The Big Detroit Three seem to have different opinions on proceeding with the pony and muscle car sector. Still, more recently, some nuances make us feel that not everything is lost, and the ICE-powered age may not be entirely doomed after all.
Sure, General Motors hasn't announced the return of the Camaro nameplate just yet. Alas, with all the delays of their Chevrolet Equinox EV, Balzer EV, Silverado EV, plus GMC Sierra EV models, we will not be surprised to find out the 'Maro will come back sooner than anticipated. For Mopar fans, the rumor mill also thinks the next-gen Charger Daytona SRT will come not just with Banshee EV power but also with Hurricane inline-six mills.
As for the Blue Oval enthusiasts, they were already safe and sound from the EV revolution with the 2024 Mustang EcoBoost, GT, Dark Horse, and GTD. But now that the 2023 SEMA Show is in full swing, we also discovered that Ford Performance lets you tune the bejesus out of your Coyote V8 Mustang GT with the new FP800S concept package to more than 800 horsepower!
Also, Dodge didn't come to SEMA in Las Vegas this year but couldn't help trying to steal the red carpet's spotlight with the announcement that its Hellephant C170 crate engine (which costs a staggering $27,695) will allow anyone to experience the superior Direct Connection power of the Challenger SRT Demon 170 in any vehicle of their choosing.
That, for sure, will make our lives a lot more interesting, especially when these models will hit the tarmac at the local quarter-mile dragstrip. However, that doesn't mean the action is any less enticing right now. If you want, we can give you an example. The videographer behind the Wheels channel on YouTube is a big fan of Bandimere Speedway and The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but he also loves MRP for its feisty brawls.
Mission Raceway Park – aka Thunder by the River – is an auto racing facility with an NHRA-sanctioned dragstrip (plus a nine-turn road course and a motocross track) located in Mission, British Columbia, Canada. But that doesn't mean it's any less prone to harboring American monsters. In the latest video feature embedded below, a couple of Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye sedans met a triad of Big Detroit Three models.
First, a gray and black Charger had a skirmish with a widebody Challenger – most likely a 392 Hemi Scat Pack, and you would think that the latter was easy prey, especially after you notice the massive drag radials fitted to the muscle sedan. However, always expect the unexpected in these situations, and somehow, the Redeye driver managed to botch things up mid-way through the race – probably due to some harrowing problems at the transmission level. Hence, it easily lost the race (12.88s versus 16.29s!).
Secondly, a white-and-black Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye fought an all-black Chevy Camaro SS. This time around, there were no slip-ups from the racers, and Mopar fans sighed in relief after the 11.42s versus 13.12s victory. Last but not least, a blue Ford Explorer ST (it even kept the roof bars, zero ifs given-style) decided to intervene and race the Challenger above. Interestingly, it performed better than the muscle car and won the day and our respect with a hearty 12.42s versus a 12.62s pass. Cool, right?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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