2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat: More Than 600 HP
When the new 2015 Challenger was unveiled at the New York Auto Show, Mopar enthusiasts were somewhat disappointed. While the new car was great, the SRT version was nowhere to be seen. Plus, the engine that was the crown jewel of the previous SRT, the 6.4 HEMI V8, was now an option available with the Scat Pack package. We were asking ourselves how Dodge would be able to offer a unique performance option, now that this engine was no longer exclusive to SRT.
SRT finally decided to launch its 2015 Challengers. You read that correctly: Challengers, plural. There are now two models to bear the SRT badge.
The first one is simply called Challenger SRT. It comes with the 6.4 HEMI V8, which received a 15 HP power bump over the regular model, bringing the total to 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. For the first time, an 8-speed automatic transmission is offered, while the good old 6-speed manual Tremec gearbox (the same as in the Viper) is still available. A new computer selection program is standard, modifying multiple settings at the touch of a button: dampers, steering feedback, automatic transmission, traction control and the touchscreen displays. Four modes are available: Street, Sport, Track and Custom, where the user can individually select each setting. Huge Brembo brakes, unique 20 inch wheels shod in Pirelli P Zero Nero tires and an all-new brightly coloured leather interior complete the package.
And for those of you who need more power, the second model features all of the above, with a difference: It’s called the Challenger SRT Hellcat, and it packs a 600+HP supercharged 6.2 HEMI. Dodge did not mention an exact number yet, but it is probably near the Viper’s 640…
While both SRT models feature extensive aerodynamic modifications, the Hellcat goes a step further, deleting its left parking light in favor of a tube feeding fresh air to the engine.
The prices have not been announced yet, but we should know more about them as the cars near the start of production, scheduled to begin at the Brampton factory in a few months.
