#SRT
Summer Madness: Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock
Despite being an Italian-American company that will soon align itself with France’s PSA Group, Fiat Chrysler can still be unabashedly American whenever it lets Dodge off the leash. By adhering to the tenets of what (once) made domestic vehicles great, Dodge has bet the farm on providing quality family transportation that can be outfitted with more horsepower than any sane person could want at a price they couldn’t possibly ignore.
Dodge is putting its best on full display for Independence Day, letting the world know its priorities have not changed one iota. Yet there exists a sense — a gnawing feeling — that this could be the final round of truly mental V8 monsters to come out of America. Global emissions regulations and a new corporate structure could mean that SRT’s best may not be seen again for some time.
If that’s to be the case, Dodge has honorably decided to go down singing with some of the gnarliest machines yet to leave its stable.
![Matt Posky](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2022/08/25/1357641_2.jpg?size=50x50)
50 Years Deep: Dodge Challenger Special Editions Keep On Coming
When Dodge first built a Challenger, back in 1959, it was actually a Coronet. A decade later, the car returned as the spiritual foundation of the coupe we know today. Presumably, the name is intended to represent Chrysler rising to meet the Challenges laid by rival manufacturers already building American muscle. But we can nitpick here endlessly, going back to the 1950s and giving the pentastar brand plenty of credit for going bananas on horsepower.
It would actually take decades for us to realize the Challenger’s true purpose — serving as a canvas for a hilarious number of special edition vehicles. Thankfully, they usually turn out to be fairly enjoyable and totally on brand, leaving us with little to complain about.
For the Challenger’s 50th anniversary, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles plans to offer limited production Dodges in new colors with commemorative bling. It’s basically the same recipe Ford used for the 50th Anniversary Mustang but with some additional brashness from Dodge. However, while those Fords only came in Wimbledon White and Kona Blue, the Challenger comes in every high-impact paint color FCA has at its disposal — including Gold Rush.
![Matt Posky](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2022/08/25/1357641_2.jpg?size=50x50)
Widebody Package Adds Maximum Muscle to 2020 Charger SRT Hellcat, Scat Pack
Maximizing the footprint with which to apply up to 707 horsepower and 650 ft-lbs of torque, the 2020 Charger SRT Hellcat and Scat Pack add a Widebody package to cover their 305/35ZR20 Pirelli tires and 20×11-inch wheels. For the Hellcat, 0-60 mph comes in 3.6 seconds while the quarter-mile elapsed time drops to 10.96 seconds and the skidpad grip builds to 0.96 g. Combined with the additional braking grip and revised chassis tuning, the lap time around an FCA-approved, 2.1-mile road course drops by a massive 2.1 seconds.
The Scat Pack Widebody sees similar improvements, getting to 60 mph from a standstill in 4.3 seconds on its way to a 12.4 second quarter mile. Without the weight of the supercharger and associated plumbing over the nose, the Scat Pack Widebody pulls an even more impressive 0.98 g on the skidpad. Around the same 2.1-mile road course (presumably GingerMan Raceway), the Charger Scat Pack drops 1.3 seconds in Widebody form.
![Anthony Magagnoli](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/resources/imgs-responsive/avatar-letters/avatar-A-FF9646.png?size=50x50)
Video: Dodge Teases What Could Be the Widebody Charger SRT
Dodge released a teaser video this morning of a Charger SRT, shrouded by a sheet flapping in the wind. Though covered, the visible cues point to the previously-spied widebody Charger. The video is titled, “Something big is coming…”, so they’re not exactly leaving much to the imagination.
The front bumper looks to ready depart from the current SRT Charger design by incorporating a snout akin to that found on the SRT Durango. The lower outer air inlets grow considerably larger and more aggressive, as well.
