Dodge whips up a batch of limited edition 808-hp Challengers for 2018
In 1971, the Dodge Demon was an inexpensive way to get a 340 cu.-in. V8/four-speed coupe that was quick and not too porky — at least by the standards of that Jurassic muscle car era.
Besides the dusted-off name, a V8 that’s just 36 cubic inches larger, rear-wheel-drive and two doors, the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon has little in common with its ancestor.
They could just as well stuck a “Cyborg” badge on this 21st-century Demon, which arrives this fall. While the coupe will still require (for now) a giddy human to keep the front wheels pointed straight ahead, microprocessors, sensors and digital directives are just as vital as the supercharger, plus-sized hood scoop and sticky drag radial tires in rocketing the newest SRT-fortified Challenger down the quarter-mile in under 10 seconds.
Gearheads will be over the moon scanning the list of components and systems that go into the Demon. The recipe reads like something ripped from the pages of Drag Illustrated magazine. For starters, the supercharger, pistons and connecting rods are beefed up. The lubrication system is tweaked to keep seven quarts of 0W-40 Pennzoil Ultra synthetic motor oil effectively circulating at up to 6,500 rpm, 300 rpm higher than the vaunted Hellcat.
There are scoops and inlets to feed the 6.2-liter engine up to 1150 cubic feet per minute of air as well as cool the automatic transmission and intercooler. The cooling and air conditioning systems have been rigged to help lower the temperature of the supercharger and intercooler while the engine is off. There’s also a factory transbrake, higher stall-speed torque converter, bigger injectors, upgraded fuel lines and dual fuel pumps. The Demon leaves the line with such brutal force (1.8 g), Dodge said a production unit pulled a wheelie nearly three feet long.
The 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system is much, much more after SRT gets hold of it. The Demon’s performance and race “pages” can monitor horsepower and torque, plot and record shift points and elapsed times, longitudinal and lateral g-forces and serve as virtual gauges for the usual fluids as well as air intake and intercooler coolant temperature, boost pressure and even air-fuel ratio.
Essentially a factory-built, street-legal street/strip car, the Demon will come with a three-year/36,000 mile powertrain warranty. At the track, the driver typically sets up the Challenger by putting it into drag mode. Among other things, this disables the traction control system to allow the wheels to spin for burnouts, but the electronic stability control remains on to help with straight-line performance. Bilstein adaptive shocks go into firm mode at the rear, while the fronts are set to allow easy lift for optimal weight transfer and traction. When the driver lets off the gas, the front shocks return to firm/firm. After warming the Demon-branded (and specific) Nitto NT05R 12.6inch wide rear tires and staging, the shift paddles can be used to engage the standard transbrake, which locks the output shaft of the extreme-duty 8HP90 eight-speed automatic and allows harder launches at higher rpm. Swapping in an optional control module allows the engine to fully utilize unleaded 100-octane gas, which boosts output to 840 horsepower and 770 lb.-ft. of torque. If there’s still 91-octane premium in the tank and the octane isn’t high enough for full-bore power, the driver is notified to add the 100-octane gas. Meanwhile, wheel-speed sensors used for torque vectoring in mainstream cars detect impending tire slippage and sticking that can lead to damaging wheel hop. Instead of old-school mechanical fixes, the Demon’s “launch assist” dials back engine torque in milliseconds.
Enthusiasts have revered the Dodge Challenger for its retro-but-contemporary muscle car styling, but have been less thrilled with the coupe’s bulk. Where its V8 competitors’ curb weights run well below 4,000 pounds, automatic-equipped V8 Challengers exceed two tons. The Demon comes in at 4,280 lbs., 175 pounds less than the Hellcat automatic. The savings come from steps like leaving out the audio system, insulation, rear seat and passenger seat and switching to lighter brakes and hollow stabilizer bars. The weight shaving is more significant than a casual glance would suggest because the Demon also comes with heavier heavy-duty components. Dodge expects most buyers will buy the front passenger seat, which like the rear seat and trunk carpeting, only costs $1 to add back.
The MSRP hasn’t been announced. Although Dodge officials have told journalists that the Demon will sticker at under 100 grand, dealerships will be free to ask whatever they want. And don’t forget that there will be a gas guzzler tax of about $1,700.
Learning from the hysteria over the Hellcat, Dodge said U.S. and Canada dealers will be told exactly how many Demons they’ll receive. Dodge has committed to 3,300 Demons for retail customers and for the 2018 model year only. Once the car is ordered, the serialized Challengers will come off the assembly line with the buyer’s name and information included in a registry. Only that owner will be able to purchase an optional crate of accessories and tools that include 18-by-4-inch front wheels intended for the track. (The Demon will come with four 315/40R18 drag radials on 18-by-11-inch wheels and the fronts are essentially an extra set of rear tires.)
What propelled the decision makers at Dodge to offer an 808-horsepower, limited edition, street-legal dragracing Challenger that outguns its 707-horsepower Hellcat stable mate?
“Our goal was to build a car that would tattoo the Dodge logo into the subconscious of the general market, beyond even our loyal enthusiasts,” said Tim Kuniskis, chief of passenger cars for Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT.