2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: Everything We Think We Know
Dodge has been taunting a widebody, even-higher-performance version of the Challenger Hellcat. Here’s every detail we know so far.
The day after all the motor journalists left the two thousand seventeen North American International Auto Showcase in Detroit, Dodge dropped a delicious little tidbit on the internet. It was a brand-new pop-up website—ifyouknowyouknow.com—leading to a teaser movie hinting at something high spectacle and evil: The two thousand eighteen Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.
UPDATE, APRIL 11TH: It’s here! We’ve got all the specs and info live from Dodge’s official unveiling of the SRT Demon. Read all about it right here!
Since then, Dodge has released one tidbit, and one teaser movie, every week, exposing tasty details about the drag-racing-optimized Challenger. Each week when that happens, we’ll update this post with the latest, all leading up to the official debut of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon in April at the Fresh York International Auto Demonstrate.
This Week’s News, April 6:
Yep, it’s official! The Demon gets a dedicated High Octane mode to take advantage of 100+ octane unleaded race gas. Dodge says running race fuel—available at most haul strips—will lead to “big switches in elapsed time.” The updated Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the 100+ octane tuning comes in the Demon Crate of spectacle goodies. To read more about High Octane mode, go here.
Last Week’s News, March 30:
In a forced-induction vehicle like the supercharged Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, controlling the intake air temperature is crucial to extracting maximum spectacle. To accomplish this, Dodge gave the Demon a liquid-to-air charge air cooler. But that’s not all: In Haul mode, the Demon uses the air conditioning system to chill the charge air cooler. It’s a world-first feature in a production car, and Dodge says it can achieve a reduction in intake air temperature of up to forty five degrees Fahrenheit. Dodge says it’s “enough to make the engine perform like it is running in the cold Alaskan air, even after a day of runs down the disrobe on a hot summer day.” We figure it means you won’t have to bring giant bags of ice to put on your car’s charge air cooler and intake tract inbetween haul runs or dyno pulls.
The News From March 23rd:
This week is all about the launch. Dodge announced that the SRT Demon will come from the factory tooled with a trans brake, a device that lets automatic-transmission haul cars explode off the line on launch. Don’t know what a trans brake is? Read all about it here.
The automaker also released this pic, with a license plate that seems to hint at . something? We can’t fairly figure it out. But as always, if you’ve got an idea, contact Road & Track on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
And check out this week’s teaser movie, “Lock & Geyser,” at the very bottom of this page.
The News From March 16th:
Launch Mode! The Demon, of course, has it, but it’s got a little something extra in addition to the launch RPM configuration that most spectacle cars suggest in this mode. See, when the Demon is staged at the haul unclothe, and revved up in anticipation of leaving the line, the system goes into torque reserve, closing the bypass on the supercharger and altering fuel and spark to the engine. This acts as a rev limiter, keeping the engine spinning at the desired RPM for best launch, but it also spools up the supercharger to build maximum boost pressure for a vigorous launch. It’s the very first time such a system has been used on a production vehicle, and Dodge promises us it’ll sound wicked. You can hear the Demon’s launch mode in the movie at the bottom of the page, or download the sound at IfYouKnowYouKnow.com as a ringtone.
Dodge also released yet another cryptic “secret code” license plate pic this week. If you think you know what it means, contact Road & Track on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
The News From March 9th:
Spectacle Pages! The Challenger SRT Demon’s got ’em. Dodge announced that the super-Hellcat’s infotainment system can display the car’s real-time horsepower and torque output, with data logging to track power improvements from modifications (including from Mopar Direct Connection Spectacle Parts). It can also display intercooler coolant temp (shown above), as part of the car’s After Run Chiller—the very first production car that keeps the coolant fan and intercooler pump running after engine shutdown to decently cool the supercharger system.
Spectacle features like Line-Lock, launch control RPM, and individual gear shift light RPM can all be adjusted from the infotainment system, which also displays and records reaction time, 0-60 time, 0-100 time, 1/8th-mile and 1/4-mile elapsed time with vehicle speed. Gauges and post-run graphs for engine oil pressure and temperature, coolant temperature, transmission fluid temperature, intake air temperature, air-fuel ratio, intercooler coolant temperature, boost pressure and battery voltage are also available to help you fine-tune your haul unclothe runs.