![Anthony Magagnoli](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/resources/imgs-responsive/avatar-letters/avatar-A-FF9646.png?size=50x50)
Feline of a Different Stripe: 2019 Dodge SRT Hellcat Octane Edition
Thanks to its unique ability to keep old things fresh, Dodge has become the Tupperware of automotive brands. Instead of a patented burp that locks in freshness, the automaker fields an endless supply of special editions, and yet another entry has appeared for 2019.
While Dodge has spent time refining its aged LD platform vehicles by repeatedly sprucing up their powertrain and bodywork, its specialty seems to be appearance packages that add stripes, decals, and unique paint options. A gradually expanding roster of factory racing stripes greeted buyers in recent years. First available on SRT variants of the Charger and Challenger, Dodge eventually made them an option for R/T buyers, adding a broader choice of colors for good measure.
There have also been numerous black editions, one of which wandered over to Chrysler to help butch up the Pacifica, but it’s the Charger Hellcat that receives the latest injection of attitude — not that it needed the help.
![Matt Posky](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2022/08/25/1357641_2.jpg?size=50x50)
Widebody Dodge Charger Spotted During Commercial Shoot
Instagram user eviil_srt, so named for his sinister-looking Chrysler 300 SRT8, posted a video in which he claims to have caught a production-ready Charger widebody in the midst of filming a commercial.
The video quality is perplexingly horrendous and involves plenty of unnecessary hooting noises coming from the camera operator, but we’ll cut him some slack. As a Mopar fan, he can’t be expected to remain sane in situations like these. Tapping down the enthusiasm is for saner people responding to other brands.
![Matt Posky](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2022/08/25/1357641_2.jpg?size=50x50)
Dodge Charger Concept Debuts This Weekend
Rampant speculation surrounds the Dodge Charger and the possibility it might eventually receive the same wide-body treatment applied to the Challenger SRT Hellcat and R/T Scat Pack. Last month, Mopar enthusiasts, claiming insider knowledge, said Dodge would have sedan versions ready for the 2020 model year.
It wasn’t much to go on, but the automaker recently confirmed there will be a concept Charger on display at California’s Spring Fest this weekend, following the appearance of an online video showing a camouflaged SRT sedan cruising around Southfield, Michigan.
![Matt Posky](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2022/08/25/1357641_2.jpg?size=50x50)
Justice Department Wants Refund From Sheriff Who Bought a Dodge Charger Hellcat
The U.S. Department of Justice is demanding that Georgia Sheriff Butch Conway reimburse the government for his procurement of a 707-horsepower Dodge Charger Hellcat, which it does not believe falls under the umbrella of reasonable purchases for a police department.
However, the DOJ isn’t questioning whether the department could make use of such a vehicle, as the federal government already approved its purchase. It just isn’t sure that Conway is being responsible with it, since it sounds like the Gwinnett Country Sheriff may be using it as his daily driver.
![Matt Posky](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2022/08/25/1357641_2.jpg?size=50x50)
Is Dodge Bringing Back the Viper in 2020?
We thought we’d be mourning the Viper for years before Dodge readied its return. Fortunately, that might not be the case. Fiat Chrysler has apparently green-lit the model’s return for 2020. But, with production ending in 2017 and FCA’s subsequent closure of Conner Avenue Assembly, it’s still a little difficult to believe any of this is real.
And yet, here we are.
![Matt Posky](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2022/08/25/1357641_2.jpg?size=50x50)
Piston Slap: Calibrate AWD for an SRT-4?
Hi, I have a 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT-4 and for a while I’ve been looking for someone that might be able to help me convert it from FWD to AWD. I was wondering if you think there’s a way of making an AWD Caliber SRT-4 without dumping more money into it than its worth? I think a guy in Russia did it but haven’t found anyone in the states willing to help me out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
![Sajeev Mehta](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2022/07/20/8_1.jpg?size=50x50)
Draggin' in the Dodge Demon - One Hell of a Good Time
There’s only one reason for the Dodge Demon to exist, and that’s to go fast in a straight line, preferably at a dragstrip.
