NYIAS 2017: The Only Big Surprise From the Dodge Demon is Its Huge Power
We won’t bore you with a rehash of the upgrades and advancements bestowed upon the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, because we already did that last week.
With the ultimate Mopar muscle machine now exposed at the New York International Auto Show, those advancements — and the speculation surrounding the vehicle’s unknowns — fade in comparison to newly released numbers. Power and acceleration figures, to be exact.
This time, the speculation was largely wrong, as the Demon makes more horsepower than we thought. So powerful is this limited-edition beast, it has already been banned from National Hot Rod Association dragstrips.
The first number of note is 808. That’s the horsepower rating when the Demon’s tank is filled with 91-octane fuel. With 100-plus octane racing fuel on board, output rises to 840 hp at the same engine speed — 6,300 rpm. It looks like all those hidden mentions of “757” were red herrings.
Torque figures are similarly healthy. The Demon generates 717 lb-ft of twist at 4,600 rpm when sipping premium, or 770 lb-ft when its overfed 6.2-liter supercharged V8 guzzles track-ready firewater from its twin fuel pumps. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles claims that this makes it a record-breaker on the strip, assuming you can find one that will let you race.
The Demon’s blistering 9.65-second, 140 mph quarter-mile time has led the NHRA to slam the brakes on any factory Demon dragstrip participants. For now, anyways. It’s looking like the model’s “Demon Kit” is missing one last thing needed for track participation: a special license and extra safety gear.
On the street and elsewhere, the Demon’s 2.3-second 0-60 time, maximum g-force of 1.8, and ability to lift its front rubber during launch also places it ahead of its competitors. FCA claims a Guinness world record for longest production car wheelie from a standing stop.
If this sounds good to you, expect to live among exclusive company. With only a single-year run planned, and a total of 3,300 units planned (300 of which are Canada-bound), the Demon won’t become anything like the resident neighborhood Hellcat. The good news is that those missing passenger and rear seats are just a $1 option away.
FCA dealers on both sides of the borders should begin seeing Demons approaching this fall, likely in time for Hallowe’en. Pricing has not yet been announced.
[Images: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]
More by Steph Willems
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The first 70 1/2 Challengers were rated in the high risk category by insurance companies in the early 70's. Insurance companies can effect vehicle sales if the insurance premiums are high enough. With this limited edition Challenger Demon I doubt most who will buy it will be that effected by the insurance premiums. The 70 1/2 Challengers with the performance packages were more affordable and plentiful than this special model and the horsepower they had is closer to what a compact and midsize car is today. I had a roommate in college in the 70's that had a special edition 70 1/2 Challenger with a 340 6 pack (3 2 barrel carbs) and adjustable rear shocks--it was a beast and he drove it like a madman. I doubt you will see this car driven on a regular basis and is most likely to be in the garage under a car cover waiting for the value to go up. You might see a few of these being raced but most will end up as garage queens.
LOL. . 2.3 seconds to put this piece of sh*t into a ditch. Another pointless, non-handling, American made POS.