Did you ever hear a Hellcat growl? The roar is most awesome at full throttle in the few seconds from 50 to triple-digit speeds.
Shut the Hellcat down with the help of its big Brembo brakes, open the hood and there you see from where the growling comes. A big silver supercharger cover sits atop die-cast aluminum rocker covers painted Hemi orange. The 6.2-liter engine is Chrysler’s first-ever supercharged Hemi V-8 and makes the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat the world’s most powerful production sedan.
It boasts an absolutely astounding 707 horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque, tied to a ZF/TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shift capability.
I’ve not driven anything near that in power.
Among the highest horsepower performers of my past are the Bentley Continental Supersports AWD Coupe with 622, Chevy Camaro ZL1 580, BMW M6 Coupe 560, Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG 557, Cadillac CTS-V sedan 556, Cadillac CTS-V wagon 556, Jaguar F-Type R Coupe 550, Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG 550, Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 550, Nissan GT-R Premium 545, Jaguar XKR Convertible 510 and Lamborghini Gallardo 500.
The Bentley was a 12-cylinder, the Lamborghini a V-10 and the Nissan GT-R a 6; all the others were V-8s.
As I drove the Hellcat out east away from traffic on a Wednesday afternoon, clouds moved overhead and dropped rain, enough of it to create wet highway surfaces. The big, heavy, rear-wheel-drive four-door maintained excellent grip with its Pirelli P-Zero tires; oh, the limits it could have tested on dry pavement, for sure it could have exceeded those attained with one of the CTS-V’s several years ago.
Jan, in the front passenger seat, remarked how much better was the ride and the comfort level than she’d expected from a super-performance sedan. The Charger, designed as a family sedan, is spacious in its rear seating area, and has outstanding visibility for its driver. Those are differences in the Hellcat versions of the four-door Charger and the two-door Challenger.
Performance is nearly the same; the sporty Challenger, however, has been equipped with higher-tuned and stiffer Bilstein suspension. In either car, a launch control mode can be set to predetermined rpm for takeoffs. Red calipers draw attention to the Hellcat’s 15.4-inch brake discs.
After lots of testing, kickdowns and performance runs, and some cruising back to home base, the Hellcat averaged 17.7 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 13/22.
A base price of $62,295 for the Charger Hellcat jumps to $70,865 sticker with addition of Laguna ventilated leather performance front seats, Harmon Kardon audio with 19 speakers, power sunroof, UConnect 8.4-inch touchscreen navigation. It has an all-black interior, with a touch of chrome trim.
Would I drive it again? Well, hell’s bells, this was my second thrill in the Hellcat. The first ended five hours after delivery to my driveway in May with a leaking oil plug near Johnstown. This time, the growl was much longer-lasting.
The Charger Hellcat will run 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds, say company officials, and has a top speed up to 204 miles per hour. All the more impressive in the near-4,600-pounder.
Can anything top this? There is that V-10 sitting under the hood of the Dodge Viper. What might it develop, supercharged?
Here are the specifications for the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat:
- Capacity 5-passenger four-door
- Wheelbase 120.2 inches
- Length 200.3 inches
- Width 75 inches
- Height 58.3 inches
- Curb Weight 4,575 pounds
- Track 65 inches front, rear
- Ground Clearance 4.3 inches
- Turn Circle 37.7 feet
- Drivetrain Rear-wheel-drive
- Engine 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V-8
- Horsepower/Torque 707/650
- Transmission 8-speed automatic
- Steering performance-tuned
- Suspension Bilstein performance
- Brakes Brembo 6-piston high-performance
- Fuel mileage estimate 13/22
- Fuel mileage average 17.7
- Fuel Tank 18.5 gallons, premium
- Wheels 20-inch
- Tires Pirelli P Zero 275/40ZR20
- Cargo Volume 16.2 cubic feet
- Warranty 3 years/36,000 miles basic, 5/100,000 powertrain
Competitors Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, BMW M6, Chevrolet SS
Assembly Plant Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Parts Content U.S./Canadian 67%, Mexico 20%, Germany 5%
Base Price of Lowest Model $62,295; Base Price of Review Model $62.295; Destination Charge $995; Sticker Price $70,865.