Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Version – Hell, Yeah!

Dodge has officially unveiled the most powerful vehicle to bear the Challenger name. The facelifted 2015 Challenger SRT's Hellcat edition is like an athlete perpetually dosed up with steroids. The Hellcat’s supercharged 6.2-litre Hemi V8 packs a whopping 600hp, the most powerful eight-cylinder ever from Chrysler.

The naturally aspirated 2015 Challenger SRT will be available alongside the Hellcat, with an upgraded 6.4-litre HEMI V8 that has a total output of 485hp and 475 lb-ft of torque - 15hp and 5 lb-ft more than the previous model, pushing it pass the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 but still behind the Ford Shelby GT500. When the vehicles go on sale during the third quarter of the year, buyers will have the options of six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmissions.

The SRT models come with a new Driver Modes feature (sport, track, default and custom) that immediately recalibrates the horsepower, transmission, steering (Challenger SRT only), paddle shifters (auto transmission only), traction and suspension.

Many of the aesthetic changes, internal and exterior, were inspired by the 1971 model, including the vertical split grille and split tail lamps. The engineers at Chrysler claims to have spent 35% more time in the wind tunnel to improve the Hellcat’s speed and performance, and amongst the myriad of design improvements is an Air Catcher inlet port in the driver side headlamp (certainly an odd location) to gobble up ram-air directly into the engine airbox.

The SRT’s will feature 20-inch eight-spoked forged alloy wheels. The Hellcat comes with the automaker’s largest brake package ever for an SRT vehicle, with six-piston calipers in the front attached to large two-piece rotors.

No pricing is available at the moment; the outgoing model sells for about USD47,000 upwards.

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