YouTuber Mike Martin has turned one of Jeep’s smallest crossovers into something a lot closer to a Dodge muscle car.
His Hemi-swapped Renegade project, documented in a long-running video series, takes a 2015 Jeep Renegade shell and drops it onto major components from a wrecked Dodge Charger R/T, complete with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8, ZF eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive.
From Tiny Crossover To Rear-Drive Hemi Hammer
The build starts with a total rethink of what a Renegade is. Martin cut out the original floor and both subframes, then grafted in the front half of the Charger’s floor and front subframe, fabricating a custom rear subframe to carry a limited-slip differential and rear suspension. The result is a Renegade body sitting over a Charger-style rear-drive layout instead of the stock transverse four-cylinder and all or front-wheel drive.
Under the hood sits a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 originally rated at about 370 horsepower, now upgraded with a Texas Speed cam, Manley valves, uprated springs and a cylinder deactivation delete, breathing through a Holley EFI High Ram intake. Power runs through the Charger’s 8HP70 eight-speed automatic to a Hellcat limited-slip differential, with big Brembo brakes and coilovers helping it cope with the extra speed. It’s a very different way to enjoy Hemi power than lining up for a full-size pickup at a time when Ram can’t build them fast enough.
Widebody Looks, Charger Hardware, Real Road Manners
Outside, the Renegade already wore a custom widebody with aggressive arches, so the new drivetrain just leans harder into that stance. Inside, Martin is integrating large chunks of the Charger’s electronics and cabin hardware so that the car behaves like a Charger in a Renegade shell, right down to the CAN systems and controls. He’s also been clear that the goal is a real road car with air conditioning and usable comfort, not just a stripped track toy.
It’s a wild contrast with what Jeep is doing from the factory. At one end of the lineup, the Renegade has moved into small-hybrid territory with versions like the North Star Edition. At the other, buyers who want factory-backed hardware and a bed can look at offers such as the current 2026 Jeep Gladiator lease deals.
Martin’s build sits in its own lane, as it is a one-off mashup that answers a question nobody asked but plenty of people are happy to watch play out on YouTube.
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