5.7 Charger HEMI Daytona Shows American Pride and Might on the Drag Strip Against Hyundai

The Hyundai Elantra N DCT brags with a mere two-liter four-cylinder gas burner. Almost three times smaller and with half the pistons in the V8 under the hood of the Dodge. The HEMI is a 5.7-liter that outputs 375 BHP and 395 lb-ft of torque (535 Nm). All of which goes to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Elantra retaliates with its modest 286 BHP (turbocharging helps skin down the advantage of the HEMI in the horsepower section). Torque-wise, the engine is good for 289 lb-ft (392 Nm). To make it even more disproportionate, the front drivetrain has to tackle those numbers and put up a fight against the heavyweight V8.

No, that was not meant for the lyric and rhyme only. The V8 is a whole thousand pounds heavier than the slim-fit Asian. 4,300 pounds (1.9 tons, everybody!) of American muscle is a lot to deal with, both for the Hemi and the Hyundai. With its 3,300 pounds (1.5 tones – the average for non-American small sedans), the latter relies on power-to-weight and high tech to take the fight right up Dodge’s yard. Check the first video to see who won.

Speaking of which, the HEMI is clocked in at 5.1 seconds on 0 to 60 mph (96 kph). Not too bad of a number for a car with four doors, a big trunk, and not many tricks up its sleeve. Since we mentioned those, the Hyundai has one – the N GS. N Grin Shift, in literal translation.

In drag racing, that means ten extra HP, optimal gear shifts, overboost, and faster overall response from the car. All of that is good for just 20 seconds, but it’s more than a drag race lasts. Play the second video for a brief overview of this gimmick.