Here's How Fast The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Really Is
In the many years since the Charger was first introduced, Dodge has managed to keep its sedan relevant and exciting by using a simple formula: an ever-increasing horsepower rating. Thanks to Dodge, it seems like 700-horsepower cars grow on trees. But at its core, the Charger Hellcat Widebody is still a roomy family sedan. The ultimate daily driver, if you will.
Under the hood of the latest SRT Hellcat Widebody is a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that cranks out 717 horsepower, according to Car and Driver. Opt for a Redeye model and the horsepower jumps to 807. To make that extra 90 horsepower, the Redeye has a larger supercharger that produces 14.5 psi of boost versus 11.6 psi of boost in a regular Hellcat. In either case, shifting is handled through a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Charger Hellcat can be had with more horsepower than some supercars, like Lamborghini's Aventador. But is its considerable bulk and dated rear-wheel-drive architecture a handicap? Some would argue that the unfettered ability to do donuts, burnouts, and powerslides all day is actually a benefit, at least until they have to replace the tires at almost $400 a pop. So how fast is the Charger SRT Hellcat? When it takes a break from hooning around, that is.
Last call for old school V8 fun
The regular Charger SRT Hellcat that Car and Driver tested blasted to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, which is slightly shy of the manufacturer's performance figures. "Dodge says the Widebody Hellcat can hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and cover the quarter-mile in 10.96 seconds, which might be possible with slicks on a prepped dragstrip," Car and Driver notes. Like most high-horsepower rear wheel drive cars, traction on the street is a real challenge. The advertised top speed of the Hellcat Widebody is 196 mph, which is remarkable since it's definitely on the chunky side, aerodynamically speaking.
Car and Driver also put the 807 horsepower Hellcat Redeye through paces. It hit the 60 mph mark in 3.5 seconds and ran its quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds. According to Dodge, the top speed of the Hellcat Widebody is 203 mph, which blows away direct competitors like Chevy's Camaro ZL1 and Ford's Mustang Shelby GT500. But the Charger Hellcat will still lose in a race against its little brother, the Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock, in a drag race. The Challenger SRT Super Stock sprints to 60 mph in 3.25 seconds and breezes through the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds. Credit must be given to the Charger, though, because it is much more practical for hauling a family around compared to the Challenger's cramped rear seating.
All 2023 Chargers will have a special "Last Call" plaque under the hood to commemorate the final production run before Dodge marches headlong into a future consisting primarily of electric vehicles. But given that Tesla's latest Model S Plaid rockets from zero to 60 mph in just 2.1 seconds, perhaps that electrified future isn't so bleak after all.