The 2018 Dodge Demon Runs 9s, Lifts the Front Wheels
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is the world’s first production car to lift the front wheels at launch. It set the world record for longest wheelie from a standing start by a production car at 2.92 feet, certified by Guinness World Records.
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon debuted tonight in New York City and after pining over this car for more than three months – this Mopar monster is worth every bit of that wait.
Over the past 13 weeks, we have enjoyed teaser videos and accompanying information on the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon which detailed a long list of features, but until now, we haven’t had the key figures like horsepower, torque or track times.
Until now.
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is powered by a 6.2L Hemi topped by a 2.7L supercharger, allowing this machine to make 808 horsepower and 717lb-ft of torque when the car is running on 91 octane pump gas. When running with the large Nitto drag radials on all four corners with that 808hp output, the Demon will storm down the quarter mile drag strip in just 9.9 seconds – but that is only the beginning of this story.
Under the hood of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI® Demon V-8 engine.
When the owner of a 2018 Demon adds the high performance PCM with a race gas tune, the interior button panel with the high octane button and the high flow air filter from the Demon Crate, the power output climbs to 840 horsepower and 770lb-ft of torque – making the Challenger Demon the most powerful American production road car ever and the 4th most powerful production road car in the world today. Only LaFerrari, the Porsche 918 and the McLaren P1 pack more power, but none of them are quicker than the Demon in the quarter mile when running on its 100-octane tune.
When fitted with the skinny race wheels up front and all of the other go-fast goodies from the Demon Crate, the 2018 Challenger SRT Demon will clear the quarter mile in just 9.65 seconds with a trap speed of 140 miles per hour. Before the Demon, the quickest production road car in the world was the Bugatti Veyron with a 9.70 – but the Demon beats that and every other production car in the world. To be clear, that is quicker than every production road car in the world ever…not just among those cars on sale today.
The custom-painted Demon Crate contains components that maximize the Challenger SRT Demon’s flexibility, exclusivity and future collectability.
Along the same lines, the 2018 Demon with the race gas tune is the quickest car in the world when running to 60 from a dead stop, laying down a best time of 2.3 seconds. When the team measured 0-60 with a rollout, that time dropped to 2.1 seconds and when going from 0-100, the Demon continues to line up the records with a time of just 5.1 seconds. These numbers were achieved in the Demon’s ideal track configuration, using Drag Launch Mode, the intercooler chilling system, the TransBrake and all of the other items added for track use.
By the way, the new Demon launches so hard with the TransBrake and the other high performance components that it has been officially certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the first ever production road car with stock tires to lift the front tires off of the ground. With the skinny race rims up front, the Demon will carry the front tires off of the ground for almost 3 feet (2.92ft), but even with the heavier wheels and tires up front – the Demon will rip them off of the ground on a hard launch. When executing this incredible launch, the Demon is creating 1.8 Gs of lateral force – which is more Gs created on launch than any other car on record in the world.
Guinness World Records certification of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon record.
The Demon’s supercharged Hemi is relatively similar to the one in the Hellcat cars, with the same 6.2L engine block and the same cylinder heads, but the supercharger is new (and bigger), the valve train components are stronger and the rotating assembly (connecting rods, crankshaft, pistons) are all stronger in the Demon engine. There is also a higher volume oiling system, a higher volume fuel system and a much more elaborate cooling system, but this technically isn’t a new engine. However, those features allow the Demon engine to make big power more reliably while also offering more power – 101hp and 67lb-ft more torque on 91 octane and 137hp/120tq on 100 octane.
Best of all, even when running on 100 octane, the 2018 Challenger SRT Demon is legal for road use in all 50 states, including California and the other states which adhere to the strict CARB requirements. Also, the Demon has a 3/36k bumper to bumper warranty and a 5yr/50k drivetrain warranty, even when the car is being run at the track with all of the high performance parts. A Dodge representative pointed out that the warranty will be in jeopardy if the owner adds a unique engine tune or any other components, but in the end, the Demon is legal for road use everywhere in the US and Canada, with 9-second capabilities and a full warranty with all of the stock components (including those in the Demon Crate).
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
Finally, for those folks looking to use their 2018 Demon as a daily driver, some of the weight reduction efforts can be undone for a low price. Adding back the passenger front seat, the rear seat or the trunk trim adds just $3 to the MSRP while the Demon Crate with the performance parts and tools also costs just $1. We don’t know the MSRP just yet, but adding the interior, trunk trim and the Demon Crate only adds $4 to the final price.
The bad news is that the new Dodge Challenger SRT Demon will only be offered for 2018 and the company will only build 3,000 units for the US and 300 for Canada, so with 3,300 units, it isn’t extremely limited – but it is far more limited than the Hellcat Challenger. Fortunately, Dodge plans to customize every car with the owner’s name, making it harder for dealerships to order cars and pile on huge markups.
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
The new Demon will reach dealerships in the late summer or early fall, so racers around the country should get some seat time on the track during the 2017 season.
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
Update: We have gotten to sort through the many images taken at the Demon debut in New York City, and below, you will find a huge gallery of images from the incredible introduction event. In addition to the debut of the car itself, Fast and Furious star Vin Diesel talked about the amazing Demon, rapper Wiz Khalifa presented a platinum record to FCA for their involvement in his music video paying tribute to Paul Walker and in return, FCA gave Wiz Khalifa a Hellcat Charger. Wiz Khalifa then served as the DJ of the event for a few hours as the guests checked out the Demons in attendance, some of the cars from the Fast and Furious movies, free food and drinks and a virtual drag race with the Demon in a new Demon.
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon Drag Kit features a Demon Track Pack System that fits into the SRT Demon trunk and securely holds the front runner wheels and track tools.
It was a remarkable debut event for the greatest muscle car of all time and I am confident in saying that everyone in attendance had a great time. Having been to dozens of events like this in the past, I can safely say that the Demon event was the most elaborate and the most enjoyable of all of them.
Custom Demon diecast emblem located on the cover the 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI® Demon V-8 engine.
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
While we know that everyone couldn’t be there with us, the video below shows the theatrical debut of the new Demon, along with a gallery of images from around the huge indoor debut event.
