With production of the third generation kicking off back in 2008, the Dodge Challenger is one of the oldest vehicles that’s still being made. Nonetheless, the auto marque knows how to keep it on the appealing side of the segment, as they have constantly upgraded it over the years.
Any V8 model is pretty much a dream ride, though those reaching for the stars will settle for nothing less than a Hellcat. This sub-brand is divided into several versions, from the normal SRT Hellcat, and SRT Hellcat Redeye, complete with their Widebody variants, to the SRT Superstock, Jailbreak, and discontinued Demon, which is still the punchiest one yet.
Accompanied by an MSRP of $69,620, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat has 717 horsepower and 656 pound-feet (889 Nm) of torque produced by the supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8. It also features a few discreet add-ons, sports uprated brakes signed by Brembo, has Launch Control, an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system and 20-inch aluminum wheels, and it is mighty fast in a straight line.
But how quick is it in a head-to-head race against the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye? The video that you’re about to watch, shot at the Bandimere Speedway in Colorado, answers this question. We’ll move on to it in just a moment, but first, we have to remind ourselves that this model boasts 797 hp and 707 lb-ft (959 Nm) from the same power unit. It needs 3.4 seconds to hit 60 mph (97 kph) from a standstill, and it is a 10-second car down the quarter-mile, on a good day.
Nonetheless, with sticky tires on its feet, and a skilled driver behind the wheel, the normal Hellcat can also deal with the quarter mile about as fast as its punchier sibling. So, is it worth paying at least $78,225 for the Redeye, before destination and dealer fees, from a straight-line sprint perspective? You know what to do to find out.
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. Full profile
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