Dodge is revving up to say goodbye to its iconic gas-guzzling muscle cars, but not before unleashing one final fiery beast to cement its performance brand legacy. The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is the automaker’s ridiculously powerful parting gift that delivers over 1,000 horsepower of petrol-fueled fury.
With its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine producing a monstrous 1,025 horsepower and 945 pound-feet of torque, the Challenger Demon 170 is the fastest and most powerful production car ever made, according to Dodge. The muscle car can rocket from 0 to 60 mph in a barely believable 1.66 seconds, outracing even the quickest Teslas and Lucids.
The End of an Era, The Start of a Legend
The Challenger Demon 170 marks the end of Dodge’s Hemi-powered muscle cars that have rumbled through American culture for over 50 years, cementing Dodge as a performance brand. Increasingly stringent fuel economy regulations and the auto industry’s accelerating shift to electric vehicles have ultimately squeezed the life out of Dodge’s gas-guzzling classics. But with the Demon 170, Dodge ensures its performance brand and muscle car legacy will live on.
After December 31, Dodge will cease production of the Challenger, Charger, and, Chrysler 300. While the demise of Dodge’s muscle cars is bittersweet, Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand CEO, is revved up about the brand’s electrified future. “Electric products, they’re very fast. In muscle cars, one of the primary ingredients is to be a fast-accelerating car. So I’ve automatically got the power. Now I’ve just got to figure out ways to bring all the other elements in of the excitement of the driving experience,” said Kuniskis.
A Hellish Homage to High Horsepower
To give its V8 devotees a rousing send-off, Dodge rolled out a series of amped-up “Last Call” special editions over the last year, culminating in the mother of all muscle cars – the Challenger SRT Demon 170. Unveiled at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Demon 170 delivers nearly uncontrollable power and speed for a hellishly good time.
With performance parts reinforced to handle its immense power, the Demon 170 is the first production car to run a quarter mile in under 9 seconds (8.91 seconds, to be precise) at a speed just over 151 mph. Fuel economy is predictably pathetic at 13 mpg city/21 mpg highway, but that’s hardly the point of this beast.
Production of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 will be limited to 3,300 units, each with a $96,666 starting price. The Demon 170 is a bare-bones beast out of the box, offering little more than a driver’s seat and radio. However, options like passenger seats, leather interior and upgraded sound system are available for a whopping $1 each.
While environmentally egregious, the Demon 170 is Dodge’s dramatic dragstrip-worthy homage to its high-horsepower heyday, solidifying its brand as the ultimate performance automaker. For nostalgic muscle car fans, this supersonic swan song is a collector’s dream come true. The Demon 170 ensures Dodge’s gasoline era ends on a high note with a roar and rumble never to be forgotten.