Drive modes! It’s got those too. Auto (street) offers three levels of steering and response for both the suspension and steering, and numerous modes of engine spectacle. Haul mode puts the transmission, traction control, suspension and steering into a bespoke setting, but still offers numerous engine spectacle levels—allowing for, we assume, the rumored Race Gas mode for even higher output. A Custom-built drive mode permits the driver to mix and match spectacle and suspension settings.
As always, Dodge implores us to go searching for clues in everything. See what time the clock is set to in the pic above? 7:57. That number has appeared in previous Demon teasers (see below), leading us to believe the car offers seven hundred fifty seven horsepower in at least one of its drive modes. Is that the max? We can’t be sure just yet, but you can bet your belly button we’re working to figure that out.
This week’s movie is here too, taunting a dyno run. Observe closely and see if you can pick out any particular clues:
The News From March 2nd:
This week’s Demon developments are all about the driveline. Dodge exposed today that SRT Demon will pack a beefier, stronger driveshaft capable of treating fifteen percent more torque; an upgraded rear-end gearset and differential housing; and stronger half-shafts with lower-friction bearings.
More importantly, the SRT team gave the Demon a special Launch Assist mode to combat driveline-grenading wheel hop. The system can momentarily cut engine output to quell wheel hop and “maximize traction almost instantly,” without any input from the driver, reducing driveline overcharge by 15-20 percent, Dodge says.
Ultimately, with the Demon laser-aimed at the haul disrobe, Dodge included a four-point corset bar for track use, available through Speedlogix. With the (assumedly optional) rear- and passenger-seat delete package, the four-point corset hardware climb on points are made available, permitting customers to install the corset and bar without any cutting or drilling.
The News From February 23rd:
If you want a car to maximize its grip and acceleration at the haul unclothe, you have to do some suspension work. Pro haul racers use a suspension setup that’s anathema to those of us who like going around corners, ditching their sway bars and switching to softer springs and shocks in the name of weight transfer, letting the bod weight shift to the rear on launch to aid traction.
You wouldn’t want that on a supercharged, Hellcat-powered SRT Demon making, we suspect, even more than the regular Hellcat’s seven hundred seven horsepower—a softer suspension would make this thing an absolute handful in anything other than a flawlessly straight line, and Dodge is adamant that this haul unclothe dominator will be daily-driver ready.
So this week, Dodge exposed that the SRT Demon will come with an electronically managed adaptive suspension to maximize weight transfer at the haul unclothe without making this big-body two-door a dirty handler everywhere else.
Dodge began by reducing the spring rates—35 percent softer up front, twenty eight percent softer in the rear. The swaybars are softer, too, by seventy five percent in front, forty four percent in rear. These switches won’t help the Demon’s cornering capability, but they’re all made in the name of weight transfer.
When you switch the Demon into Haul Mode, things get even more advanced. Drag-tuned Bilstein adaptive damping shock absorbers suggest Rock hard and Soft settings; in Haul Mode, the shock absorbers switch to Soft to permit better weight transfer. As long as you’re at wide-open throttle, they’ll stay in their drag-optimized mode. Anything less than WOT, tho’, and the shocks will switch to their Stiff setting—ostensibly, to stiff up the treating if you embark going off your line during a haul launch and need to ease off the throttle to avoid going sideways. In Haul Mode, Traction control is disabled, but ESC stays active, Dodge says; assumedly, if you close the throttle and the shocks hard up, ESC will cut in to keep you from spinning.
It’s a nifty adaptive suspension trick, permitting the car to become a drag-tuned softie when it’s charging ahead in a straight line, then firming back up to improve directional control the moment it’s needed. It’s the very first time a production car has suggested an adaptive suspension with tuning specific to the haul strip—and coupled with the Demon’s haul radial tires and everything else we’ve learned so far, it should add up to a earnestly quick haul unwrap ET.
