485-HP Dodge Challenger 392 Drags 650-HP Chevy Camaro ZL1, Are the Gaps Enormous?

Stellantis has ordained that its Dodge subsidiary shall no longer live an ICE-powered lifestyle, at least as far as the Charger and Challenger models are concerned. It also graciously allowed the two to bow out with seven 'Last Call' special editions, including the 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170 with enough E85-powered oomph (1,025 hp) to take on the mighty Tesla Model S Plaid. Soon, though, there will be only zero-emissions silence, and the production version of the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT will have nine levels of Banshee EV prowess to show for itself.

Meanwhile, General Motors has finally announced the fate of the iconic Camaro nameplate – and it's not pretty. After production for the 2024 model year ends in January next year, the moniker will become dormant – and the company only gave the outgoing sixth-gen 'Maro a couple of reasons to be proud of itself, aka the Camaro Collector's Edition family and the ZL1 Garage 56 limited series with just 56 units up for grabs! Oh, how the times will be easier than ever for the latest Ford Mustang!

Anyway, until these two disappear from the spotlight, there is still time to feel joyous when seeing them together – even if they are only here for a brawl or two at the local quarter-mile dragstrip facility. Speaking of the latter, the videographer behind the Wheels channel on YouTube is a massive fan of 'Thunder Mountain' - aka the Bandimere Speedway quarter-mile dragstrip in Colorado, just outside Morrison and Lakewood. Dubbed a mile-high venue, this racetrack is clearly not for the faint of heart.

Still, it attracts a lot of interesting motorsport aficionados. In the channel's latest feature, we see some of them waiting in line to try and cover their drivers in eternal quarter-mile glory – including a gasser-style hot rod and even a pretty little classic VW Beetle. However, the video is about two of the most traditional of America's muscle car peers – a 650-hp Chevy Camaro ZL1 that was dressed to impress both thunder and lightning, plus a much subtler third-generation Dodge Challenger.

So, while the ZL1 is relatively easy to identify as the flagship of the sixth-gen family, the Mopar coupe was a bit tougher to spot – we are pretty sure this is a version equipped with the 392ci (6.4-liter) Hemi V8 engine, and it might even be of the Scat Pack 1320 package variety. If that were the case, then perhaps the difference in power – 485 hp for team Mopar and 650 hp for team Chevy might be mitigated by all the other dragstrip-focused enhancements like the drag wheels and tires, adaptive SRT-tuned drag suspension, optional delete of front and rear passenger seats, and more.

Ultimately, we just had to wait and see what would come out of this exciting brawl – especially since the racers ducked it out twice to ensure the results were accurate even when switching lanes. By the way, although you might guess the outcome of these two interesting races, don't hazard thinking the gaps will be enormous – because they weren't. Oh, and if these muscle car encounters are not enough, the second video embedded below from Wheels Plus shows Bandimere being taken over by a couple of SUV behemoths – a Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid and an Audi RS Q8!