Dodge is bidding a final farewell to its venerable 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine with a new variant of the Challenger muscle car so rapid that it has been banned from drag racing in its factory configuration.
- Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 has a 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine
- It produces 1,039hp, 1,281Nm on E85 ethanol-petrol blend fuel
- Only 3,300 examples will be produced
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 performance
The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 hosts a series of upgrades for the Hemi engine, boosting its outputs to 1,039hp and 1,281Nm when running on E85 fuel. The switch to E85 – which comprises 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent petrol – is alone responsible for a significant proportion of the boost, with outputs dipping to 912hp and 1,098Nm when running on conventional E10.
The supercharger has also been reworked with a larger intake and a smaller 3.02-inch pulley, giving a 40 percent increase in boost pressure to 21.3psi. A ‘power chiller’ system also diverts the air-conditioning system to the supercharger, helping it to maintain optimal temperatures.
Such is the might of the Demon 170 that it can cover a quarter-mile drag strip in just 8.91sec, reaching 243.28kph. This makes it the first factory-produced muscle car capable of an 8.0sec quarter-mile, claims Dodge, earning it a ban from National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag races at full speed without a roll cage and a parachute.
The huge output also makes the Demon 170 the world’s fastest production car in the 0-97kph sprint, completing it in just 1.66sec. For reference, the previous title holder, the Aspark Owl, claims 1.7sec; the Rimac Nevera clocks 1.95sec; and the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 2.4sec (to 100kph). “To celebrate the end of the Hemi muscle car era, we pulled off all the governors to reach a new level, a new benchmark of factory-crazy production car performance,” said Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis.
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 platform
However, the engine – mammoth as it is – isn't solely responsible for such pace. New 315mm-wide Mickey Thompson radial tyres and a new Drag suspension mode help to transmit that power to the road.
The rear end of the car has also been upgraded, with a new axle 53 percent stronger than that on 2018’s Challenger SRT Demon, as well as a new propshaft that's 30 percent more robust.
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 exterior and interior
The exterior changes are more subtle, including the deletion of the front wheel-arch extensions, saving 7kg, and optional carbonfibre wheels manufactured by Lacks Enterprises. Otherwise, the only demarcations are ‘170’ badges, ‘alcohol injected’ etching on the bonnet and an optional satin-black finish on either the bonnet alone or the entire top side of the car.
Inside, buyers can choose to have the car fitted with only the driver’s seat. ‘Demon’ badging is fitted as standard, also detailing the car’s vehicle identification number (VIN).
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 availability and price
The Demon 170 will be limited to just 3,300 examples, all reserved for North American buyers. Around 3,000 units will be sold in the US, with the remainder earmarked for Canada.
Fittingly, the Demon 170 is priced from USD 96,666 (roughly Rs 79.97 lakh) – an apparent reference to the biblical number of The Beast.
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Dodge Charger, Challenger production to end in 2023