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon – Widebody Hellcat Challenger Rumors
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: Everything We Think We Know
Dodge has been taunting a widebody, even-higher-performance version of the Challenger Hellcat. Here’s every detail we know so far.
The day after all the motor journalists left the two thousand seventeen North American International Auto Demonstrate in Detroit, Dodge dropped a delicious little tidbit on the internet. It was a brand-new pop-up website—ifyouknowyouknow.com—leading to a teaser movie hinting at something high spectacle and evil: The two thousand eighteen Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.
UPDATE, APRIL 11TH: It’s here! We’ve got all the specs and info live from Dodge’s official unveiling of the SRT Demon. Read all about it right here!
Since then, Dodge has released one tidbit, and one teaser movie, every week, exposing tasty details about the drag-racing-optimized Challenger. Each week when that happens, we’ll update this post with the latest, all leading up to the official debut of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon in April at the Fresh York International Auto Showcase.
This Week’s News, April 6:
Yep, it’s official! The Demon gets a dedicated High Octane mode to take advantage of 100+ octane unleaded race gas. Dodge says running race fuel—available at most haul strips—will lead to “big switches in elapsed time.” The updated Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the 100+ octane tuning comes in the Demon Crate of spectacle goodies. To read more about High Octane mode, go here.
Last Week’s News, March 30:
In a forced-induction vehicle like the supercharged Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, controlling the intake air temperature is crucial to extracting maximum spectacle. To accomplish this, Dodge gave the Demon a liquid-to-air charge air cooler. But that’s not all: In Haul mode, the Demon uses the air conditioning system to chill the charge air cooler. It’s a world-first feature in a production car, and Dodge says it can achieve a reduction in intake air temperature of up to forty five degrees Fahrenheit. Dodge says it’s “enough to make the engine perform like it is running in the cold Alaskan air, even after a day of runs down the unclothe on a hot summer day.” We figure it means you won’t have to bring giant bags of ice to put on your car’s charge air cooler and intake tract inbetween haul runs or dyno pulls.
The News From March 23rd:
This week is all about the launch. Dodge announced that the SRT Demon will come from the factory tooled with a trans brake, a device that lets automatic-transmission haul cars explode off the line on launch. Don’t know what a trans brake is? Read all about it here.
The automaker also released this photo, with a license plate that seems to hint at . something? We can’t fairly figure it out. But as always, if you’ve got an idea, contact Road & Track on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
And check out this week’s teaser movie, “Lock & Blast,” at the very bottom of this page.
The News From March 16th:
Launch Mode! The Demon, of course, has it, but it’s got a little something extra in addition to the launch RPM configuration that most spectacle cars suggest in this mode. See, when the Demon is staged at the haul unwrap, and revved up in anticipation of leaving the line, the system goes into torque reserve, closing the bypass on the supercharger and altering fuel and spark to the engine. This acts as a rev limiter, keeping the engine spinning at the desired RPM for best launch, but it also spools up the supercharger to build maximum boost pressure for a vigorous launch. It’s the very first time such a system has been used on a production vehicle, and Dodge promises us it’ll sound wicked. You can hear the Demon’s launch mode in the movie at the bottom of the page, or download the sound at IfYouKnowYouKnow.com as a ringtone.
Dodge also released yet another cryptic “secret code” license plate photo this week. If you think you know what it means, contact Road & Track on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
The News From March 9th:
Spectacle Pages! The Challenger SRT Demon’s got ’em. Dodge announced that the super-Hellcat’s infotainment system can display the car’s real-time horsepower and torque output, with data logging to track power improvements from modifications (including from Mopar Direct Connection Spectacle Parts). It can also display intercooler coolant temp (shown above), as part of the car’s After Run Chiller—the very first production car that keeps the coolant fan and intercooler pump running after engine shutdown to decently cool the supercharger system.
Spectacle features like Line-Lock, launch control RPM, and individual gear shift light RPM can all be adjusted from the infotainment system, which also displays and records reaction time, 0-60 time, 0-100 time, 1/8th-mile and 1/4-mile elapsed time with vehicle speed. Gauges and post-run graphs for engine oil pressure and temperature, coolant temperature, transmission fluid temperature, intake air temperature, air-fuel ratio, intercooler coolant temperature, boost pressure and battery voltage are also available to help you fine-tune your haul undress runs.
