By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica

(April 3, 2016) I spent the last week driving the tumultuous 707-horsepower supercharged license-loser Dodge Challenger Hellcat. It’s street legal and so powerful, you can expect to turn the quarter mile at the drag strip in close to 11 seconds at just over 125 mph on Pirelli P Zero summer tires. Swap for drag radials and you’ll record times in the 10-second range.

Top speed is 199 mph, and Dodge performance engineers tell us that at that speed, the Hellcat will completely empty a full tank of gas in 13 minutes.



For the record, the Hellcat is the fastest and most powerful production muscle car ever made. Credit the 6.2-liter HEMI V-8 that delivers a massive 650 pound-feet of torque to go along with the ample horsepower.

But given all those astounding numbers, the most impressive of all may be its price: $65,190 including delivery charge and a $1,700 federal gas-guzzler tax. By performance car standards, the Hellcat is nothing short of a spectacular and extraordinary bargain.

If the incredible horsepower and the wonderful mellifluous rumblings of the operatic exhaust system, and the ascending whistling-whine of the supercharger forcing air and fuel into the combustion chambers aren’t enough to draw the wrong kind of attention, the bright blue pearl metallic clear coat paint on our test car alone is enough to do it.

The engine’s power is impressive, but so is the incredible smoothness and quick shifting eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission, perfectly set up to handle the massive power. A six-speed manual shifter is standard.

Despite its capacity for furious and violent acceleration, especially when engaging “track mode,” the Hellcat’s throttle is sweetly civil, enabling the engine to trawl along through heavy traffic. The handling is confident and reassuring, the steering feel is excellent and the huge Brembo brakes just don’t fade or give out. We were especially impressed with the handling and firmness of the suspension with track mode engaged.

Save the small snarling Hellcat emblem on either fender and alpha SRT affixed to the trunklid, the exterior looks and design are essentially undistinguished from the $27,000 entry-level V-6 Dodge Challenger.

While I wouldn’t say it was scary to drive, there’s little question the car wanted to be pushed, and pushed hard. With respect for safety and fear of doing hard time in Sheriff Joe’s Tent City, we’ll test its full capabilities on the track.

Vital Stats

2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
Base Price: $62,495
Price as Tested: $68,780
Seating: 4
Engine: 6.2-L Supercharged HEMI V8
Horsepower: 707 hp
Fuel Economy: 13/22 mpg City/Highway

Fab Features:

Massive amounts of acceleration and speed
Glorious sounding exhaust notes
Roomy, comfortable interior