Sentimentality aside, because I confess that In my “heart of the condo” live many cars that I am in love with, Dodge is a brand that I grew up with. Who didn’t help their grandfather or dad with the weekend “talacha” in the Dodge Dart, Dodge Valiant or the Dodge Challenger? Brake adjustment, spark plug change, change of a pesky gasoline filter that was always clogged; Or what about disassembling the huge plate that protected the air filter before accessing the carburetor and cleaning the points. Mechanics and pure nostalgia…
For this reason, when Dodge announced the return of its most famous Muscle Cars, Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger, in 2008, it was inevitable to contain my excitement as I was reunited with one of the cars with which I accentuated my taste for engines. For almost 15 years (the same years that I have been an automotive journalist) I have been fortunate to handle each model, version and evolution. But When the acronym SRT Hellcat came up, the only thing that came to mind was: where is all this going to end?
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Super Stock: Every last drop of gasoline
Hopefully not, but surely here, at least for the street versions that, like the Super Stock, do not care about emissions or excessive consumption. That is his world, his essence and reason for being, all commanded by the well-known 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI engine. Nothing new if we analyze it carefully, but well evolved and worked to surprise once again with 807 Hp and 707 Lb-ft of torque, figures whose tiny difference places it as the prelude to the Dodge Demon.
Within the enormous attitude that this muscle car can have, the engineers had the good idea of developing electronics that, through the Uconnect unit, the user can configure the Super Stock according to your preferences, track activities and of course, the capacity of hands you have, because the reality is that, with or without the help of electronics, this car does not forgive many mistakes, if you provoke it, it responds and if you don’t know how to defend yourself, it punishes you, that’s the way things are: if you provoked the “bullyer” at school, You better know how to fight. In any case, Dodge gives us a hand so that the attacks of the Super Stock hurt less, or are more fun:
- Launch Control: Optimizes differential action for better starts
- Track Mode: All power goes to the rear axle.
- Line Lock: Blocking of front tires to “lock” the rear ones.
- Torque Reserve: Manage torque delivery to never lose thrust.
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Super Stock: Street & Track
Obviously, and although it is hard to believe, the Super Stock is a street-certified race car. It is the perfect base to make a demolishing dragaster and behaves like one, but you also have to be very brave to take him to deadly traffic because I assure you that neither you nor he will have a good time. The HEMI needs a lot of air to live and if he doesn’t have it for long periods of time he can start to “cough”. But later, When you finally hit the road, it magically revives and the sound of the supercharger is louder than the roar of the exhaust.
Everything can happen very fast, and there is not enough space to at least reach the fifth gear of the 8 speeds. Like a good rear-wheel drive muscle car, he is very comfortable on straights, but when the twisting comes, we started to fight with him and his weight transfers, with the tendency to ease in the rear axle and a direction that is very absent at times. At that time, it will be best not to disconnect anything, or install it with violence because everything could go wrong and third parties are not to blame.
But arriving at the track, where everything is “safer”, only you will be responsible for yourself because the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Super Stock transforms into what it is, a true Hellcat and, as anticipated, you will be immersed in their world: noise, pulls, with the sound and smell of the Nitto NT05R enduring the punishment; Brutal acceleration barely contained by the Bilstein adaptive suspension package. The only thing that is with you is courage and the Brembo brakes in case you can’t take it anymore.
Dodge says that:
- Does 0-100 km/h in 3.25 seconds; she gave us 3.5 seconds.
- It runs the 405 meters in 10.5 seconds; it marked us 11 seconds.
- It reaches a maximum speed of 270 km/h (due to tire limitation). The road only allowed us 240 km/h (it was still beautiful).
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Super Stock: Nothing New, But It Still Works
You have to be honest The cabin is one of the most “stagnant” on the market, especially in the case of a sports car. The components, their distribution and design; materials, textures, assembly, everything is almost the same as 14 years ago and yes it works but, it is still an expensive car and many customers could expect more.
The bodywork uses the same Red Eye Wide Body configuration. Add light-alloy wheels that accentuate its wicked style; hood scoops, rear spoiler and Hellcat badging on the sides. The main headlights have integrated turn signals and the taillights are the same as the Red Eye.
Now: Does it really matter? In other not so enthusiastic versions maybe yes, but in the Super Stock it is more likely not Because in many cases, the dysfunctional rear seats will give way to the base of a roll bar, or the door covers along with a good part of the upholstery will disappear in order to save weight, and so we could continue until we have a street car. made for drag racing or vice versa. In any case, you decide what to do with a toy of this caliber, personal, selfish, ostentatious and very funny, that surely we will not see more in coming years. For that simple fact, and for the memories as well as the sensations behind the wheel that it generates, we could forgive him everything. hSo long, Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
$1,935,000.00