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Dodge Drops Third Challenger SRT Demon Teaser, Could Be AWD

We’re still a long way away from the 2017 New York Auto Show, but Dodge continues to tease the Challenger SRT Demon like there’s no tomorrow. Titled “Wide Body,” the third teaser video of 12 is overflowing with go-faster goodies.
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon "#2576@35" teaser 11 photos
Photo: Dodge
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 315/40 R18 Nitto NT05R drag radial2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon "#2576@35" teaser2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
First things first, the tires. Yup, those are road-legal drag radials. 315/40-section R18 Nitto NT05R, to be more precise. According to Dodge, the wheels measure 18x11 inches, and they are the same front and rear. “Wait a minute. Why would a drag racing-oriented vehicle need drag radials up front?”

Good question. The fact of the matter is, fitting a rear-wheel-drive vehicle with drag radials up front creates more rolling resistance. It’s no coincidence drag racers feature skinny front tires. Could the SRT Demon be AWD?

The video’s description doesn’t help either. “Nothing wrong with a little burnout,” could mean that the SRT Demon, although AWD, can burnout at will thanks to a feature designed to disengage the front axle. AWD or not, the teaser clip reveals the SRT Demon certainly knows how to pull a burnout.

If you listen closely to how the engine sounds, it’s easy to notice the growl of the Challenger SRT Hellcat’s 6.2-liter HEMI V8, supercharger whine included. Based on sound alone, it’s only natural to assume the SRT Demon will be gifted with at least 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.

Along with the video, Dodge also released a teaser pic of the car’s rear end. Except for the wide, sticky tires and the flared wheel arches, there’s nothing much to see around here. But then you catch a glimpse of the license plate and what it reads: “#2576@35.” Confused? Don't worry, I am as well.

According to Dodge, the 11-inch-wide wheels, drag radials, and integrated fender flares add “3.5 inches to the overall width of the Challenger SRT Demon.” So that’s 35 sorted, probably. Another way of decrypting this hint is to multiply 2,576 with 35. The result is 90,160 which, in U.S. dollars, could represent the sticker price of the SRT Demon. But at just about $30k more than the Challenger SRT Hellcat, I’m not too sure about this notion either.

This is getting us nowhere, so I’ll stop at that.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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