Demon Roadster is unlike neither the 1971 or 2018 production cars of its namesake, looking more like a Miata instead.
Most Mopar fans who are asked about a Dodge Demon immediately think of a muscle car, but back in 2007, Dodge rolled out the Demon Roadster Concept shown here. As you can see, it is nothing like the Dart- or Challenger-based muscle cars that made it to production, being designed to compete with the likes of the then-popular Saturn Sky, Pontiac Solstice or Mazda Miata.
After making its global debut at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, this gorgeous concept floated around the auto show scene for a few years before landing in the Chrysler Group’s historic vehicle collection. Back in 2014, they brought this car and several other concepts out for a small media event at the Dodge Brothers Meadowbrook Estate, giving us all a chance to see the roadster that never made it to showrooms.
The sixth and final installation in DodgeForum’s “Concept Spotlight Series” takes a closer look at the 2007 Roadster Concept.
History of the Name
If you seek out a Dodge Demon at any car show, you are going to find a muscle car. Whether it is the original Demon based on the 1971 and 1972 Dart or the modern Demon based on the 2018 Challenger, the production cars wearing the Demon name have both been rear-drive muscle cars with powerful V8 engines. Yes, we know that the classic Demon could be ordered with a 225-cubic inch six-cylinder, but in the end, both the classic and modern Demons are known for being powerful muscle cars.
However, before the Demon name was reincarnated for the 840-horsepower Challenger, it was used to introduce this great-looking compact sports car.
2007 Dodge Demon Concept: Shadow of its Past & Future Selves continued…
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
