Discontinued Muscle Cars Aren't Dead: Dodge Demon 170 Drag Races Ford Shelby GT500

While the regular Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcats were good for over 700 horsepower, depending on the spec, and the normal Demon was good for 840 hp (852 ps/627 kW) in its top form, the Demon 170 sits in an entirely different league.

With E85 in the tank, its 6.2L supercharged V8 produces a staggering 1,025 hp (1,040 ps/765 kW) and 945 pound-feet (1,280 Nm) of torque. According to the Stellantis-owned brand, it needs an unbelievable 1.66 seconds to sprint to sixty miles an hour (97 kph). The quarter-mile is an 8.91-second affair at 151.17 mph (243.28 kph) on a good day with a skilled driver at the helm.

Beating it into submission in a straight-line sprint requires jaw-dropping power, as the Demon 170 is the fastest and most powerful muscle car ever made. On the other hand, the punchiest Ford crown goes to the S550 Mustang Shelby GT500, which is far less impressive from a numbers perspective than the Dodge mentioned above.

Under the hood lies a 5.2-liter supercharged V8. It steams out 760 horsepower (771 ps/567 kW) and develops 627 pound-foot (847 Nm) of torque. That's supercar-rivaling power, and the previous GT500 certainly has what it takes to beat some full-blown exotics into submission down the quarter-mile. This is dealt with in around ten seconds, and the 0-60 mph takes roughly three seconds.

But why mention two muscle cars that have been dead for a while and not talk about their predecessors? First, as we have already told you, they are far more exciting than their successors. Second, these two models recently met at the drag strip to put their money where their mouths are. The rides in question were filmed at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, presumably not long ago, and the video just made its way to YouTube on the Wheels Plus channel.

You don't need to be a car connoisseur to tell which of the two is faster and punchier, as mentioned above. The balance tilts in favor of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170. However, mastering all that thrust is tricky, hence why we've seen less powerful rides cross the finish line first in a head-to-head battle against it. Could the mighty Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 pull a similar trick? We won't spoil the outcome, so you know what to do to find out, right? Oh, you may also take a peek at the image gallery if you feel like cheating.