Dodge may have put the fabulous Hellcat motor behind it with the new generation Charger, which is offered with electric power at first and twin-turbo engines later, but enthusiasts haven't forgotten about the great whining V8.
Over the years, the 6.2-liter supercharged mill powered several Hellcat models from Dodge, including Challengers and Chargers. It also made its way under the hood of the Durango and the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.
Depending on the model and configuration, the supercharged V8 used to kick out over 700 horsepower. The automaker upped the ante with the magnificent Challenger SRT Demon, which was good for 840 horsepower and 770 pound-foot (1,044 Nm) in its top form.
The quarter-mile took a blistering nine seconds in this muscle car, which could (and still can) beat modern supercars in a straight-line sprint with a perfect takeoff, as it needs only 2.3 seconds to push to 60 mph (97 kph). Nevertheless, it takes a very experienced driver and a little bit of luck to achieve these numbers.
Photo: Screenshot Youtube | Wheels
But this isn't the punchiest muscle car out there, as that role is reserved for the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170. Its supercharged V8 is almost new, as it shares very few components with the rest of the Hellcats. With E10 in the tank, it produces 900 hp and 810 lb-ft (1,097 Nm). Fill it up with E85, and these numbers will increase to 1,025 hp and 945 pound-foot (1,280 Nm) of torque.
With a staggering 1.66 seconds required to reach 60 mph, this model can make its occupants dizzy every time the driver abuses the right pedal. Its quarter-mile time is something to write home about, as it takes 8.91 seconds on a good day, with a 151.17 mph (243.28 kph) exit speed. But just like its lesser sibling, the Demon, the Demon 170 also takes a lot of time to master, as not everyone can pull a perfect takeoff.
Dodge made only 3,300 units of the Demon 170, and 3,000 of them were sold in the United States, with the rest heading to Canada. Some of them have conquered their local drag strips, as we've seen several videos in which this spectacular muscle car, which was basically born to devour the quarter miles, was put through its paces.
More recently, one example was filmed at the Las Vegas Speedway, challenging (pun intended) its lesser sibling. That's right, you are about to witness a quarter-mile drag race between the regular Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and the Challenger SRT Demon 170. The video can be viewed below, and we obviously won't spoil the outcome. That said, how big a difference do you think it was between the two? Now, head on down to see if you were right!
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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