Drive modes! It’s got those too. Auto (street) offers three levels of steering and response for both the suspension and steering, and numerous modes of engine spectacle. Haul mode puts the transmission, traction control, suspension and steering into a bespoke setting, but still offers numerous engine spectacle levels—allowing for, we assume, the rumored Race Gas mode for even higher output. A Custom-made drive mode permits the driver to mix and match spectacle and suspension settings.
As always, Dodge implores us to go searching for clues in everything. See what time the clock is set to in the photo above? 7:57. That number has appeared in previous Demon teasers (see below), leading us to believe the car offers seven hundred fifty seven horsepower in at least one of its drive modes. Is that the max? We can’t be sure just yet, but you can bet your belly button we’re working to figure that out.
This week’s movie is here too, taunting a dyno run. Witness closely and see if you can pick out any particular clues:
The News From March 2nd:
This week’s Demon developments are all about the driveline. Dodge exposed today that SRT Demon will pack a beefier, stronger driveshaft capable of treating fifteen percent more torque; an upgraded rear-end gearset and differential housing; and stronger half-shafts with lower-friction bearings.
More importantly, the SRT team gave the Demon a special Launch Assist mode to combat driveline-grenading wheel hop. The system can momentarily cut engine output to quell wheel hop and “maximize traction almost instantly,” without any input from the driver, reducing driveline overcharge by 15-20 percent, Dodge says.
Eventually, with the Demon laser-aimed at the haul undress, Dodge included a four-point corset bar for track use, available through Speedlogix. With the (assumedly optional) rear- and passenger-seat delete package, the four-point corset hardware climb on points are made available, permitting customers to install the corset and bar without any cutting or drilling.
The News From February 23rd:
If you want a car to maximize its grip and acceleration at the haul unclothe, you have to do some suspension work. Pro haul racers use a suspension setup that’s anathema to those of us who like going around corners, ditching their sway bars and switching to softer springs and shocks in the name of weight transfer, letting the assets weight shift to the rear on launch to aid traction.
You wouldn’t want that on a supercharged, Hellcat-powered SRT Demon making, we suspect, even more than the regular Hellcat’s seven hundred seven horsepower—a softer suspension would make this thing an absolute handful in anything other than a flawlessly straight line, and Dodge is adamant that this haul unclothe dominator will be daily-driver ready.
So this week, Dodge exposed that the SRT Demon will come with an electronically managed adaptive suspension to maximize weight transfer at the haul undress without making this big-body two-door a dirty handler everywhere else.
Dodge began by reducing the spring rates—35 percent softer up front, twenty eight percent softer in the rear. The swaybars are softer, too, by seventy five percent in front, forty four percent in rear. These switches won’t help the Demon’s cornering capability, but they’re all made in the name of weight transfer.
When you switch the Demon into Haul Mode, things get even more advanced. Drag-tuned Bilstein adaptive damping shock absorbers suggest Rigid and Soft settings; in Haul Mode, the shock absorbers switch to Soft to permit better weight transfer. As long as you’re at wide-open throttle, they’ll stay in their drag-optimized mode. Anything less than WOT, however, and the shocks will switch to their Rock-hard setting—ostensibly, to rock hard up the treating if you begin going off your line during a haul launch and need to ease off the throttle to avoid going sideways. In Haul Mode, Traction control is disabled, but ESC stays active, Dodge says; assumedly, if you close the throttle and the shocks rock hard up, ESC will cut in to keep you from spinning.
It’s a nifty adaptive suspension trick, permitting the car to become a drag-tuned softie when it’s charging ahead in a straight line, then firming back up to improve directional control the moment it’s needed. It’s the very first time a production car has suggested an adaptive suspension with tuning specific to the haul strip—and coupled with the Demon’s haul radial tires and everything else we’ve learned so far, it should add up to a earnestly quick haul disrobe ET.
