Many have wondered which of these mighty Mopar machines is baddest in stock trim. Is it the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat? Possibly the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon? Or maybe the Dodge Challenger SRT Redeye? And where does the Widebody fit in?
Well, gather round and prepare to get the good news. Today, the Exotic Car Doc – America’s premier performance guru – will clear it all up. Which one is faster and why? Which one has the best 0 to 60 mph time and why? And finally, which version is best for everyday driving and why?
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
Here is a brief explanation before you gear up to hear from Brenton Brown, founder and president of Forza Tuning and Performance. If you have an SRT Challenger Hellcat, Redeye or Demon – and a need for more speed – the Exotic Car Doc can heal what ails you.
Let’s begin with the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Introduced in 2015, the Hellcat was the most powerful car ever produced. Variations of the Hellcat package were eventually offered for the Dodge Challenger (coupe), the Dodge Charger (sedan) and the Jeep Trackhawk (SUV). So successful was the Challenger Hellcat that other models soon followed.
In 2018, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon was offered up from the pits of hades. Everything about the Demon was bigger, stronger and more powerful than the Hellcat (see specs below). The Demon featured a larger supercharger (2.7-liter) than the Hellcat (2.4-liter). A little wider and a little lower than the Hellcat, the Demon (with the Demon Crate) was the most awesome drag race version of a mass-produced automobile we had ever seen. It’s massive 6.2-liter supercharged V8 HEMI engine churned out so much power (840hp) that the NHRA banned it from the drag strip without a roll cage (due to its sub 10-second quarter-mile elapsed time). With a factory trans brake system and a race gas PCM, the Demon was the first American production car with the capacity to “tote the front” in stock trim. Great for the track (straight line) but not so impressive in the corners.
Now, that’s certainly fast, but is it the fastest between the Hellcat, the Redeye and the Demon?
Back to the Hellcat. In 2019 the Demon was cut from the lineup and the Redeye option was added. The Redeye essentially added the Demon powertrain (with the bigger supercharger) to the (more roadworthy) suspension system of the Hellcat. Good idea, but not great. Great was the addition of the Widebody package. The Widebody option provides a greater degree of traction, which means more responsive acceleration. So much more than just fender flares, the Widebody option adds 20-inch x 11-inch Devil Rim forged aluminum wheels wrapped in 305/35Z20 performance rubber. The regular body Hellcat can only accommodate a 275 tire which is significantly narrower. More rubber equals more traction. Widebody also adds a competition Bilstein adaptive dampening suspension system and better brakes. That translates into a car with the powertrain of a dragster and the handling capabilities of a sports car. Need I say more?
The Hellcat and the Redeye are extremely similar. If you are so inclined, the Redeye powertrain is more robust (with a higher top speed) than the Hellcat. The Widebody option (of either) is the only way to go. By the way, all Demons are Widebody
Specs (6.2-liter Supercharged V8 HEMI)
2020 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat (Regular or Widebody)
717hp @ 6000 RPM
656 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4800 RPM
2020 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye (Regular or Widebody)
797hp @ 6300 RPM
707 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4500 RPM
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
840hp @ 6000 RPM (100+ octane race fuel)
808hp @ 6000RMP (premium pump gas)
707lb.-ft. of torque (100+ octane race fuel)
656 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4800 RPM (premium pump gas)
0 to 60 mph Times
2018 Demon – 2.3-seconds
2020 Redeye Widebody – 3.4-seconds
2020 Hellcat Widebody – 3.7-seconds
Best Quarter-Mile
Demon – 9.65-seconds @ 140 mph
Redeye Widebody – 10.8-seconds @ 131 mph
Hellcat Widebody – 10.9-seconds @ 127 mph
Standard Body Redeye – 11.1-seconds @ 131 mph
Standard Body Hellcat – 11.2-seconds @ 125 mph
Best Top Speed
Redeye – 203 mph
Hellcat Widebody – 199 mph
Hellcat Standard Body – 195 mph
Demon – 168 mph