2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon Promises Higher Launch Force than Hellcat
Also more grip
Dodge has already revealed that the Challenger SRT Demon receives super-wide drag radials from the factory, but now we're getting a better idea of how those tires will impact the car's performance. In its sixth teaser video for the Demon, Dodge hints at the car's launch power and its potential to cream the Hellcat in a drag race.
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The Demon should provide more than twice as much grip as the Hellcat, boasting a 15-percent larger tire contact patch. The added traction and higher profile of the new tires make it capable of handling higher launch torque loads, so Dodge gave the Demon a higher-stall-speed torque converter and 3.09 rear axle gears. These updates should give the Demon an 18-percent increase in converter and rear axle torque multiplication, and more than a 35-percent higher launch force than the Hellcat. For proof, just look at how the tires' sidewalls wrinkle.
If you've seen all six teasers, you'd know Dodge has already shown off the Demon's wide-body treatment, 315/40R18 Nitto NT05R drag radials, and 18x11-inch wheels. Despite the car's beefy equipment and wide body, it manages to weigh as much as 215 pounds less than the Hellcat, thanks in part to the removal of the carpet and all the seats but the driver's. The hotted-up Challenger also receives a massive cold air intake to increase airflow.
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon makes its official debut at the New York auto show in April. Expect many more teasers like the one below in the meantime.
Source: FCA
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