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon – Widebody Hellcat Challenger Rumors
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: Everything We Think We Know
Dodge has been taunting a widebody, even-higher-performance version of the Challenger Hellcat. Here’s every detail we know so far.
The day after all the motor journalists left the two thousand seventeen North American International Auto Showcase in Detroit, Dodge dropped a delicious little tidbit on the internet. It was a brand-new pop-up website—ifyouknowyouknow.com—leading to a teaser movie hinting at something high spectacle and evil: The two thousand eighteen Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.
UPDATE, APRIL 11TH: It’s here! We’ve got all the specs and info live from Dodge’s official unveiling of the SRT Demon. Read all about it right here!
Since then, Dodge has released one tidbit, and one teaser movie, every week, exposing tasty details about the drag-racing-optimized Challenger. Each week when that happens, we’ll update this post with the latest, all leading up to the official debut of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon in April at the Fresh York International Auto Demonstrate.
This Week’s News, April 6:
Yep, it’s official! The Demon gets a dedicated High Octane mode to take advantage of 100+ octane unleaded race gas. Dodge says running race fuel—available at most haul strips—will lead to “big switches in elapsed time.” The updated Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the 100+ octane tuning comes in the Demon Crate of spectacle goodies. To read more about High Octane mode, go here.
Last Week’s News, March 30:
In a forced-induction vehicle like the supercharged Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, controlling the intake air temperature is crucial to extracting maximum spectacle. To accomplish this, Dodge gave the Demon a liquid-to-air charge air cooler. But that’s not all: In Haul mode, the Demon uses the air conditioning system to chill the charge air cooler. It’s a world-first feature in a production car, and Dodge says it can achieve a reduction in intake air temperature of up to forty five degrees Fahrenheit. Dodge says it’s “enough to make the engine perform like it is running in the cold Alaskan air, even after a day of runs down the undress on a hot summer day.” We figure it means you won’t have to bring giant bags of ice to put on your car’s charge air cooler and intake tract inbetween haul runs or dyno pulls.
The News From March 23rd:
This week is all about the launch. Dodge announced that the SRT Demon will come from the factory tooled with a trans brake, a device that lets automatic-transmission haul cars explode off the line on launch. Don’t know what a trans brake is? Read all about it here.
The automaker also released this picture, with a license plate that seems to hint at . something? We can’t fairly figure it out. But as always, if you’ve got an idea, contact Road & Track on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
And check out this week’s teaser movie, “Lock & Geyser,” at the very bottom of this page.
The News From March 16th:
Launch Mode! The Demon, of course, has it, but it’s got a little something extra in addition to the launch RPM configuration that most spectacle cars suggest in this mode. See, when the Demon is staged at the haul undress, and revved up in anticipation of leaving the line, the system goes into torque reserve, closing the bypass on the supercharger and altering fuel and spark to the engine. This acts as a rev limiter, keeping the engine spinning at the desired RPM for best launch, but it also spools up the supercharger to build maximum boost pressure for a vigorous launch. It’s the very first time such a system has been used on a production vehicle, and Dodge promises us it’ll sound wicked. You can hear the Demon’s launch mode in the movie at the bottom of the page, or download the sound at IfYouKnowYouKnow.com as a ringtone.
Dodge also released yet another cryptic “secret code” license plate pic this week. If you think you know what it means, contact Road & Track on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
The News From March 9th:
Spectacle Pages! The Challenger SRT Demon’s got ’em. Dodge announced that the super-Hellcat’s infotainment system can display the car’s real-time horsepower and torque output, with data logging to track power improvements from modifications (including from Mopar Direct Connection Spectacle Parts). It can also display intercooler coolant temp (shown above), as part of the car’s After Run Chiller—the very first production car that keeps the coolant fan and intercooler pump running after engine shutdown to decently cool the supercharger system.
Spectacle features like Line-Lock, launch control RPM, and individual gear shift light RPM can all be adjusted from the infotainment system, which also displays and records reaction time, 0-60 time, 0-100 time, 1/8th-mile and 1/4-mile elapsed time with vehicle speed. Gauges and post-run graphs for engine oil pressure and temperature, coolant temperature, transmission fluid temperature, intake air temperature, air-fuel ratio, intercooler coolant temperature, boost pressure and battery voltage are also available to help you fine-tune your haul de-robe runs.
