When Dodge released the Challenger Hellcat and Charger Hellcat in 2015, most people thought that factory muscle cars couldn't get any crazier. That all changed with the introduction of the limited edition Challenger Demon last year. Its specs are mind-boggling: 808 horsepower (840 on 100-plus octane racing fuel) and 770 lb-ft of torque from its 6.2-liter supercharged V8, 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds, and a 1/4-mile time of 9.65 seconds @ 140 mph, just to name a handful. It doesn't stop there. As a result of its 1/4-mile time, the Challenger Demon has been banned by the NHRA because it doesn't contain an approved cage behind the seat(s). Unlike any production vehicle before it, the Challenger Demon is capable of performing wheelies at launch. It pulls 1.8g of force under acceleration, more than any other car. The Challenger Demon is the first street car to have a TransBrake, which is used to boost launch consistency and driver reaction time at launch on the drag strip, and torque reserve, which increases supercharger revs without straining the brakes and spinning the rear tires. As you would expect from a vehicle like the Challenger Demon, it forgoes the rear seats; however, the front passenger seat is also removed, but can be added for $1. The Dodge Challenger Demon contains the biggest functional hood scoop of any production vehicle. Other production car firsts for the Challenger Demon consist of a liquid-to-air intercooler chiller system, drag radials, and drag-oriented suspension.
The Challenger Demon weighs 200 pounds less than the Challenger Hellcat. Like other Chrysler products, it features vehicle-specific graphics on its windows. In this case, the window graphics are of a Challenger Demon doing a burnout. The top-of-the-line Challenger has an Eco mode and goes faster than pretty much any other car in Eco mode. In addition to the massive hood scoop, the Challenger Demon contains two air intakes in the headlights. Dodge advises Demon owners not to drive their vehicles in wet weather, freezing temperatures, or on the highway as these conditions will wear down its drag slicks faster. Dodge also advises that Demon owners who opt for no front passenger seat do not try to install one themselves as the front passenger will not be properly protected in an accident. Drive modes exclusive to the Demon are Drag Mode and Race Cool Down Mode. Pricing for the Challenger Demon starts in the low $80,000s, with dealer markups increasing that past $100,000.
To wrap things up, the Dodge Challenger Demon is absolutely bonkers. Although I tend to prefer the Camaro and Mustang over the Challenger, the Demon's performance capabilities are out of this world. I am completely enthused and blown away by this vehicle, and I can't imagine how any automaker would be able to produce a more extreme car.
The following photos are of other modern Dodge Challenger models slotted below the Demon (R/T, R/T Scat Pack, Hellcat, R/T T/A).
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