Intro
In order to discuss the car best known as the Dodge Demon, it is important to review some numbers first. The Bugatti Veyron does the ¼ Mile in 10.1 seconds, the Porsche 918 Spyder and the LaFerrari do it in 9.9 seconds, this car does it in 9.65 seconds! This Dodge is faster than a LaFerrari and is 1/20th the price! Pushing out 840hp with a 0-60mph time of just 2.3 seconds, the Challenger Demon is in fact the most powerful V8 ever made and the fastest accelerating production car IN HISTORY.
Exterior
Although it doesn’t come right out and say so with an exterior label, there are many cues Dodge added to the Demon to visually separate it from the rest of the Challenger lineup. The most distinctive feature, aside from the Demon head emblems on the front quarter panels, is the largest hood scoop of any production car...Dodge calls it the Air Grabber. The air grabber is so large, Dodge claims that in a quarter-mile it captures enough air to fill the lungs of 800 humans. They also added a sizable front splitter, rear trunk lid wing, and extended fender flares to deal with the larger drag-slicks.
Interior
This being one of the most expensive Mopar vehicles on the market today, one is treated to a plethora of perks and features upon entering the car. One of the first things you notice is the vintage style gauge cluster. Badging under the passenger side air vent is the only place on the car where the word “Demon” is plainly visible and the SRT logo on the wheel glows with a haunting red at night. Leather work, stitching and general finishing of the Demon is significantly improved upon lesser Challenger models, as to be expected in a car with this price tag.
Mechanics
With statistics like, fastest accelerating production car ever made and the most powerful V8 engine in the history of the automobile, there isn’t really much to say about the mechanics of this car that it doesn’t already say for itself. That being said, the numbers make for a staggering read. An all new 6.2L V8 featuring a 2.7L Supercharger was designed for the Demon. Adding the attachments provided in the famous $1 Demon Crate makes the car capable of 840hp and 777lb/ft of torque. This performance makes it the quickest accelerating road car available (0-60mph in 2.3sec), the hardest launching production vehicle of all time (1.85 G’s), the fastest non-electric car to complete the quarter mile (9.65 sec) and the record holder for the longest wheelie of any production vehicle. Suffice to say, the Demon is an out of the crate drag machine, capable of taking you to your limits. With just 8km (5mi) on the odometer everything about this car looks and performs as new, it is also compliant with EPA/DOT emissions regulations (OBD II)
Conclusion
Car manufacturers allot huge percentages of their annual costs towards research and development in an attempt to solve all the problems of speed. Leave it to the Americans to find a solution to all those problems; horsepower...a lot of it. Not only has Dodge nailed the aesthetic aspects of the Challenger, producing a true to form muscle car, but the powertrain is truly an iconic feat of engineering. Want a car that will wheelie straight out of the factory doors? Just one test drive, and you too will agree, it’s time for everyone else to throw in the white towel, the horsepower war is won.
