla while still being a mandrel-bent stainless system from an established name. The Flowmaster sound is deeper and rawer, with more drone than the premium systems — a fair trade if the car is not your daily highway commuter.
- Mandrel-bent stainless tubing
- Flowmaster chambered muffler design
- Bolt-on fitment
- Significantly cheaper than premium systems
- Best price per decibel on this list
- Classic Flowmaster tone
- Straightforward DIY installation
- More highway drone than Corsa or Borla
- Finish is not to the premium systems’ standard
Kooks Long Tube Headers with High-Flow Catalytic Converters
The exhaust modification that actually makes power rather than noise — and the one that turns a weekend of bolt-ons into a proper project. Long tubes on a 5.7 need a tune to run correctly, take a full day or more to fit, and carry emissions-compliance consequences that vary enormously by where you live. Check your local rules before ordering, not after.
- Long-tube primaries with high-flow cats
- Stainless construction
- Available with connection pipes to the factory cat-back
- Largest genuine power gain of any exhaust change
- Real, measurable power rather than sound alone
- Transforms mid-range response with a tune
- Fabrication quality is excellent
- Requires a tune — not optional
- Emissions and inspection implications in many states
- Labour-intensive; most owners pay a shop
- Expensive once cats and tuning are included
Oil Catch Can Kit (5.7 Hemi)
Unglamorous, cheap, and the one item here that protects the engine rather than making it faster. The PCV system routes oil vapour back into the intake, where it coats the intake tract and, over years, contributes to deposits. A catch can intercepts it. You will see what it collects at the first oil change, and that is the argument.
- Intercepts oil vapour from the PCV system
- Vehicle-specific bracketry and hoses
- Baffled or coalescing internals on better kits
- Emptied at each oil change
- Cheapest genuinely worthwhile item here
- Preventive rather than cosmetic
- Simple, fully reversible installation
- Adds a maintenance task you must remember
- No performance gain whatsoever
- Cheap unbaffled cans do very little
Buying tips
- Buy the tune first, or at the same time as the intake. On a speed-density 5.7, an intake alone gives the ECU nothing new to work with — which is why so many owners describe it as all sound.
- Full bolt-ons are worth roughly 18 to 25 rear-wheel horsepower. Budget with that number in mind rather than the sum of the manufacturers’ individual claims.
- Cat-back exhaust is a sound purchase. That is a fine reason to buy one — just do not expect it to change your quarter mile.
- Drive a car with the exhaust you are considering, or at minimum listen to in-cabin highway footage. Drone is what makes people remove a $1,400 system.
- Check your state’s emissions rules before ordering long-tube headers. The parts are the easy part of that decision.
- Tires before power, every time. Grip improves acceleration, braking and cornering at once; horsepower improves one of them.
- Keep the factory parts. Stock intake and exhaust in the loft are worth real money at resale, and returning the car to standard is often the difference between an easy sale and a slow one.
- Tunes are typically locked to a single vehicle. If you plan to sell the car, unlock it and restore the stock file before it goes.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.