Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat: 707hp


Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
 

Xcentric

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 9, 2012
5,213
Myakka City, Florida
Yes, it's very cool. The downsides are an ugly car and the name. But... If it stimulates others to step up their games...

The deal breaker.... Is it true no manual? Please, say it isn't so!

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Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
Manual will be available. I think the car looks great, but I'm with you on the name.
Dodge has publicly stated it is the fastest muscle car ever. I hope they haven't oversold it.
 

junior

GT Owner
Mar 9, 2007
1,151
So Cal
It's going to come down to horse power to weight ratio, the current top of the line SRT8 weighs 4100 lbs, if this one doesn't go on a diet, the power to weigh ratio is going to suffer. Not sure what SRT is thinking, the Viper goes MIA for about 5 years and comes back with 640bHP, not a success come back story to say the least and now 707 HP in the Challenger, somebody forgot to take their pills :lol :lol :lol
 

Cobrar

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 24, 2006
4,017
Metro Detroit
We must be nearing a market top, and one can only wonder ~ fast forward to Barrett Jackson in 2025 when CAFE is 52.5 mpg.

What do you think it will bring??
 

Xcentric

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 9, 2012
5,213
Myakka City, Florida
Yeah, that Dodge is seriously overweight.

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Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,361
Washington State
Is it true no manual? Please, say it isn't so!

"The supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 in the Hellcat also makes a heady 650 lb-ft of torque, all of which is routed to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission."
 

Fast Freddy

GPS'D 225 MPH
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 5, 2005
2,684
Avondale, Arizona
THE HP is the most but it also has the heaviest weight and worse aero so it it is the slowest. i predict a lot of broken parts....

i Luv the the name, but the design of the car needs some work so as to get more kitty :biggrin
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
We must be nearing a market top, and one can only wonder ~ fast forward to Barrett Jackson in 2025 when CAFE is 52.5 mpg.

What do you think it will bring??

Depends how much liquor is flowing.....
 

Copenhagen GT

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jun 5, 2008
1,178
Copenhagen, Denmark
I have never driven a new Challenger - how is the handling compared to the Camaro and the GT500? I always thought the Challenger was the "heavy and not so great handling" of the three
 

jcthorne

GT Owner
Aug 30, 2011
792
Houston
I thought it interesting that Dodge waited until production of the 5.8 SC engine from Ford ended before releasing this. Thus ensuring no 'special edition' from Ford to top the 707 highest hp muscle car claim.

Is Ford still sticking with the No EcoBoost V8 statement?
 

Cobrar

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 24, 2006
4,017
Metro Detroit
I have never driven a new Challenger - how is the handling compared to the Camaro and the GT500? I always thought the Challenger was the "heavy and not so great handling" of the three

Unlike DBK, I don't get access to high dollar fun stuff like P1's et.al. :wink but due to proximity to Detroit mfg's I have been able to get lots of seat time all three of the pony cars, save the latest Hellcat version. I would say that your impression of the Mopar handling is spot-on, it is and it feels heavy. High belt lines in both the Camaro and Mopar styling also can contribute to that same heavy feeling when you sit in them. Have to say that Mopars' re-interpretation of the exterior styling of the original Challenger is pretty nice tho. Any speed comparisons of the three are probably best limited to straight line evaluation as either the Camaro ZL1 or GT500 will wax the Mopar on a road course.
 

AtomicGT

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Apr 12, 2006
3,032
Los Angeles
Didn't realize there were so many car prophets around. It's a great American Icon, has a reputation for durablilty and speed, the vintage mopars bring big $$$ at auction, so why not just enjoy that fact that it is another American icon with a face lift and major BHP. At least it is not a Citroen................ :)
 

dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
I think the car is pretty cool because there is no expectation that a Challenger will do much besides make a lot of noise and look retro. It is a huge car and it feels huge driving it (I read an article that said the car is 4,400+), but I'm pretty confident nobody buys a Challenger to go back road carving anyways. Good luck getting that much power to the ground on 275 tires. I bet it'll be quick with the 8 spd at a prepped drag strip.
 

DakotaGT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 9, 2012
1,694
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
For a car that comfortably seats my family of 5, the Challenger is a real hoot to drive. One just needs realistic expectations. It is not the fastest or the quickest, and it won't set any road course records, but personally I feel that it carries its weight well. The seats are terrific, the car is built pretty solid, and I really dig the styling. Of course, I am into classic mopar muscle. I have two SRT Challengers, including the first Mr. Norms Supercharged Challenger convertible, in custom Plum Crazy paint:


http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/...009_dodge_challenger_srt8_convertible_custom/


It may be a real tire-burner, but hey- tire-burning is fun, too!
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
I didn't realize the Challenger seats 5. That puts it in a class of 1.

707 hp Green With Envy Hellcat. Mmmmm.
 

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,053
Las Vegas, NV
5 is a stretch. In fact, anyone in the back had better be small. But they make it a 4+ passenger for insurance purposes.
 

DakotaGT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 9, 2012
1,694
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
5 is a stretch. In fact, anyone in the back had better be small. But they make it a 4+ passenger for insurance purposes.

Seats 5 comfortably in fact, as long as not all 5 are adults! But who the heck drives around with four other adults? Need a child at least for the middle of the back seat, but there are five seat belts in the car, which is more than I can say for the mustang, and I'm not sure about the camaro. With my wife and three kids (including my gangly 15 year-old) we have taken it from Sioux Falls to Chicago on vacation a couple of times, with no complaints. Large trunk for all of the wife's crap, great sound system, great passing performance, etc make for a much more fun trip for me, the driver. It was pretty decent stock, but $500 for a good cold air intake and a tuner really makes it more enjoyable.

Now, the rear seats in my GT-Rs- THOSE are a stretch, even for the kids, unless I move the front seats way up.
 

Cobrar

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 24, 2006
4,017
Metro Detroit
I didn't realize the Challenger seats 5. That puts it in a class of 1.

707 hp Green With Envy Hellcat. Mmmmm.

Your particular car will only be sold to you with the black key (limied to 500hp).

They know all about you. Big data, you know. ;-)
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
Your particular car will only be sold to you with the black key (limied to 500hp).

They know all about you. Big data, you know. ;-)

I'm sure they do, but I'll deploy my Tin Foil Hat Countermeasure.

I heard from my mole at Avis that the Vauxhall Corsa I rented in Europe is now on life support. It doesn't look good. I was overwhelmed by horsepower when I came home, so I pulled 5 of the plug wires on all my V-8s for safety sake. I will plug them back in, one at a time, over the next several months as I re acclimate.