Racing the Hellcat Challenger
#23
Tomorrow I can answer any questions about the drive. Im under embargo until then. Lots of things that I could talk about in reference to questions and comments...all will come tomorrow.
NHRA cert times - i believe these runs were made in Vegas:
DRs- 10.85 @ 126
Stock rubber - 11.2 @ 125
I Ran 11.8 @ 118 in Portland on a track with no prep, and no seat time. My first run was my best and there was no option on this surface to do anything more than roll through first and second gear. You could launch the SRT 392 much much harder...and run a second slower in the quarter.
NHRA cert times - i believe these runs were made in Vegas:
DRs- 10.85 @ 126
Stock rubber - 11.2 @ 125
I Ran 11.8 @ 118 in Portland on a track with no prep, and no seat time. My first run was my best and there was no option on this surface to do anything more than roll through first and second gear. You could launch the SRT 392 much much harder...and run a second slower in the quarter.
#24
Ok, so the embargo is over and I can answer questions. If I miss anything, ask again.
For those interested, here is a link to one of my reviews:
http://www.torquenews.com/106/drivin...ort-incredible
So the new 8-speed auto is very impressive. It provides great control of upshifts and downshifts with precision accuracy. When you are hard into the throttle, the shifts are harder and quicker than any American auto trans vehicle Ive ever been in...and while its been in a while since Ive been in a Lamborghini, their auto or the porsche PDK come to mind. Is it really as quick as those two? when timed, probably not, but considering how fuggin lazy most chrysler auto transmissions are, this is a remarkable change. I think that the auto will be a popular choice, simply because it makes the car so damn easy to drive and picking the auto really doesnt hurt the performance much...if at all.
I believe that the automatic transmission is one of the reasons why we are seeing such impressive times, as it really moves through the gears quickly. The manual transmission is just how i like it, with a very solid pedal and a very connected feel. On the road course, it makes crazy power in 4th gear, effortlessly climbing to 140 in the straights and if you power shift going into 4th, even at speeds near 100, it will break the tires loose.
The hellcat charger has not been confirmed, but there have been countless spy shots and even a spy video showing the next gen charger testing with an engine that is obviously the hellcat. there is no mistaking the whine.
The 392 in the R/T is called the Scat Pack, and I spent a bunch of time with that model as well. I think that it should be the favorite of those people looking something with some *****, as it starts below $40k and comes with the newer 392 with 485hp and 475tq - which will easily tune to over 500/500. It doesnt have the monster brakes or the dual mode suspension, but it has brembo brakes, performance tuned suspension and all o fthe power of the SRT 392. Really, the performance differences between the R/t Scat Pack and the SRT 392 are really only going to be noticeable in a setting where the handling capacities are pushed to the limit..and how often does that really happen? I would take the scat pack in a heartbeat over the SRT 392 that costs some $8k more.
For those interested, here is a link to one of my reviews:
http://www.torquenews.com/106/drivin...ort-incredible
So the new 8-speed auto is very impressive. It provides great control of upshifts and downshifts with precision accuracy. When you are hard into the throttle, the shifts are harder and quicker than any American auto trans vehicle Ive ever been in...and while its been in a while since Ive been in a Lamborghini, their auto or the porsche PDK come to mind. Is it really as quick as those two? when timed, probably not, but considering how fuggin lazy most chrysler auto transmissions are, this is a remarkable change. I think that the auto will be a popular choice, simply because it makes the car so damn easy to drive and picking the auto really doesnt hurt the performance much...if at all.
I believe that the automatic transmission is one of the reasons why we are seeing such impressive times, as it really moves through the gears quickly. The manual transmission is just how i like it, with a very solid pedal and a very connected feel. On the road course, it makes crazy power in 4th gear, effortlessly climbing to 140 in the straights and if you power shift going into 4th, even at speeds near 100, it will break the tires loose.
The hellcat charger has not been confirmed, but there have been countless spy shots and even a spy video showing the next gen charger testing with an engine that is obviously the hellcat. there is no mistaking the whine.
The 392 in the R/T is called the Scat Pack, and I spent a bunch of time with that model as well. I think that it should be the favorite of those people looking something with some *****, as it starts below $40k and comes with the newer 392 with 485hp and 475tq - which will easily tune to over 500/500. It doesnt have the monster brakes or the dual mode suspension, but it has brembo brakes, performance tuned suspension and all o fthe power of the SRT 392. Really, the performance differences between the R/t Scat Pack and the SRT 392 are really only going to be noticeable in a setting where the handling capacities are pushed to the limit..and how often does that really happen? I would take the scat pack in a heartbeat over the SRT 392 that costs some $8k more.
#25
By the way, for you street racers who come across a Hellcat on the street that wants to run, keep in mind that a good launch is probably going to win you the race unless your car is 14s or slower. theyre a real bear to launch and i imagine that the majority of the grand caravan turned challenger owners who buy them wont have much success putting the power to the ground.
#27
The last stock "high power" car i drove was a 2011 GT500 and that thing was only rated mid 500's and i remember how easily you could blow those tires off. I don't see the 700 hp car having any luck on a street.
#28
I launched it hard a few times on the street and it really wasnt all that different from trying to drag race on the unprepped front straight at PIR. First gear is pretty much useless as is the low end of 2nd gear. Once you get to the top of 2nd and onward, you can go WOT with confidence.
#29
I am very impressed by the HellCat, though honestly, the 392 Scat Pack is more of my price range I have always wanted a Challenger, even if by looks and style alone..
that new 8 speed is pretty amazing indeed. I work at a DCX dealership and test driven a few cars with the 8 speeds and they are very smooth and make full use of the engines power band.
that new 8 speed is pretty amazing indeed. I work at a DCX dealership and test driven a few cars with the 8 speeds and they are very smooth and make full use of the engines power band.
#30
I so can't wait to run into one in the Charger. They had one @ Irwindale last week and it was struggling pretty bad (running 8s in the low 90s, slower than my old cam only setup MPH and E.T wise, my runs were in much ****tier weather at the same track) but they were on street tires, and it was a magazine driver running it against a ZL1 for an article.
Now I just need to get my car finished so I can run one.
Now I just need to get my car finished so I can run one.