(Dodge)
Why didn’t they just call it the Fat Cat?
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody has a very long, but perfectly descriptive name.
(Copyright © 2017 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved.)
The new model combines the bulging fender flares of the outrageous 840 hp Dodge Challenger SRT Demon with the 707 hp supercharged V8 drivetrain of the Challenger Hellcat to improve the overall performance of the very muscular car.
DODGE CHALLENGER SRT TEST DRIVE:
When the Hellcat first arrived in 2015 with pretty much the same body as the base V6 Challengers, one of the top complaints was that it didn’t have enough rubber to put all of its power to good use.
(Copyright © 2017 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved.)
The Widebody is 3.5-inches wider than the original Hellcat, allowing Dodge to up the tire width from 275 mm to 305 mm, for an increase of over an inch.
(Copyright © 2017 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved.)
According to Dodge, the extra traction provided drops the Hellcat’s quarter-mile acceleration from 11.2 to 10.9 seconds and increases its lateral grip from .93 g to .97 g, allowing it to lap Chrysler’s 1.7-mile-long test track two seconds faster than the slim Hellcat. The added girth does take a small toll on the Hellcat’s aerodynamics, however, with its top speed dropping from 199 mph to 195 mph.
Prices for the Widebody start at $72,590, which is a $7,300 premium over the standard Hellcat, and the order books open in July.
