Dodge Demon is Gone, with No Signs of Returning
FCA officially confirmed that the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon has returned to the abyss—for good.
Though we knew from the initial announcement of the Demon’s resurrection that the servant of Hell’s time on Earth would be short-lived, this disclosure is a somber one. After Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) manufactured 3,300 Demons, the cap they stated at the 2017 unveiling in New York, FCA reassured the public that absolutely no more Demons will be made. Not one. As reported by Manoli Katakis from Muscle Cars & Trucks, the company is sticking to their mantra by virtue of honoring the 3,000+ people who paid premium dollar for a car that was designed to be rare, but hellishly fast. It’s even more rare in Canada — only 300 were made and sold up North.
“The Demon isn’t coming back,” said FCA’s Head of Passenger Cars, Tim Kuniskis. “You know what would happen, if those 3,300 people that paid a lot of money for a serialized car, do you know what they would do to me if we brought it back?”
It’s a valid point, no doubt about that. Though, a V8 engine that makes 840 hp and 770 ft lbs of torque while doing 0-60 in just 2.3 seconds? Maybe FCA would let the Demon Hemi possess other cars on their lineup? Well, that question’s been asked, but Kuniskis blew out any and all sparks of hope. Even though the Charger is already a successful vessel for the Hellcat, FCA says, “Nope.” Though, there are rumors that it might be seen again in a Ram.
The Demon surfaced ready to set records at the drag strips by coming out of the box with custom Nitto NT05R street-legal drag tires. As a method of weight reduction, the Demon didn’t come stock with passenger seats – but if a customer wanted one, they could have one added on for a one measly dollar. That’s right, $1. Most add-ons were that cheap, except for an optional stereo.
This isn’t the first time our planet has been visited by a Demon for a short amount of time, though. The Demon, which was originally going to be called the Beaver but was quickly changed after learning what that word meant on the streets, was first debuted in 1971. Main difference is, instead of a beefed up Challenger, it was a demonically inhabited Dodge Dart. Another stellar difference is that the Demon from the day came with more than one engine choice — the most iconic being one that made 250 hp. That’s a number most modern cars make, but back in the ’70’s, that was life-changing. Though, similar to the Demon of today, it also had a 0-60 time of 2.3 seconds.
Sadly, the fate of the yester-demon was less acceptable than the demise of today’s. There were “demon-strations” lead by several religious groups across the nation protesting the car’s name. The manufacturer felt so much pressure from the people that production was halted in 1972. So, maybe the world is too Holy for such an insane car. The HEMI V8 is so powerful, it still remains the most powerful V8 in a production car of all time, with the fastest 0-60 time. Seeing this car go brings a whole new meaning to the saying, “too good to be true,” despite the name.
Photos: FCA US Media
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