The end of Dodge’s gas-powered muscle cars is here.
The new Challenger SRT Demon 170 is the 7th and final rendition of the ‘Last Call’ special editions launched by the American manufacturer before it enters the EV arena.
Each Demon 170 will cost £81,656 and, here’s the kicker – it produces 1,025hp, 945lb-ft of torque, meaning it can get from 0-60mph in an insane 1.66 seconds.
From launch, the 6.2-litre V8 will hit the driver with 2G of force and will rip through a quarter-mile in 8.91 seconds, making it the fastest accelerating and quickest production car money can buy.
Dodge started developing the Demon 170 as a modified Challenger Demon but they ended up replacing more than initially planned because ‘engines kept blowing up’, according to brand CEO, Timothy Kuniskis. It also has its own TransBrake – something usually used in serious drag cars – that puts it in first gear and reverse at the same time, preventing tyre slip between gears.
On the rare occasion, you’d let someone else drive it, it also has a memory function that enables you to store your launch and shift settings for different drivers and conditions.
Oh, it can also pop wheelies.
When pedal hits the metal, it rises from the ground like Satan himself, but it doesn’t come crashing back down thanks to its new suspension which means the front end lifts slowly, providing the car with more energy to move forward.
Drivers will be pleased to know that it’s completely street legal, so you can drive straight from the garage, to the drag strip and then to your local supermarket to buy yourself some new underwear. Though it does come with a notary that states that the tyres should not be used in the cold, rain or where there’s moisture in the ground – so UK citizens may struggle a little.
Picking up family and friends won’t be immediately possible either as there’s only one seat with no room for passengers, trunk carpet or sound insulation, and it only has two speakers. But nobody driving the Demon is really bothered about listening to the music, are they?
If you are, you can get a premium interior package that adds heated front seats, a leather-covered back seat and an 18-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. But if you want a sunroof, it’s going to cost you another £8,137, with other options including a parachute, roll cage and a CO2 bottle.
Unlike its predecessor, buyers won’t get a Demon Crate filled with Snap-On goodies. Instead, you will get a custom decanter with your name and vehicle VIN engraved, coasters and whiskey cubes, rock glasses, a badge cover, VIN plate and a Demon 170 illustration.
There will only be 3,000 of these monsters built in the US and 300 for Canada and once December 31st, 2023 is here, production stops, marking the end of an era that’s reigned for over 120 years.
