A Plum Crazy Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat smokes the tires on a dyno run – still makes 642 rear wheel horsepower.
A great many of the privately owned Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcats that we feature here on DodgeForum are fitted with the 8-speed automatic transmission because it is the more popular of the two options, but this supercharged Mopar muscle car in the clip below is fitted with the heavy duty 6-speed manual transmission.
This Hellcat Challenger is owned by Brandon Ryan and in this video, the Plum Crazy Dodge coupe is being tested on the dyno in stock form – right down to the tires. In fact, as is so often the case, these stock tires prove to be a weak spot during the dyno run, spitting smoke when the driver puts the hammer down.
After working through the gears, the driver prepares for the dyno blast with the Hellcat Challenger in 3rd gear. When he hits the throttle, smoke collects behind the car while the rear end of the monster tries to hop around on the rollers. Fortunately, the tow straps prevent the car from moving, but the tire spin prevents the shop from getting a good dyno run. Because of that, they make another run, easing into the throttle more gently to apply power more gradually and on that second run, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is able to put all of that supercharged power to the ground.
The result is 642 rear wheel horsepower and 599lb-ft of rear wheel torque. Considering that the Hellcat Challenger has an official horsepower rating of 707hp and 650lb-ft of torque at the transmission, this video (like so many others) shows that the supercharged 6.2L Hemi is pretty clearly underrated from the factory. Figure that even with a conservative drivetrain loss figure of 12%, a 707hp Challenger should be making around 622 horsepower. With 642rwhp, a 12% drivetrain loss ratio would lead to around 720bhp – or the manual transmission Hellcat drivetrain only loses 9% of its power on the way to the wheels.
In any case, this Hellcat Challenger sounds awesome while being worked out, so crank up your speakers and enjoy!
"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.
