In case you hadn’t heard, as our sister site FCAuthority reports, the Mopar gang has pulled the wraps off of a brand-new “Widebody” Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat model, which is exactly what it sounds like: a widened Hellcat-powered Challenger. Yet Dodge’s decision to pack even more bulge onto its already-bulky land barge is more than just an aesthetic one; the 3.5 inches of added width have enabled SRT to fit wider wheels and tires, providing increased grip and traction for superior straight-line acceleration and cornering grip.
How much better? According to Dodge, the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody should now be able scoot to 60 mph from a stop in just 3.4 seconds (down from 3.5), and power through the quarter-mile in 10.9 seconds (down from 11.2). Lateral acceleration has improved by a respectable 0.04 g, increasing from 0.93 to 0.97 g. And of course, the Hellcat Widebody makes the same tremendous 707 peak horsepower as its narrow-bodied forebear.
So, do fans of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 have anything to fear from SRT’s latest high-powered weapon? Just like before, the answer is really: “only in a straight line.” Right out of the box, a stock ZL1 will run somewhere around the mid-11s in the quarter-mile – good, but not Hellcat good. According to Motor Trend‘s testing, the Chevy also takes about 0.1 seconds extra to reach 60 mph, clocking 3.5 seconds in that category.
But Motor Trend also finds that the Camaro ZL1 can deliver 1.07 g of lateral acceleration, which is a full 0.1 g more than the Hellcat Widebody. In short, on a road course, the new Challenger Hellcat Widebody still oughtn’t be a match for the lighter, nimbler Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Which one any individual buyer opts for will likely come down to brand allegiance.
Comments
Talk is cheap as the old adage goes.. the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE threw down the gauntlet with a lap time at Germany’s Nurburgring of 7:16.04 and it’s up to Dodge’s Chalenger SRT Hellcat Widebody and everyone else to try beating the number.
What the car does at Nuremberg doesn’t matter at the stoplight, drag strip or highway which is where most people will encounter one another.
It’s funny because over 10 to 15 years ago only the Import guys were concerned about power to weight and handling because they were losing every time they lined up for a race.
Never thought I’d see the day when GM and Ford guys would join that group.
Considering most of American people will buy this vehicle and make their payments while trying to get their use out of it in the real world, I estimate most of these units will never see a road course or anything similar making the argument seem like a lost cause.
Guarantee most people spend money on a car to make it go faster not so much to handle better.
Rj, The real world has turns and anyone who’s anyone is concerned about power to weight. Why do you think FCA stripped the interior out of the “D” version of this car.
Handling, yea FCA should just stick with that 10 to 15 year old Mercedes chassis. Leaving it up to the boomers stuck in the 60’s and 70’s (looks) to cut some more weight out of there cars with a saws all until the car is brought into the 21st century.
Just say’in!
If you can’t make it turn make it burn!
That Hellcat widebody starts at $70,000. About $8,000 more than a base ZL1. If you want drag times, that $8,000 can get your ZL1 flying by the widebody. You could be making 650 to the wheels on drag radials, which would blow the doors off of that fat Kitty. Regardless of drag times, which a lot of owners really care about, the ZL1 is still the better car to live with. It also won’t be marked up, whereas the Widebody might be marked up due to the Demon looks. In other news, Ford hasn’t released a new Mustang Model since the launch of the 6th generation Camaro.
Finally! Chrysler fixed the elephant on roller skates stance of the Challenger. Now hurry up and make the parts available over the counter so the lesser Challengers can be wrapped in overfender bliss as well.
Saw a Youtube video of the Dodge prez saying that the overfenders are NOT bolt-on. In other words the main fender profile has been integrated (altered) to work with the overfender. You will need to buy both and hope that the mount points for the new fenders haven’t changed as well….
That said some aftermarket outfit will do a knockoff version geared toward the current Hellcat, i’m sure.
I have never brought my challenger to a road course and never will but it’s been to the dragstrip with drag radials. Sorry camaro owners. I have many turns in VT. and not many people have the courage to hang with me but regardless , I need my drivers license and racing on the street makes for short ownership of fast cars. My license said drag race then slow down stupid. And my dodge is a way better daily drive then a camaro or mustang. Just my opinion.
I just find it sad that FCA starves the Chrysler engineers of the money the need to do this right.
They have done well with this car but the Honda really need to address the volume model tethered the money is made.
The low volume super cars make great headlines but the RT and other lower priced models is were the money needs to be made.
Even with the sucess of this car Chrysler continues to die. The Demon may be fast but when you have to remove a seat and use special tires to go faster than you really need just for attention that is not the way forward.
Sad.
I disagree, mopar is building what mppar diehards want, not what ford or Chevy or Honda diehards want . Because in the end no matter how much they build to satisfy brand x a hardcore Chevy guy still buys the Chevy. So dodge do’es not care about brand x loyalist and is committed to its own enthusiasts and we wanted the Demon .and it will sell out and be more valuable than any brand x untill death do us part . Thank you dodge. And Honda buyers be damned.
There is an element of loyalty but there is also a segment of growth that can and needs to be mined. The 5.0 Mustang proved that.
Make it fast and tbe will buy.
The trouble is at these lower volumes it is not possible to make it cheap anymore.
I work in the performance industry and saw first Hand the growth of Ford performance in the 80’s and 90’s.
What many fail to see here as the Hellcat and Demon are great cars the rest of the product line has been left to wither away. A handful of these high price cars do little for the bottom line or the sale of the RT.
It has done little to advance the product for the future that looks limited as FCA keeps peeling away the cars leaving only Jeep and Ram.
My fear is if we do not see a new platform soon this car will be cut in the future.
I may be a GM guy but I fear the loss of a strong Chrysler performance car would only hurt GM and Fords efforts on building even better cars. Compitition drives better cars.
An extra $7,000 for fender flares and wider tires? Yikes!
mopar builds what its people want period. !!! gm and ford guys just don’t get it. !!! the sales #s don’t lie a 10 year old platform that’s alive and well how many Ford’s or gm ‘s can say that. not to shabby for the big brute !!! lol MOPAR OR NO CAR. !!!!! any buddy follow factory stock they just added 25 pounds to he drag pack cars and removed 25 pounds from the brand x weiners to make for a more competitive field. still no dice. sounds like 1970 all over again how much more will the nhra do to factor the hemi from being competitive. what a JOKE. !!!!
Your beloved 2018 Hellcat widebody turned in the 77th all time fastest lap time in Car and Driver’s Lightning Lap at VIR
https://www.caranddriver.com/features/lightning-lap-times-historical-data
Looks like GM knows what car I want!
I just have two questions for you,
Dodge always has power if you like duct tapping half your interior in place opening doors from the outside and paying 3 times for the horsepower upgrades.I do love the retro look of the challenger though the best look alike old school muscle