We’ve been teased, we’ve been taunted and we’ve been Demonised. We’ve gasped at the sheer size of the ‘Air Grabber’ bonnet scoop. And we’ve calculated the tyre-shredding costs of those bespoke ‘Demon Branded’ 315/40R18 Nitto NT05R tyres.
But now, the forthcoming Dodge Demon has been released into the wild ahead of its public debut at this week’s New York motor show.
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, to give it its full moniker, will, according to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, slot into its muscle car line-up as the “new ultimate performance halo” car above the incumbent Challenger SRT Hellcat and Charger SRT Hellcat, already claimed to be the most powerful and fastest muscle cars in the world.
While details remain officially secret, what we do know speaks of a lightweight, more powerful and grippier-than-ever-before muscle car.
The Dodge Demon will tip the scales around 91kg lighter than its SRT Hellcat siblings, courtesy of a stripped out interior. And with 18-inch alloys, boasting a tyre width of 315mm at the back, all shod in street-legal drag radials, the Demon is designed for one thing and one thing only – going fast in a straight line.
It’s a fact acknowledged by FCA North America’s boss of Passenger Car Brands – Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and Fiat Tim Kuniskis who said of the Demon: “Most cars attempt to be everything to everybody. Then there are the rare few that revel in a single objective, rendering them totally irresistible to a subculture.
“The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is conceived, designed and engineered for a subculture of enthusiasts who know that a tenth is a car and a half second is your reputation.”
Under the bonnet, the Demon’s supercharged V8 engine has, according to some leaked reports, been tuned to run on 91-Octane fuel.
What remains unknown is whether the Demon will share the manic 527kW/880Nm 6.2-litre supercharged V8 already found in its Hellcat bro, or whether an even more manic powerplant is on the cards.
The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon will be unveiled at this week’s New York motor show. CarAdvice will be on the ground to bring you all the news and reveals.
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