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Dodge Hellcat Redeye Falls Short of Claimed Top Speed, Hits 191 MPH

Following the demise of the Demon, the Redeye is the most powerful Challenger you can buy off the dealer lot these days. Motivated by a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI, the two-door brawler also happens to be quite fast for a muscle car.
2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye | (Top Speed Test) 12 photos
Photo: Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds on YouTube
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The 2019 Challenger SRT Redeye is capable of topping 203 miles per hour according to Dodge, but a bone-stock model couldn’t push past 191.314 miles per hour at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds. The car was tested multiple times on a 3.22-mile runway, yet the manufacturer’s claim couldn’t be confirmed.

It’s easy to think of two reasons why this happened, starting with the rubber. The 305/35 by 20-inch Toyo Proxes tires feature a soft compound, creating a lot of drag at high speeds. Running a hard compound on 275s or 285s will surely make things better.

Secondly, take a look at the front fascia and side profile of the Challenger SRT Hellcat. It intertwines the period-correct aesthetics of the original with aggressive styling, but it’s also a bit of a brick in terms of aerodynamic performance. The Charger SRT Hellcat with the narrow body, on the other hand, tops 206 mph.

Even with these limitations we’ve covered in the previous paragraphs, it should be pointed out that the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye is faster than the Shelby GT500 (180 mph; electronically limited) as well as the Camaro ZL1 (202 mph). As for handling, you’re better off with the Ford and Chevy for obvious reasons.

Dodge’s premier performance car starts at $60,695 for the SRT Hellcat, excluding destination charge. The widebody option adds $6,000 to the tally, meaning that the Redeye with the larger wheels and flared arches will set you back $78,295.

Based on a press photo of the odometer reading 2,023 miles, now it’s rumored that the Challenger will be overhauled from the ground up that calendar or model year. Dodge is no stranger to such Easter Eggs, having teased the 707-horsepower output of the original Hellcat and upcoming Ram Rebel TRX in a similar fashion.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

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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