Which is why I haven’t fully understood the point of the car, at least up until now. And maybe I still don’t. I mean, how many dedicated drag racers are out there that want to spend a pretty penny ($85K, give or take) on something that’s factory-ready for the strip and easily streetable? Back in the muscle car days, sure, that was a thing, but today’s drag racers are probably either finding a cheap Fox-body Mustang and decking it out, or, if they have the means, going whole hog and buying something from an OEM that isn’t street legal.
That’s just a guess on my part – I’m not as in tune with those who drag race on weekends as I’d like to be. Maybe there’s been a clamor for a car just like the Demon for a long time. Either way, Dodge isn’t going to build many – just 3,000 for the U.S. and 300 for Canada.
I can understand why the Challenger, including the Hellcat version, exists – it looks cool on Woodward, the V8 models sound badass, and it’s the closest thing FCA has to a “pony car” (in my ideal world, Dodge would sell a true pony car alongside the Challenger, but I’m no Sergio). But unlike most sports cars, which can give you at least a taste of their track prowess on the right public road, the Demon’s skillset can’t be safely applied to the street.
That doesn’t mean I think the car should be banned – Automotive News got that wrong – just that, on paper, I didn’t quite get the hype.
Then someone tossed me the red key.
![Tim Healey](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2023/12/15/1375158_1.jpg?size=50x50)
Dodge's Plan to Stop Dealerships From Gouging Potential Demon Buyers
When we announced that the Dodge Demon would have a MSRP below six-figures, the comments section was immediately populated with discussions on how that might not be the case once the strip-focused Challenger arrives in showrooms. The limited supply of early Hellcats came at a significant premium and, for a time, even gently used models were going for the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of a new one.
Gouging on the Demon seems even more assured since FCA has stated that it will be limited production to a mere 3,300 units in North America. Obviously, there is no way in hell to avoid dealer markup on a vehicle like this one but Dodge seems to think it has found a way to attenuate the matter.
![Matt Posky](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2022/08/25/1357641_2.jpg?size=50x50)
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon's Teaser Shows 'TransBrake,' License Plate Mystery
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon’s teasers continue, with this week’s spot showing yet another way the Demon will launch like a bat out of… well, hell.
The new Demon will sport a new feature that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles calls TransBrake. According to the automaker, TransBrake does exactly what it says: locks the output shaft of the automatic transmission to keep the vehicle stationary until launch.
Apparently, it does its job well.
![Tyler Wooley](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/resources/imgs-responsive/avatar-letters/avatar-T-F1C40F.png?size=50x50)
Chicago 2017: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT - Three Rows and Almost 500 Horsepower
If you want to scare your larger-than-average family by surprising them with a round of impromptu autocross through the mall parking lot, you’ll have to limit the size of your brood or risk looking daft while hustling a Toyota Senna around the storefront of a California Pizza Kitchen. However, the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT is prepared to accommodate you and your family on those days where you just can’t help but drive like a lunatic.
Ideally, you would let them out before putting the pedal down, but the Durango SRT’s 6.4-liter Hemi V8 can easily move around an extra few hundred pounds of human flesh without breaking much of a sweat. If you decide not to heed my advice of driving defensively with your kindred in the vehicle, Dodge is offering every new owner a full-day session at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. At least then you’ll be more familiar with the beastly three-row SUV at the limit.
![Matt Posky](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/media/profile/2022/08/25/1357641_2.jpg?size=50x50)
SRT Demon Could Be Dodge's Newest All-Wheel-Drive Monster
We know from Dodge’s first and second teasers that it’s resurrecting the Demon, which will be over 200-pounds lighter than the current Hellcat.
In the brand’s newest teaser — appropriately titled “Body” — we get the best look yet at the Demon. It may not seem much different from the Hellcat at first glance, but the new SRT could be utilizing an all-wheel-drive system when it is released in April.
![Tyler Wooley](https://cdn-fastly.thetruthaboutcars.com/resources/imgs-responsive/avatar-letters/avatar-T-F1C40F.png?size=50x50)
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