The Charger version shares the supercharged 6.2-liter engine first seen in the Dodge Challenger Hellcat.
For those who want more power – and two more doors – Dodge is slipping its new supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi Hellcat engine under the hood of the 2015 Charger.
First introduced in an SRT version of the 2-door Challenger, the supercharged V-8 pumps out 707 tire-spinning horses and 650 pound-feet of torque, making the coupe the most powerful factory-built muscle car ever. Now, the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat will share that claim.
Dodge has confirmed a quarter mile time of 11.0 seconds on street tires, with the Charger Hellcat’s top speed rated at 204 mph. That and the 3.7-second 0 to 60 launch come in about 0.2 seconds slower than the Challenger version.
“A large part of the Dodge Charger’s successful formula has been its many personalities. It’s a muscle car, a performance sedan, a family capable sedan… depending on how the customer chooses to equip their car,” said Tim Kuniskis, the Dodge brand’s president and CEO. “And now…the new 2015 Dodge Charger Hellcat redefines itself again, as the quickest, fastest, most powerful sedan in the world.”
Kiniskis also challenged stories circulating on the internet, suggesting that Dodge planned to limit the sales of Hellcat-powered Challengers and Chargers.
“That’s just not true.” he said. “I don’t know where that came from.”
Chrysler hasn’t yet priced the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, which won’t actually go on sale until the first quarter of 2015; however, the starting price for the Challenger Hellcat is $59,995. While it is definitely a halo car that is supposed to lift the profile of the entire Dodge lineup, the pricing is also fixed to entice enthusiasts so it would undermine the on going marketing effort behind the Dodge lineup.
“We priced the (Challenger) at $59,995 to put it within reach of the enthusiast community,” said Kiniskis, who indicated the Charger will be priced similarly.
(Behind the wheel of the 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat. Click Here.)
A look at the supercharged 6.2-liter engine under the hood of a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
Both Hellcat models share the same powertrain – and become the brand’s first products to adopt supercharging. The 6.2-liter engine shares its basic dimensions with the less powerful SRT version, but in Hellcat form it adds such upgrades as a forged-steel crankshaft with induction-hardened bearing surfaces.
Other modifications include high-strength, forged-alloy pistons and powder-forged connecting rods with high-load-capacity bushings and diamond-like-carbon-coated piston pins. The face of the 2015 Charger Hellcat edition has been modified to handle the extra breathing and cooling requirements of that supercharged V-8, as well.
The 8-speed automatic transmission, meanwhile, has been beefed up to handle the extra torque while also trimming shift times to as little as 100 milliseconds, depending upon the gear.
(First Dodge Challenger Hellcat heads to auction. Click Here for the story.)
There’s also a larger, power-bulge aluminum hood, with a dedicated cold-air intake and dual air extractors to pull heat from the engine compartment while also reducing air turbulence.
Aerodynamics and cooling have led to a number of revisions to the Charger Hellcat design, including a redesigned front fascia and grille, as well as the integrated front splitter. At the back, a special fascia and valence highlight the 4-inch exhaust tips.
As with the Challenger version, the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat will come with two sets of keys. The red electronic fob unleashes the full fury of the 707-hp engine, the red key limiting power to a “mere” 500.
The new Charger Hellcat will ride on either Pirelli P Zero Nero or P Zero tires, both Y-Plus rated to handle the extreme speeds. They measure 275/40ZR20, and are mounted on “Slingshot” split seven-spoke 20 x 9.5-inch lightweight forged aluminum wheels.
That can barely conceal the oversized brakes designed to scrub off speed in a hurry. At 15.4 inches, these Brembo two-piece rotors with six-piston calipers are the largest brakes ever offered on a Dodge model.
As with the Challenger version, the 2015 Dodge Charger Hellcat also features an array of high-tech systems, including an optional 900-watt audio package, the Uconnect infotainment system, voice texting, 3D navigation and an optional WiFi hotspot.
The new Hellcat also gets an electronically tunable suspension and driver-adjustable mode selector to control a variety of vehicle performance settings.
(On track and under the hood of the 2015 Ford Mustang. Click Here to check it out.)
And for those worried about leaving such a potent machine in the hands of a barely-legal valet, there’s a special Valet Mode that, with the entry of a four-digit pin code, will almost – if not quite – tame this beast. Among other things, it will shut off launch control, lock the transmission out of first gear, and limit the engine from topping 4,000 RPMs.
Joseph Szczesny contributed to this report.