2023 Dodge Challenger Demon 170 by the Numbers: The Greatest Muscle Car of All Time

First introduced in 2017, the Challenger SRT Demon set a few impressive benchmarks. Rated at 808 horsepower on 91-octane gasoline and 840 horses on 100-octane fuel, it became the world's most powerful factory muscle car. It also became the fastest non-electric production car from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph), needing only 2.3 seconds to cover the distance.

The Demon set a new benchmark on the quarter-mile too, stopping the clock at only 9.65 seconds and 140.09 mph (225.45 kph). But wait, that's not all. It was also the hardest launching production car at 1.8 Gs and the first factory-made vehicle to perform a wheelie. Quite impressive, even six years later as of 2023, right? Well, the new SRT Demon 170 takes all these records up a notch.

For starters, output has gone up rather dramatically. When fed with E10 fuel, the Demon 170 delivers 900 horsepower and 810 pound-feet (1,098 Nm) of torque. That's 92 horses more than the Demon on 91-octane gas and an extra 60 horsepower compared to the Demon's 100-octane fuel rating. But things become even more extreme when the Demon 170 runs on E85 ethanol because that's when output jumps to a whooping 1,025 horsepower and 945 pound-feet (1,281 Nm) of twist.

The world's first 1,000+ HP factory muscle car

That's 185 horsepower and 175 pound-feet (237 Nm) more than the standard Demon and a new record for factory-made muscle cars. And needless to say, it's the first vehicle in this segment to deliver four-digit oomph. And things become even more incredible if we look back to when it all started with the Challenger SRT Hellcat.

Introduced for the 2015 model year, the Hellcat was the ultimate muscle car at the time. Its supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 delivered 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet (881 Nm) of torque, a big step up from the competition. Less than 10 years later and Demon 170 packs an extra 318 horsepower and an additional 295 pound-feet (400 Nm) at full blast. That's a bit more oomph than you get with the base, V6-powered Challenger SXT.

The gap is a bit smaller when compared to the SRT Hellcat Redeye, which is equipped with a slightly less powerful Demon engine. Specifically, the Redeye hits the pavement with 797 horsepower and 707 pound-feet (959 Nm) of twist, which means the Demon 170 has an extra 103 horsepower and 103 pound-feet (140 Nm) to brag about when running on E10 fuel. However, the E85-fed beast cranks out an additional 228 horses and 238 pound-feet (323 Nm) compared to the same Redeye.

Quicker than a Tesla Model S Plaid to 60 MPH

Finally, there's the Challenger SRT Super Stock, which was the closest thing to the Demon from 2020 until the Demon 170 arrived in March 2023. While powered by the same mill, the Super Stock, which takes its name from factory-built muscle cars from the golden era, arrived with an extra 10 horses for a total output of 807 horsepower. Torque, on the other hand, remained unchanged at 707 pound-feet.

All told, the Super Stock is only 93 horsepower behind the wild Demon 170, but only as long as we're talking about E10-fuel ratings. With the latter gulping E85, the gap is still pretty wide at 218 horsepower.

As for straight-line performance, the Demon 170 is untouchable when compared to other beefed-up versions of the Challenger. That's because this incredible drag-ready coupe needs only 1.66 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start. Yup, that's actually quicker than the Tesla Model S Plaid, which hits the benchmark in around 1.9 clicks.

8-Second quarter-mile beast

The SRT Hellcat is a way long behind at 3.7 seconds, while the Redeye needs 3.5 hits. The Super Stock is obviously quicker at 3.3 seconds, but it's the original Hellcat that holds the second position at 2.3 clicks. But the Demon 170 would obliterate all four of them to 60 mph without breaking a sweat.

And the same would happen over the quarter-mile as well because the Demon 170 is a full-blown dragster. When fitted with the right gear, it covers the distance in an NHRA-certified 8.91 seconds at 151.17 mph (243.28 kph). Or exactly 0.74 seconds quicker and 11.08 mph (17.83 kph) faster than the regular Demon.

It might not sound like a lot, but that's a rather big gap at the dragstrip. Needless to say, the Hellcat is no match for the Demon 170 in this regard, as it takes 11.8 seconds to cross the line. The Redeye is also almost two full seconds slower at 10.8 clicks.

Hellephant power!

But what makes the Demon 170 so astoundingly powerful and fast? For starters, its fire-breathing heart is quite different from the original Demon, as it is based on the Hellephant C170 crate engine (1,000+ horsepower). Yup, that's where the "170" comes from. The 3.0-liter supercharger makes a massive difference, as it delivers 21.3 psi compared to 15.3 psi for the Redeye and 14.5 psi for the Demon. It also allows 30% more airflow.

Dodge also fitted the Demon 170 with high-flow fuel injectors capable of providing 164 gallons per hour, which is more than the average shower head. The muscle car also packs a 105-mm throttle body that increases air-flow volume by 33% compared to the Redeye and the Demon.

The long list of significant improvements also includes aluminum cylinder heads with a 38% increase in clamping load, cylinder pressure that's 32% higher than the Redeye, and a higher-strength connecting rod that allows increased combustion pressure.

Upgraded everything

Dodge also upgraded the Demon's Line Lock, Launch Control, and Launch Assist systems, while the TransBrake feature got a second-generation version. Working in conjunction with the Torque Reserve feature, TransBrake allows engine throttle to be increased up to 2,350 rpm and generates greater drivetrain energy with maximum torque converter multiplication.

The Demon 170 is also lighter than its Hellcat counterparts. Thanks to its hollow say bars, lightweight front brakes, passenger and rear seat delete, NVH delete, and lightweight carpet, the Demon 170 is 157 pounds (71 kg) lighter than the Redeye.

Last but not least, the Demon 170 is the first-ever factory production car offered with staggered drag radial tires. Developed by Mickey Thompson Tires, the rear P315/50R17 ET Street R drag radials are crucial to the muscle car achieving maximum traction under extreme acceleration. The 245/55R18 ET Street front tires, optimized for the drag strip, also deliver significantly higher traction when compared to street tires used on similar surfaces.

One for the history books

Oh, and remember how the SRT Demon was the hardest-launching production car at 1.8 Gs? Well, the Demon 170 has taken that crown too with 2 Gs. And that's a record not only for muscle cars but for production vehicles of any type.

All told, the 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170 is a muscle car like no other. It's far beyond anything Chrysler engineers dreamed of back in the golden age of muscle cars and it's arguably the most extreme vehicle this side of supercars. It's also a proper send-off for the ICE-powered Dodge Challenger and it will definitely become a collectors' item as soon as it hits dealerships. Buckle up for the dealer markups!