New transmission, new touchscreen, new trims and the return of the SRT8. It’s almost as though Dodge's Charger wasn’t redesigned just last year, but here we are having made just a single revolution around our sun, and the changes abound. The SRT8’s reintroduction and the arrival of the new 8-speed automatic seem to compete this year for “biggest news” status, but the SXT trim is another worthy addition, especially with its utilization of the 8-speed paired with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6.

Providing a bridge between entry-level SE and sporty-but-not-SRT8-sporty R/T trims, the SXT provides some luxury and comfort along with a surprising amount of performance. Despite having two V8 options slated above it, the 3.6-liter Pentastar delivers plenty of power itself – 292 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Base SE trim comes standard with the old 5-speed automatic, but can be fitted with the 8-speed as a thousand-dollar extra. In that guise, it’ll return 19 mpg city/31 highway, and that’s not bad for a car with 300 horsepower and 4,000 pounds. The SXT gets the 8-speed standard and additionally comes with goodies like remote engine start, heated power mirrors, heated seats, Bluetooth and dual-zone automatic climate controls.

The R/T jumps straight to V8 territory with a 370-hp, 5.7-liter engine that puts out an asphalt-painting 395 lb-ft of torque. No 8-speed transmission here, and with the old 5-speed the R/T manages only 16/25. Still, that’s not terrible for that kind of power, and the R/T will also deliver features like upgraded brakes, xenon headlights and a sport suspension. An 8.4-inch touchscreen is standard here and gets color for 2012 – a feature that Dodge assures us was inspired by safety rather than style. It doesn’t matter, both apply.

And here we come to the venerated SRT8. After a one-year absence, it returns with something to prove, and that means a power boost to 470 hp and lb-ft, jumping up from 2010’s numbers of 425 and 420, respectively. Here, the big Dodge gets a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 that has been making 4.3-second sprints to 60 mph, despite much higher estimates from Dodge. The SRT8 gets the upgraded, 14.2-inch front and 13.8-inch rear brake discs as well as an adaptive suspension that automatically adjusts from plush to performance depending on conditions. While a rear spoiler, aggressive stance and 20-inch tires might be most immediately evident from the outside, sit in the driver’s seat and you’ll notice the chunky, flat-bottomed steering wheel that is exclusive to the SRT8 trim. It’s a heated power unit, but its tilt and telescoping features are sadly not integrated into the SRT8-only memory system. That unit controls power-adjustable pedals, the heated and ventilated power front bucket seat (with extra side bolstering) and the heated power mirrors. Garmin navigation with traffic is standard here, melded with the upgraded, 900-watt, 19-speaker Harman Kardon stereo. There’s also a special feature for the SRT8 that utilizes the big 8.4-inch touchscreen – Performance Pages. This displays information like steering input, available horsepower and torque, acceleration, braking and roadholding data like lateral Gs.

The return of a hi-profile package like the SRT8 is bound to overshadow any boring update like an 8-speed transmission, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t equally exciting. The fact that the 8-speed isn’t available in the SRT8 only speaks to Dodge’s need to balance out the lineup and make the V6 options more attractive. Truly, the 5-speed was holding the Charger back, and there’s no doubt that the 8-speed will eventually make it into the SRT8 setup. Until then, we’ll have to endure one last throwback in Dodge’s throwback and simply deal with only 5 cogs for that impressive machine.