Resurrecting a demon may not sound like a good idea, but Dodge is planning to do just that by bringing its controversial Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 back from the dead for the 2023 model year. The unveiling of the Demon will also mark the end of Dodge's Hellcat supercharged V-8 engine's reign — making way for electric muscle cars.
Horsepower heads might remember the Dodge Demon best as the car that was banned from competing by National Hot Rod Association for being too fast for the drag strip. Kissing the iconic V-8 goodbye warranted dragging the Demon back from the pits of the NHRA's banishment level of Hell. Muscle car fanatics might be so flabbergasted at the 1,025 horsepower the car churns out that they might not feel so taken aback by the $100,361 starting price.
As a newer model of a formerly blacklisted ride with such hair-raising horsepower, you'd think the '23 Demon would be designated for the drag strip only, but Dodge's final V-8 is street-legal. Fueled by E85 gasoline, the Demon — with its 945 foot-pounds of torque — can go from 0 to 60 in an ultra-quick 1.66 seconds. On a prepared track, the muscle car claimed a quarter-mile in 8.91 seconds, reaching 151 miles per hour. Of course, on the not-prepared-for-drag-racing street, the ride won't reach those speeds (which is probably a good thing unless you're looking for a hefty speeding ticket to match your colossal car payment).
Dodge drivers can, of course, explore different options with the Demon, with the most expensive upgrade being the $11,495 two-piece aluminum and carbon fiber wheels, shedding 25 pounds of weight from the car — in case it doesn't sound fast enough already. Dodge is also offering a street tire package, although the price for that option has yet to be announced. When it comes to looks, the Demon isn't overly flashy and echoes the design of just about every Hellcat released since 2015. It's a sleek Dodge muscle car with no frills necessary.
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While it seems Dodge wanted to bid the V-8 adieu with something flashy rather than something affordable, interested buyers can plan on placing their orders starting sometime this spring with the 2023 Demon 170 starting at $100,361. Dodge said the vehicle will have limited production but hopes to build around 3,000 models in the U.S. from the time production starts in July and the V-8's grand finale on December 31.
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