Dodge unleashes 829bhp, wheelie popping Challenger SRT Demon ~ station of gear

Ultimate straight line muscle car can crack the quarter mile in 9.65 seconds, but is banned from compeition

2017-04-12 11:50

Dodge has upped the stakes in the muscle car market at the New York Motor Show with a new flagship Challenger, ousting the 707bhp Challenger Hellcat from the top of the pile.

Called the Challenger SRT Demon, it makes use of a supercharged 6.2-litre Hemi V8. In terms of pure displacement, that’s smaller than the engine in the Hellcat – a 6.4-litre V8 – but it still ups the ante considerably. Power comes in at 829bhp while torque stands at 1,044Nm.

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All that power is delivered to the rear wheels, and to ensure as much drive is transmitted to the road as possible, Dodge has kitted out the Demon with huge street legal drag radial rear tyres. The eight-speed automatic gearbox gets a drag-spec Transbrake to hold the car before launch, and Dodge claims that the Demon can do 0-60mph in just 2.3 seconds. 1.8g off the line means that it can even pop small wheelies.

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No top speed is given, but the Challenger Demon’s instruments run to 200mph and Dodge claims it can complete a standing quarter mile in just 9.65 seconds, crossing the line at 140mph. To keep everything cool for multiple blasts, the air conditioning system works not just the cabin but treats air flowing through the hood scoop too.

An intensive weight reduction programme has been necessary to attain those headline figures, and Dodge has trimmed around 91kg of fat from the Challenger for the Demon. Stripped to the barebones, only the driver's seat remains, alongside the 16-speaker audio system, carpeting and trim in the boot and insulation. Buyers will be able to spec the other seats and boot carpets though, for just $1. Alternatively, optional parts and packs tailoring the car for outright performance are available too.

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Driving modes are operated through an 8.4-inch touchscreen mounted in the dashboard, and two different ‘Demon Keys’ limit how much power the engine produces. In its most timid state using the ‘Black Key’, the 6.2-litre engine produces 493bhp. Activate the ‘Red Key’ though, and power jumps up to 797bhp. For the full 829bhp, the Demon needs to run on 100-octane fuel.

No prices have been revealed, but Dodge will produce 3,000 examples for the United States and 300 for Canadian customers, with first deliveries this autumn.

What do you make of the Challenger SRT Demon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

James Brodie

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