2023 Dodge Challenger Srt Hellcat Widebody on 2040-cars

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2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon sheds seats and insulation to drop weight

You've probably already heard that the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon will be lighter than the Hellcat Challenger – to tune of more than 200 pounds. What you probably don't know is that the Dodge team did it by dropping most of the seats, along with a few other tricks. The Demon loses 113 pounds by making the front passenger seat with its seatbelt (58 pounds) and back seat (55 pounds including restraints and floor mats) optional, which accounts for a large chunk of the weight loss compared to the Hellcat. The Demon also has unique 18-by-11-inch wheels, which are 16 pounds lighter than the Hellcat's, a manual tilt/telescope steering column instead of the powered one, which loses four pounds, and an 18-pound loss thanks to removing 23 noise, vibration, and harshness parts (the Demon will not be a quiet car, to say the least). Another 20 pounds is lost removing the trunk interior trim and spare tire. Still, the Demon gains 17 pounds thanks to the wide fender flares that accommodate the massive drag radials, which also add 3.5 inches to the car's width. For reference, the lightest Hellcat weighs 4,448 pounds with a manual transmission, and the automatic-equipped car comes in at 4,455 pounds. The Demon will be revealed in April before the New York Auto Show, and Dodge will continue to tease its latest satanic muscle couple weekly until then. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lackluster Dodge Dart sales trigger layoffs

Hidden amidst the overall very positive sales figures that Chrysler released earlier this week were a few disappointments, the biggest of which may be the Dodge Dart. While Dodge sales in general were down 11 percent from a year ago, the Dart's poor figures stood out from the rest - with 4,888 units sold, the Dart was down 37 percent in February.
It comes as little surprise, then, that the automaker has announced layoffs at its assembly plant in Belvidere, IL. According to The Daily Herald, Dodge will temporarily lay off 325 workers "to balance vehicle supply with current sales demand." Put more simply, there are more Darts than buyers at the moment...
We don't think the Dodge Dart is a bad car, but it's playing in a market that offers a few standout sellers, like the Chevy Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. According to AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan, as quoted by The Daily Herald, "great incentives on the Dodge Avenger" are also partly to blame for the Dart's poor showing.

2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat has 707 glorious horsepower [w/video]

Hold onto your butts. "600-plus horsepower" is what we were told to expect from the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT with its 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8 engine. But as we've just learned, those were incredibly conservative numbers. Dodge has officially announced that the range-topping Challenger will hit the asphalt with 707 - seven hundred and seven - horsepower, making it the "most powerful muscle car ever."
Of course, 707 hp is only part of the story, as the Hellcat has also been confirmed to produce 650 pound-feet of torque. All that power will run exclusively to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission that differs from other Challengers. The new gearbox, 8HP90 (rather than the 8HP70) is "upgraded to handle the extra power and torque," says Dan Reid, SRT's manager of product design and motorsports.
We certainly hope you're prepared to spend a ton of money replacing tires.