Dodge continues to let out Demon details in drips and drabs before the New York Auto Show.
Drip, drip, drip.
We are still more than a month away from the New York International Auto Show. And that means we have a lot more teasers coming from Fiat Chrysler as it slowly preps us for the Big Apple debut of the Dodge Demon.
What appears to be indisputable is that the special-edition Challenger will take the Hellcat up by several big notches, turning out an estimated 900 horsepower, or somewhere around 200 more than the current, 707 hp Challenger Hellcat.
Other bits of string we’ve been gathering these last few weeks include the news that the rear fenders will be widened to make room for the first-ever factory stock street legal drag tires – with a dragstrip harness system available inside. There’ll be a new “forced induction” system that amps up the current Hellcat supercharger. And just about everything that matters, it appears, will be beefed up to manage all the power that the Demon will punch out to the pavement.
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Among other things, the new muscle coupe will come with a Launch Assist system to eliminate wheel hop when that pedal is slammed to the metal.
What’s becoming clear is that Dodge envisions using the Demon on the track, as well as on the street. And it’s taken a number of steps to make it a serious competitor. That includes the new Demon Crate equipment package that includes 18 different parts essential for the drag strip, including spare wheels and tools. Those street drag tires, meanwhile, are custom designed by Nitto for the Demon.
Another option is a four-point harness for track applications. It fits in where the rear seat would normally mount. According to some reports, Dodge has also removed the front passenger seat. By leaving only the driver’s seat, the Demon apparently sheds 215 pounds compared to the 4,448-pound Challenger Hellcat.
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We’ve yet to get clear information about the Demon engine, but Dodge has made it clear there’ll be a significant upgrade from the already outrageous Hellcat. The numbers being bandied about suggest something on the order of 900 hp. And that’s in line with what TheDetroitBureau.com reported way back when the Hellcat first came to market, several product development insiders telling us there was room to add several 100 more horses.
How much more? An Instagram post by Fiat Chrysler designer Ryan Nagode showed the customized Demon performance information screen and it goes all the way up to a smoking 1,000 hp.
To keep everything in working order, Dodge says it has taken a number of steps to “harden” key parts and components, such as the Demon’s high-strength steel driveshaft. The modified differential can handle 30% more torque than the Hellcat’s, and the half-shafts boost torque capacity by 20%.
To give us a hint of what the Dodge Demon can do, FCA even offered up a teaser of “Fate of the Furious,” the latest installment in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, the Challenger-on-steroids quickly getting the heroes out of trouble.
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With more than a month to go, meanwhile, we expect to hear plenty more about the Dodge Demon before it burns rubber in the Big Apple.