There exists such a thing as too much power, personified clearly by the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. It is so powerful, it has already been banned from drag strips in America. Drag strips are the cathedral for taking such monsters to their limit and beyond, but the SRT Demon was just way too much to take for the competitors. And now to let you know – how much power is that ‘too much power’. A stock Challenger SRT Demon pops wheelies, it accelerates to 97 kmph in 2.3 seconds and boasts of a quarter mile time of 9.65 seconds at 225 kmph.
The bonnet holds a 6.2-litre supercharged Hemi V8 that makes a massive 1044 Nm of torque assisted by 840 ponies. The SRT Demon is not a pumped up Challenger SRT Hellcat, that makes 7.7 hp. More than half new parts were added to the 6.2-liter supercharged engine, along with other production-first and high tech features.
The Demon has been given a larger displacement 2.7-litre supercharger, as well as strengthened rods, pistons and valvetrain. It also has the largest bonnet scoop ever used on a muscle car, a 45.2 square inch intake called the Air-Grabber. Dodge says that’s apparently still not huge enough, and hence the Demon was given a second intake in the driver’s side headlight and a third near the wheel liner.
Drag time of 9.65 seconds is so off the line that the NHRA, which operates official drag strips, has banned the Demon, at least in its stock form. According to NHRA rules, there is a limit on power and speeds at which vehicles race at its tracks, along with specific licenses and safety precautions. Cars that can run a quarter mile in less than 9.99 seconds and at speeds of over 135 mph require additional safety measures. The Demon will be required to be fitted with a roll cage in order to race on a NHRA drag strip, and the driver would need an NHRA Competition License, along with a full fire suit and helmet.
