The Dodge Demon may look like any ordinary Dodge Challenger to the average person. However, what Dodge have achieved with this car is mind-boggling and actually record-breaking in a few aspects. No it's not quite a Dodge Challenger Hellcat either, this is much different. This car was built specifically with drag use in mind and contains a few features and optional upgrades to make it the best out-of-the-box drag car the world has ever seen. Below are some of the best features of the Dodge Demon and what makes it such a cool car.
10 Worlds Best 0-60
Incredibly, but perhaps unsurprisingly given the amount of powered within the Demon, it only takes 2.3 seconds to get all the way to 60mph from a complete standstill. With a roll rolling start, that time sinks to 2.1 seconds. For reference, the Demon is faster than the Bugatti Chiron at 2.4secs and the Tesla P100D with Ludicrous Plus enabled at slightly over 2.3.
Even more impressive, these cars both have an all-wheel drive platform, unlike the Demon, which is rear-wheel drive only. One second flat is all the Dodge Demon needs to reach 30 mph, which is an incredible statistic.
9 Highest Powered V8 Ever
Dodge have had the pleasure of creating the most powerful production muscle car ever. That's all down to the 840 hp and 770 lb-ft of torque from the supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8. And followers of the Dodge Challenger Hellcat may be surprised to hear that it's not simply a tuned version of that engine too.
The Demon's V8 has been given 25 major component upgrades including a new, larger supercharger to 2.7 liters from 2.4 liters, new pistons, rods, valve train and fuel injection system, as well as increased boost pressure from 14.5psi to 11.6psi and a higher rpm limit 6,500rpm over 6,200rpm.
8 World's Best 1/4 Mile
Again in tune with the nature of the Demon, Dodge have managed to produce a car capable of running the quarter mile in an insanely fast 9.65 seconds, and at 140mph. For comparison, the latest supercars from McLaren, Porsche and Ferrari will only 9.8 seconds.
The Demon is the king of the quarter mile for the moment, however long it will hold it is anyone's guess, as Bugatti's Chiron is possibly the only contender that may come close to beating the Demon.
7 Capable Of Wheelies
Another ridiculous possibility in the Demon is its ability to perform a wheelie. Wheelies are usually something performed by bikes, not cars, unless it's a drag car. The Challenger SRT Demon is actually the world’s first production car to lift the front wheels at launch.
The result of this amazing feat has sent it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s longest wheelie from a standing start by a production car. All 2.92 feet of it.
6 Drag Suspension
It's not entirely uncommon for a manufacturer to make improved versions of their cars with suspension tuned specifically for track use. What Dodge have done however with the Demon is tune its suspension for drag use in particular.
In the Demon's Drag mode, the Bilstein dampers and shocks alter to throw as much weight as possible to the rear for maximum traction. Throwing the weight backwards improves rear tire grip by around 11 per cent, thanks to softer springs (35 per cent at the front and 28 per cent at the rear) and softer, lighter, hollow sway bars.
5 The Demon Crate
When you buy your car, you will be given a coupon. This coupon entitles you to buy the Demon Crate, all for the sum of just $1. This kit, which comes delivered in a bespoke box, contains everything you need to turn your road going Demon into a track Demon.
That dollar will get you; a performance powertrain control module with high-octane engine calibration,
a replacement switch module containing high-octane button, a conical performance air filter, a passenger mirror block-off plate, narrow, front-runner drag wheels, Demon-branded track tools, a hydraulic floor jack with carrying bag, a cordless impact wrench with charger, a torque wrench with extension and socket, a tire pressure gauge, one fender cover, a tool bag, a foam case that fits into the SRT Demon trunk and securely holds the front-runner wheels and track tools
4 Runs On High Octane Fuel
The Demon Crate's powertrain controller allows you to also run your Demon on 100-octane race fuel, at the push of a button. All you need to do is gather your own fuel and place it in the tank as the car measures the petrol’s octane and, if it hits 100, resets all the engine’s timing to make the most of it.
In this mode, the Demon produces 840bhp and 770 lb-ft of torque. This is the best way to experience the Demon for sure, especially at the drag strip.
3 Lack Of Seats
To save weight, the Demon comes as standard with just one seat, the driver’s of course. If you want the passenger seat, you can have it added back in. Again, this will set you back just $1.
But if you insist on the rear seat, that’ll cost you, yes, another $1. Still, it's quite cool that Dodge give the option of having an almost pure drag car experience if you so wish.
2 Intercooler System
Making lots of horsepower of course makes a lot of heat. So in order to keep things cool, Dodge has given the Demon a so-called Power Chiller. This diverts the air-conditioning refrigerant from the SRT Demon’s interior to a chiller unit mounted by the low-temperature circuit coolant pump. After being cooled by ambient air passing through a low-temperature radiator at the front of the vehicle, it then flows through the chiller unit, where it is further cooled. The chilled coolant then flows to the heat exchangers in the supercharger, for even more power.
But after a drag strip run, heat is generated. This builds up as heat soak, so the Demon has also been given an After-Run Chiller. This kicks in, once the engine is shut down after a run, meaning you can advance to the next run without waiting. The After-Run Chiller keeps the engine cooling fan and low-temperature circuit coolant pump running to lower the supercharger/charge air cooler temperature.
1 Drag Tires
Having as much grip as possible is vital when launching a car, and the Demon has tonnes thanks to the tires. They're Nitto NT05Rs: street-legal, drag-racing tires, which are actually a first for a production car.
To save weight at the front end and transfer it to the back for a better launch, part of the Demon Crate includes narrow, front-runner drag wheels. They're stored in the turn (with jack and pump) until you reach the track and swap them over for the alternatives for use at the strip.