USA TODAY International Edition
Dodge Charger Hellcat: Power for a price
No pandemic can stop speed and power junkies. The 797- horsepower 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye, “with the most powerful production V- 8 engine, a quarter- mile elapsed time of 10.6 seconds and a top speed of 203 miles per hour” will start at $ 80,090, Dodge announced Monday.
The revered and feared Hellcat has been called a “thug,” a “hoodlum” and a “bully” by thefastlanecar. com.
“As America’s only four- door muscle car, the 2021 Dodge Charger does what no other sedan does – delivers power, performance, all- wheel- drive ( AWD) capability and the ability to carry the family or friends,” Timothy Kuniskis, head of passenger cars at Dodge, said in a statement released Monday.
“And for about $ 100 per horse, you get the most powerful and fastest mass- produced sedan in the world with the new 797- horsepower Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye,” he said.
Dodge unveiled prices for its full Charger lineup, which range from $ 29,995 to $ 78,595 U. S. manufacturer’s suggested retail price ( MSRP), not including the destination charge.
Dealers will begin accepting orders Friday. Deliveries to dealerships are expected to begin in early 2021. Dodge spotlighted special features:
● The “supercharged” 6.2 liter HEMI Hellcat V- 8 engine on the Charger SRT Hellcat has increased standard output to 717 horsepower and 650 pound- feet of torque.
● The 392- cubic- inch HEMI V- 8 engine on the Charger Scat Pack “offers the most horsepower per dollar of any sedan in the industry, boasting a best- inclass naturally aspirated 485 horsepower and 475 pound- feet of torque.”
● The “legendary” 5.7- liter HEMI V- 8 on the Charger R/ T delivers 370 horsepower and 395 pound- feet of torque
● The “award- winning 3.6 liter Pentastar V- 6 delivers up to 30 mpg on SXT and GT and up to 27 mpg on SXT AWD and GT AWD models paired with the segment’s “most advanced AWD system” – up to 300 horsepower and 264 pound- feet of torque is standard on Charger SXT AWD, GT and GT AWD models “thanks to a unique cold- air induction system, sport tuned exhaust and engine calibration.”
In addition to the new Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye, Charger AWD models get an upgrade with new 20- inch wheels “delivering a confident muscle car look year- round,” Dodge said.
The 20- by 8- inch wheels finished in Satin Carbon are standard on the Charger GT AWD and available on the SXT AWD, Dodge said.
“The heart of the new 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye comes from the limited- production 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon,” Dodge said.
Internal changes to the transmission in the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye include an upgraded torque converter, delivering “an 18% increase in torque multiplication when compared with the standard Charger SRT Hellcat,” Dodge said.
“The Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye’s engine has 25 major component upgrades, including a larger supercharger, strengthened connecting rods and pistons, high- speed valve train, fuel injection system and improved lubrication system.”