Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

Challenger SRT Demon at a glance

Why Dodge built a factory drag car

By 2017 the Challenger had already passed 500 kW with the SRT Hellcat, whose supercharged Hemi gave 527 kW (707 hp) and 881 Nm. Dodge wanted a car that could go further on the one stage where muscle cars are still judged most often: the quarter-mile strip. It teased the Demon for three months with short videos and revealed it at the New York Auto Show in April 2017. Vin Diesel, the star of the Fast and Furious films, presented the car on stage.

The Demon is the drag car of the third-generation Challenger, which used the LC platform from 2008 to 2023. Our overview of the Dodge Challenger covers every generation, from the 1970 E-body to the last cars of December 2023.

Engine: what changed from the Hellcat

The Demon kept the Hellcat's 6.2-litre Hemi block but used a larger 2.7-litre supercharger in place of the 2.4-litre unit, with higher boost. The old version of this page listed other changes: about 1 bar of boost in place of 0.8 bar, stronger connecting rods and two fuel pumps instead of one. It also gave a rev limit raised from 6,200 to 6,500 rpm. These details come from launch reports and are consistent with Dodge's figures, but we found them in one source family only.

The output depends on the fuel. On normal 91-octane premium petrol, the engine gives 603 kW (808 hp) and 972 Nm. The "Demon Crate", which owners could buy for one dollar, contained a reprogrammed control module, and with it the engine accepted 100-octane or higher racing fuel and gave 626 kW (840 hp) and 1,044 Nm. The owner chose the mode with a red key; the black key limited power.

By our calculation, 626 kW from 6.2 litres is about 101 kW per litre, and at about 1,930 kg the Demon carries 3.1 kg per kW. The Hellcat, at about 2,027 kg and 527 kW, carries about 3.8 kg per kW. Our power-to-weight calculator lets you compare that with other cars.

Built for the strip: transbrake, tyres and weight savings

The most important hardware was a factory transbrake, a first for a production car. It holds first and second gear at the same time while the torque converter builds pressure, so the car can leave the line at higher engine speed; the old page gives 2,350 rpm. A drag mode adjusted the suspension and traction control for straight-line launches.

The Demon ran on Nitto NT05R 315/40R18 drag radials at all four corners, legal for road use. Its 18-inch wheels replaced the Hellcat's 20-inch rims to make room for the taller tyres, and the Demon Crate included narrow front wheels for the strip together with tools. The front springs and anti-roll bars were softer to help weight move to the rear wheels at launch.

Dodge saved about 98 kg compared with the Hellcat. The front passenger seat and rear bench were deleted, as was much of the sound insulation; each seat could be added back for one dollar. The car's launch reached 1.8 g, and it was the first production car to lift its front wheels in a wheelie, which the old page measured at about 89 cm.

Records, the NHRA ban and the last Demon

The Demon ran the quarter mile in 9.65 seconds at 140.09 mph and reached 60 mph from rest in 2.3 seconds. Its top speed was limited to 168 mph (270 km/h). Because a quarter mile below 10 seconds requires an NHRA-certified roll cage, the National Hot Rod Association banned the stock car from its tracks; Dodge used the ban in its marketing.

Production started in summer 2017 and sales in the autumn. The last of 3,300 Demons left the Brampton plant on 31 May 2018 and was sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction in June. In 2018 the IEEE named the car one of its top ten tech cars, and Dodge claimed it had the largest bonnet scoop of any production car.

Demon 170: the 2023 finale

Stellantis announced in August 2022 that Challenger production would end after the 2023 model year because of stricter emissions rules. The SRT Demon 170, unveiled on 20 March 2023 with orders from 27 March, was the final word. Its name refers to E85, a fuel with up to 85 % ethanol, which the car needed for full power: 764 kW (1,025 hp) and 1,281 Nm. On E10 petrol it made 671 kW (900 hp) and 1,098 Nm.

The supercharger grew to 3.0 litres, and a smaller pulley raised boost by more than 40 % over the Hellcat Redeye Widebody. The Demon 170 used Mickey Thompson ET Street R drag radials, 315/50R17 at the rear and 245/55R18 at the front. Dodge claimed 1.66 seconds from 0 to 60 mph and a launch force of 2.004 g, and the NHRA certified a quarter mile of 8.91 seconds at 151.17 mph on E85. As with the first Demon, the NHRA then sent a violation notice, because the car ran without a safety cage or parachute.

Challenger production ended on 22 December 2023, and the final car off the line was a Demon 170 in Pitch Black paint. The Brampton plant was then retooled for other Stellantis models, and the Challenger name gave way to the new two-door Dodge Charger.

Demon versus Hellcat and Demon 170

Its closest rival from Chevrolet is set against it in our Camaro ZL1 vs Challenger SRT Demon comparison. For a buyer, the difference within the Dodge family is clear: the Hellcat is the usable everyday version, the Demon is a collector's drag car, and the Demon 170 is the final and fastest variant. You can convert the hp figures with our power converter, and our muscle car section puts the Demon next to the 1960s originals.

Buying a Demon: what to check

Both Demons were sold as collector cars, and many were stored with very low mileage. Important checks before buying:

• Is the Demon Crate (front runners, tools, control module) complete? It adds value and is needed for the 100-octane mode.
• Which seats were ordered? One-seat cars are the purest, but a car with the optional seats is easier to use.
• How many launches has the car done? Drag use wears the transmission, rear axle and tyres; ask for evidence of how it was used.
• Are the original Nitto or Mickey Thompson tyres still fitted? Old drag radials should be replaced before hard use.

In the United States the 2018 Demon cost 84,995 dollars (about €76,000 at 2017 rates) and the Demon 170 cost 96,666 dollars (about €89,000 in 2023). Both are rarely available outside North America.