Scat Pack 1320: The Closest You’ll Ever Get to a Demon

Dodge just announced the Challenger Scat Pack 1320 package, an upgrade designed with Demon influence for the budget bracket racer.

This afternoon, the 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320 made its grand debut in Colorado at the site of the upcoming Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals Powered by Mopar. This new package is designed for drag racing, leading some people to suggest that it is another form of the Demon, but in all reality, it isn’t fair to compare these two cars beyond the fact that they share some gadgets.

Today, we bring you a look at exactly how the 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320 compares and contrasts to the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.

Scat Pack 1320 Similarities

First up, let’s look at the features that the Scat Pack 1320 and the Demon share.

The most significant upgrade for the Scat Pack 1320 is the Drag Mode, which incorporates the TransBrake, Torque Reserve and Launch Assist systems from the Demon. The 1320 also has Launch Control and Line Lock, but so do the Hellcat cars – so it is hard to call those “Demon features” as much as Challenger features. Of course, to get a TransBrake, you have to have an automatic transmission, so like the Demon, there is no manual transmission option – but it should be noted that the Demon uses the 8HP90 transmission while the 1320 comes with the 8HP70.

Like the Demon, the Scat Pack 1320 has some beefed-up drivetrain components as well, including a set of 41-spline heavy duty axles and a 3.09 gearset, helping to safely make the most of the added launch forces that come with the TransBrake.

Next, like the Demon, the Scat Pack 1320 comes with a stripped-out interior, devoid of a passenger’s seat or rear seat assembly, but buyers can add the extra front and rear seat for $2 ($1 each). Like almost all new Challengers, the Scat Pack 1320 comes with the 8.4-inch UConnect infotainment system, dual-zone climate control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters and infotainment controls.

Finally, like the Demon, the Scat Pack 1320 comes with a drag-tuned version of the Challengers adaptive suspension system. In Drag Mode, this suspension setup allows the car to transfer far more weight to the rear wheels on a hard launch, assisting with traction by forcing the rear tires to the pavement.

Differences

The two most significant differences between the 2018 Demon and the 2019 Scat Pack 1320 are the exterior appearance and the engine.

The Demon came with the widebody design, a Hellcat-like front fascia and the new Air Grabber hood while the Scat Pack 1320 comes with the same exterior appearance as the other 2019 Scat Pack Challengers. This includes the standard body width, the standard R/T front fascia and the Hellcat hood that comes on all 2019 Scat Pack Challengers. The 1320 does come with unique badges and wheels, but other than those two items – the 1320 looks like the other Scat Pack cars.

More importantly, the Demon was powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi that ran on race gas and made 840 horsepower and 770 lb-ft of torque. The 2019 Scat Pack 1320 is powered by the 392-cubic inch Hemi that “only” runs on pump gas with an output of 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque.

As mentioned above, while the Scat Pack 1320 gets the TransBrake, it does not get the heavier-duty 8HP90 transmission or the high-stall torque convertor of the Demon. The 1320 also doesn’t share the Demon’s 18-inch wheels or the specially-created Nitto drag radials. The Scat Pack drag racing package does come with unique 20-inch wheels wrapped in Nexen performance tires, but it seems unlikely that those rollers will offer anywhere near the grip of the Nitto 555 Extreme drag radial.

Of course, with the differences listed above, it should come as no surprise that the Demon is a whole lot faster than the Scat Pack 1320. Based on the official times from Dodge, the Demon was capable of running 9.60s at speeds in excess of 140 miles per hour while the Scat Pack 1320 has an official quarter mile time of 11.7 at 115 miles per hour. This makes the 1320 considerably slower than the Demon, but that certified quarter mile time of 11.7 makes the Scat Pack the quickest factory-built, naturally-aspirated car sold in the United States.

Pricing

Finally, the Demon cost a whole lot more than the Scat Pack 1320. The 1320 package is technically a $3,995 option on the $38,995 base price of the Challenger R/T Scat Pack, but buyers have to also pay the $1,595 upcharge for the 8-speed automatic transmission, so when taking destination fees into account, the Scat Pack 1320 pricing starts around $46,000. On the other hand, the 2018 Demon with the optional front and rear seats, the Demon Crate and destination fee had an MSRP of $86,093 – making the Demon roughly $40,000 more than the Scat Pack 1320.

In the end, while the Scat Pack 1320 shares some components with the Demon, the differences between the two cars are vast enough that this new Challenger will pose no threat to owners of the 840-horsepower version – but it poses a big threat to the competition in the drag racing world.

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Patrick Rall

"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.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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