Drive modes! It’s got those too. Auto (street) offers three levels of steering and response for both the suspension and steering, and numerous modes of engine spectacle. Haul mode puts the transmission, traction control, suspension and steering into a bespoke setting, but still offers numerous engine spectacle levels—allowing for, we assume, the rumored Race Gas mode for even higher output. A Custom-made drive mode permits the driver to mix and match spectacle and suspension settings.
As always, Dodge implores us to go searching for clues in everything. See what time the clock is set to in the picture above? 7:57. That number has appeared in previous Demon teasers (see below), leading us to believe the car offers seven hundred fifty seven horsepower in at least one of its drive modes. Is that the max? We can’t be sure just yet, but you can bet your belly button we’re working to figure that out.
This week’s movie is here too, taunting a dyno run. Witness closely and see if you can pick out any particular clues:
The News From March 2nd:
This week’s Demon developments are all about the driveline. Dodge exposed today that SRT Demon will pack a beefier, stronger driveshaft capable of treating fifteen percent more torque; an upgraded rear-end gearset and differential housing; and stronger half-shafts with lower-friction bearings.
More importantly, the SRT team gave the Demon a special Launch Assist mode to combat driveline-grenading wheel hop. The system can momentarily cut engine output to quell wheel hop and “maximize traction almost instantly,” without any input from the driver, reducing driveline overcharge by 15-20 percent, Dodge says.
Ultimately, with the Demon laser-aimed at the haul unwrap, Dodge included a four-point corset bar for track use, available through Speedlogix. With the (assumedly optional) rear- and passenger-seat delete package, the four-point corset hardware climb on points are made available, permitting customers to install the corset and bar without any cutting or drilling.
The News From February 23rd:
If you want a car to maximize its grip and acceleration at the haul undress, you have to do some suspension work. Pro haul racers use a suspension setup that’s anathema to those of us who like going around corners, ditching their sway bars and switching to softer springs and shocks in the name of weight transfer, letting the figure weight shift to the rear on launch to aid traction.
You wouldn’t want that on a supercharged, Hellcat-powered SRT Demon making, we suspect, even more than the regular Hellcat’s seven hundred seven horsepower—a softer suspension would make this thing an absolute handful in anything other than a ideally straight line, and Dodge is adamant that this haul undress dominator will be daily-driver ready.
So this week, Dodge exposed that the SRT Demon will come with an electronically managed adaptive suspension to maximize weight transfer at the haul de-robe without making this big-body two-door a filthy handler everywhere else.
Dodge embarked by reducing the spring rates—35 percent softer up front, twenty eight percent softer in the rear. The swaybars are softer, too, by seventy five percent in front, forty four percent in rear. These switches won’t help the Demon’s cornering capability, but they’re all made in the name of weight transfer.
When you switch the Demon into Haul Mode, things get even more advanced. Drag-tuned Bilstein adaptive damping shock absorbers suggest Rock-hard and Soft settings; in Haul Mode, the shock absorbers switch to Soft to permit better weight transfer. As long as you’re at wide-open throttle, they’ll stay in their drag-optimized mode. Anything less than WOT, however, and the shocks will switch to their Rock hard setting—ostensibly, to rigid up the treating if you begin going off your line during a haul launch and need to ease off the throttle to avoid going sideways. In Haul Mode, Traction control is disabled, but ESC stays active, Dodge says; assumedly, if you close the throttle and the shocks rigid up, ESC will cut in to keep you from spinning.
It’s a nifty adaptive suspension trick, permitting the car to become a drag-tuned softie when it’s charging ahead in a straight line, then firming back up to improve directional control the moment it’s needed. It’s the very first time a production car has suggested an adaptive suspension with tuning specific to the haul strip—and coupled with the Demon’s haul radial tires and everything else we’ve learned so far, it should add up to a gravely quick haul de-robe ET.