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Dodge Charger Looks Much Faster Than It Is, Hellcat Shows It What Real Speed Looks Like

After seeing what the fastest muscle cars (and sedans) are capable of in a straight-line sprint, not to mention the quickest EVs that money can buy, you might be wondering why we chose to show you a non-Hellcat Dodge Charger in action at the drag strip.
Dodge Charger vs. Challenger 7 photos
Photo: Screenshot Youtube | Wheels
Dodge Charger vs. ChallengerDodge Charger vs. ChallengerDodge Charger vs. ChallengerDodge Charger vs. ChallengerDodge Charger vs. ChallengerDodge Charger vs. Challenger
Actually, that’s what we’re wondering too, though, at first glance, it does look like a serious amateur dragster. The hood scoop, racing stripes, light green finish, and rear wheels that are different from the front ones should tell us that it is a force to be reckoned with.

However, its performance is nothing to write home about, as it constantly pulls 13-second quarter-mile runs. In a head-to-head comparison with what appears to be the Redeye version (or is that a simple Hellcat?) of the Dodge Challenger, aka the dark red example depicted on video down below, it lost big time, even if it took off long before the lights turned green.

In that particular drag race, filmed recently at the Bandimere Speedway in Colorado, the Charger posted 13.449 seconds, whereas its challenger did a 10.668. Before taking on the full-blown Challenger Hellcat, this modified sedan tried its luck against another Challenger, which also looks faster than it really is. That one barely managed to beat the four-door at the end of the run, doing a little under 13 seconds, with a 115 mph (185 kph) exit speed.

The final race shows the green Charger take on a black Challenger. It seemed like the latter held the high ground in terms of power, but looks can be deceiving, even if they comprised a big hood scoop, custom latches, and privacy windows, as well as a ‘Dodge’ sticker on the front windshield, which should have given it at least 5 extra horses, or maybe 7, as it stretches from pillar to pillar.

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About the author: Cristian Gnaticov
Cristian Gnaticov profile photo

After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s.
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