When Chevrolet rebooted the Camaro right around the time of the automotive industry bailout, not even the most optimistic GM executives could have foreseen the new muscle car era that would emerge and dominate Detroit headlines for more than the next decade. And yet, here in 2021, Ford has recently released the most powerful Mustang ever, the GT500, while Dodge has consistently churned out an increasingly beefy lineup of Hellcat-powered Challengers and Chargers—notably, the absurdly powerful and highly exclusive Challenger SRT Demon with up to 840 horsepower from its supercharged V8. But way back before the Demon, back in 2011 even, Mopar unveiled something almost as ludicrous and now, one of only 70 examples of the V10-powered Dodge Challenger Track Pak is headed to Mecum Auctions' Glendale 2021 event set for March 18-20.
Not Quite Viper-Powered
For anyone familiar with Dodge's history, the fact that a V10-powered Challenger hasn't become a mainstay of the company's lineup might almost come as a surprise, given the legendary history of the now-canceled Viper (and the Ram SRT-10 pickup that used the same engine and even the six-speed stick shift). But the aluminum 8.4-liter V10 under the hood of this Dodge isn't quite the same as the second-gen Viper's, though it is related.
This Dodge Challenger Is Built To Drag Race
With race headers, solid engine mounts, and a unique ECU tune, the V10 under the Challenger Track Pak's hood displaces 512 cubic inches and produced more grunt than its contemporary Viper—exact specs were never officially released, but guesstimates placed it anywhere from 600 to 900 horses—all of which is routed to the rear wheels through a two-speed automatic only. Clearly, this Mopar special edition was built for drag racing, as further proven by windshield wiper, HVAC, and power steering being deleted and a one-piece driveshaft, a solid-axle conversion, and polycarbonate door windows being installed.
Take This Challenger Straight To The Strip Where It Belongs
Mecum's listing is scant on details and photos, though presumably, anyone in possession of one of these unique beasts wouldn't then go and ruin its investment potential by performing extensive modifications, so the interior should probably look a lot like the car pictured above. Though the listing does claim the car has never been raced, its rear Goodyear Tires look fairly worn out. Regardless, hopefully the winning bidder will take this Challenger straight to the strip where it belongs.
Sources: mecum.com and allpar.com.