An Unbelievable Farewell to the Challenger: SRT Demon 170
Iconic muscle car manufacturer Dodge is gearing up to bid farewell to the 15-year-old Challenger with a very special edition. Introduced to the market in 2008, the Challenger wasn’t a very powerful car until its facelift in 2014. Developed based on the W220 Mercedes-Benz S-Class chassis released in 1999, the Challenger carries a lot of design inspiration from the legendary Challenger of the 1970s. Popular in the United States, the Challenger boasts a unique feature as the first and only factory-produced car with a wheelie feature (lifting the front wheels off the ground during acceleration).
The exterior design of the SRT Demon 170 closely resembles other Challenger versions, highlighting its muscle car identity with features such as a low and wide front hood, ventilation channels on the hood, round headlights embedded in the grille, a flat front section, thick-walled tires, and a rear design with a rising and widening hip line. Despite sporting a familiar and well-established design, the 15-year-old Challenger remains an extremely attractive sports car. The rear design, reminiscent of old cars and inspired by the 1st generation Challenger, features rectangular lights, embodying a pure muscle car design with simple yet aggressive lines.
425, 470, 485, 707, 717, and 808. These are the highest horsepower figures offered by the Challenger over time. The newly introduced SRT Demon 170, bidding farewell, boasts an impressive 1025 horsepower and 1281 Nm of torque. Achieving 0-60 mph acceleration in just 1.66 seconds, the Demon seizes the title of “World’s Fastest Accelerating Production Car.” During this acceleration, the model reaches 2Gs (2 times the acceleration due to gravity), setting a record in this category as well. Claiming the title of the only production car to complete the quarter-mile (400 meters) in under 9 seconds, the SRT Demon 170 cannot participate in drag races without a safety cage and parachute attachment. This is because, by rules, any car completing the quarter-mile in under 9 seconds must have a mandatory safety cage and parachute.
Dodge offers two different keys for SRT models, black and red. When using the black key, the vehicle’s power is limited, and to unleash its full performance, you need to use the red key. However, for the 7th and final special edition, the SRT Demon 170, Dodge will only sell it with red keys. The SRT Demon 170, with its 6.2-liter HEMI engine, shares only the camshaft with other HEMI engines, improving almost every other component to deliver peak performance. Dodge, increasing the supercharger volume, boosts the pressure by 40% compared to the 808 horsepower model, and strengthens the rear-wheel-drive car’s shaft by 30%. Strengthening the shaft connection by 53%, Dodge offers the rear tires as drag tires, claiming the title of the “First production car sold with drag tires.” Making a patent application for TransBrake 2.0, developed to adjust torque transfer, Dodge also reinforces the suspension system. With injectors that have a flow rate higher than an average showerhead at 620 liters per hour, supported by an 8-speed ZF transmission, Dodge has created an incredible muscle car.
The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170, which will be produced in a total of 3300 units, will bid farewell in late 2023. The next generation, expected to be electric, will be remembered as the most powerful internal combustion engine muscle car in history. What are your thoughts on the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170?