The Chrysler Group issued a statement this morning with the official news that so many Mopar lovers have been eagerly awaiting for months now – the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT with the Hellcat Hemi will pack at least 600 horsepower.
That’s Right – the top of the line Challenger will be the second muscle car and the 4th American car of all time to break the 600 horsepower mark (after the Ford Mustang, Dodge Viper and Chevrolet Corvette). This supercharged 6.2L Hemi is the most powerful V8 ever offered in a production vehicle by the Chrysler Group and other than the Viper’s V10, there has been no other Mopar motor to offer more punch than the Hellcat. That power is put to the ground by the buyer’s choice of either a heavy duty 8-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission or a 6-speed manual transmission that is similar to the one used in the SRT Viper.
In addition to the high performance supercharged Hemi, the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat wears a hood that has both a front facing air intake scoop and a pair of heat extractors, “supercharged” logos on the front fenders, unique 20 inch wheels that have a very “Viper feel” to them and a unique front fascia that provides more downforce at high speeds along with much greater air flow to cool that massive blown Hemi. The Hellcat Hemi SRT Challenger will also wear a unique headlight design that has the central portion of the driver’s side inner headlight housing opened up to serve as an air intake for the 600+ horsepower engine.
Chevy can have their “Flowtie” – the Hellcat Hemi Challenger has a headlight that serves as a true cold air intake.
Unfortunately, we only know that the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat with have at least 600 horsepower. This means that the supercharged SRT Hemi could pack 605 horsepower or it could pack 650 horsepower…or anywhere in between. If the actual number runs towards the high end of that range, the 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat will be the most powerful American production car of all time – beating the 638 horsepower Corvette ZR1 and the 640 horsepower SRT Viper. However, I have a hard time believing that SRT will give the Challenger more power than the Viper so I expect the power to be around 625 horsepower. If that was the case, the new SRT Challenger would be as powerful as the C7 Corvette Z06 – the car that GM is billing as the most track capable Corvette of all time.
That would be some impressive company for the new Dodge Challenger.
"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.
