Car review: Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

Hell hath no fury. like the 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, with more muscle, more fast-and-furious features having been added to the world's most powerful production of the retro-styled Challenger

In the world of cars, there are few brands as red-blooded as the Dodge. So much so, that Dominic Toretto from the The Fast and the Furious series swears by it. Now, if you wish to purchase a Dodge Challenger, you have plenty of powertrain choices. The entry-level coupe gets a 300-plus horsepower V6; then, you have the 375bhp R/T model; and, then, SRT with 485bhp. At the top of the food chain is the Hellcat, which wields the power of a supercharged HEMI V8. Recently, we got behind the wheel of the 707bhp beast. Here are our thoughts on the car.

DESIGN & AESTHETICS
The current crop of muscle cars consists of the Chevrolet Camaro, the Ford Mustang and the Dodge Challenger. While, the Camaro's styling has been taking the 'Transformers' theme too seriously and the Mustang has been accused of leaving its pony car roots for a sports car niche, the Challenger is happy sticking to its true retro-inspired muscle car form. And we thank Dodge for that.
While the "regular" SRT gets the vertical-split grille - a menacing update of its 1971 inspiration - the Hellcat keeps the open single grille essential for its air-hungry appetite. For the same reason, they have dropped the fog lamps for holes in the front bumper and added a larger, power-bulge with a hood scoop - a cue pilfered from the 1996 Viper coupe. If you look closely, one unit of its classically rendered set of round headlamps is missing a lens, almost like a one-eyed pirate. That cavity, too, acts as an extra intake. The lightweight hood can be had in body colour or satin black - it helps the Hellcat maintain distinction.
In profile, you see that this is truly old school, thanks to the large expanses of sheet metal, with a flat hood and rear deck (suitable for picnicking perhaps). And we love those gorgeous "Brass Monkey" dark bronze finishes on those 20-inch wheels. Only complaint though: the 275-section rubber is too skinny for anything with over 500 horsepower and the Hellcat has 707! At the rear, SRT recalls the historic 1971 model's split tail-lamp design but combines it with new-age LED luminaries.
We applaud the Dodge Challenger for its almost unnecessary size and vintage contours. This is without doubt a people magnet and most certainly a muscle car in its truest form.
The comfortable and stylish interiors look sufficiently sophisticated. Nice beefy 3-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel, red face gauges with a 320km/h speedo and metal pedals. what is not to like? The T-shaped handle goes well with the overall chunkiness of the car and when I say chunky, I mean easy to read, grasp and operate. The 8.4-inch infotainment screen is large and menus are readable; the button and knobs on the steering wheel and the centre-console are ergonomically designed. Worried about yet another black-base interior? Well, don't be! The Laguna leather, what common folk call tan hide, contrast stitching with French seams and the single-piece stamped aluminium dashboard trim keep things fresh on the inside. Plus, the big American-sized front seats are essentially lounge chairs and will fit just about everybody. I can't say much about rear cabin though.

POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE
With the Hellcat, you get two key fobs. Use the red one, and you can demand the supercharged 6.2-litre HEMI V8 to produce a massive 707 horsepower and 881Nm of peak torque. From the moment we got inside and fired up the engine, we knew this was a different kind of beast. And on the highways, as we coasted along, with even a gentle blip of throttle, it felt like a overwhelmingly famished Rottweiler decidedly straying from its master, kept on a tight leash only by complex electronic safety gimmicky. If you set it free, its 881 Nm of torque will instantly turn rubber to smoke and tarmac to ash.
Bury the throttle and, before you count to 4, it will fish tail its way to 100 km/h - and storm past the quarter mile in an NHRA-certified 11.2 seconds with production tyres, with no lull in the action even beyond those speeds. The Hellcat is also the cheapest way to join the 200 mph club. that is, if you can find a speed oval somewhere! As for the soundtrack, the combination of supercharger whine and V8 growl is infectious: it raises the whole driving experience to the next level.
I know what you are wondering: with so much power on tap, how will you trust another person with it? Well, simply use the black key. It will automatically drop output to a "civil" 500bhp. And there is a valet mode activated by a 4-digit PIN code that reduces output, limits rpm to 4,000, locks out 1st gear, disables launch control and keeps everything in the aptly named "Street" mode.
On the road, the Challenger isn't coupe cute; its massive steel expanse requires some attention to steer away from traffic and curb. The steering is muscle car precise, so it turns left when the wheel is rotated to the left and vice versa. But every time you approach a corner too fast, which may be the case every single time, the Brembo slotted and vented brakes are there to save the day with their 15.4-inch rotors (6-piston setup upfront) and 13.8-inch rotors (4-piston rear arrangement). And when you get to the muscle car's arch enemy "The Corner", the best way to get around it is sideways. the Hellcat will oblige!

FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY
The U-connect system is very user-friendly with a sensible follow-through of menus and a responsive 8.4-inch screen that obeys your fingers poking instructions. On the centre console is the SRT button which gives you access to the SRT pages, that lets you switch between the drives models, change power outputs, calibrate steering feel and ride. it even has a screen for recording and displaying lap times, g-force and acceleration runs. USB ports, Bluetooth and Aux-in - they're all there for your convenience and to help connect to the Alpine audio system and its 506-watt amplifier. It doesn't compare to the exhaust though. In terms of safety, the Challenger's frame is made from high-strength steel - so that should draw out relaxed sighs from most of you. On the road, it has Traction Control and ESC (which stands for Electronic Stability Control and not Escape like on your computer keyboard) to keep you in control. In case you do get into an accident, you have six airbags and active head restraints to cushion the blow and reduce whiplash.

VERDICT
With the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, Dodge has raised the ante in the horsepower wars in the fastest and loudest way possible. Rear space is tight, so is the boot and the ride can get a little bumpy at slow speeds - but really who cares?  The magic and magnanimity of 707 horsepower and the 11-second quarter mile time is the real highlight. After all, it helps you relive the days of the 60s and 70s - in truest muscle car fashion!

FUN FACT
The forged parts and other modifications resulted in a crank so robust it can withstand firing pressures of 110 bar - i.e., five family sedans standing on each piston, every two revolutions.

SPECIFICATIONS  
Body type: 5-seater; 4-door high-performance coupe
Engine: Front-engine; supercharged 6.2-litre V8; rear-wheel drive
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Peak output: 707bhp@6,000rpm; 881Nm@6,000rpm
0 to 100km/h: sub-4.0 seconds (estimated)
Top speed: 328km/h (drag limited; claimed)
Price: Starting Dh300,000
Good: Street cred; unfathomable power; American-sized seats; user-friendly infotainment
Bad: No real place to exercise the power; bouncy ride at low speed; lacks rear seat and luggage space
Author's rating: 8/10
wknd@khaleejtimes.com

• On The Road