The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is where tires go to die. It’s one of the last coupes with American-style V-8 thunder under its hood. The Challenger SRT Hellcat lineup’s most reserved model spews 717 horsepower from its supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine. But there’s so much more: output from the Hellcat Redeye model’s version of this engine jumps to 797 horsepower. And the meanest, nastiest Hellcat Redeye, the Widebody Jailbreak edition, deploys 807 horsepower.
While souped-up rivals such as the Chevy Camaro ZL1 and Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 are more road-course friendly, the SRT Hellcat has surface-prepared drag strip energy. And a lot of it. The more everyday all-wheel drive, V-6, and smaller V-8 equipped Challenger are reviewed separately.
Dodge is gearing up for the final model year for the current generation Challenger SRT Hellcat by making the 807-hp Jailbreak package available on both the Redeye and non-Redeye models. All 2023 Challengers will come with a special “Last Call” plaque under the hood to commemorate the final production run before Dodge switches to a new generation of performance cars featuring electrified powertrains.
The mad scientists at Dodge's SRT laboratory pulled a Samuel L. Jackson and went all Old Testament with the almighty Hellcat engine. The standard setup makes "only" 717 horsepower, and the version in the Redeye pumps out 797 horses. The 807-hp Super Stock model features dedicated equipment for drag racing. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the last Challenger SRT Redeye Widebody we tested roared to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and completed the quarter-mile in 11.8 seconds at 125 mph.
These high-performance Challengers might not be the ultimate tools for a track-attack event, but they're quick as hell in a straight line and handle well enough to hustle down twisty back roads—provided your heavy right foot knows when to let up. The Challenger SRT Hellcat doesn't power-slam gas like a competitive drinker—at least, not more than its competition.
It's rated at 13 mpg in the city and up to 22 mpg on the highway. The Camaro ZL1 and Shelby GT500 top out at 14/21 mpg city/highway and 12/18 mpg city/highway, respectively. The last Hellcat Challenger we ran on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, wasn't far off its 22-mpg EPA estimate. For more information about the Challenger's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.
Total MSRP
$71,895
Drive Type
Rear wheel drive
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Fuel type
Premium unleaded
Engine
6.1L, V8 16-valve
Engine Type
Supercharged
Torque
707 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
Horsepower
797 hp @ 6300 rpm
The Challenger interior was redesigned for the 2015 model year with a driver-centric layout, straightforward switchgear, and better materials. The SRT twins have standard leather finery, unique badging and gauge colors, and heated and ventilated front seats. Despite its roomy cabin, the plastics still look cheap, and visibility to the rear is poor. The Dodge held six carry-ons in its trunk and an impressive 15 total with the rear seat stowed.
The 707-horsepower Challenger SRT Hellcat and its 800-plus horsepower iterations prove there’s such thing as too much horsepower, which is exactly why we love it.
Dead steering, horsepower greatly exceeds traction, goes out of production after this year.
LuxxCar Expert
