The upcoming Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat turned the enthusiast world on its ear when the vehicle was introduced; with a whopping 707 horsepower rating and a sticker price starting under $60K, Dodge’s newest entry into the battle for street car performance supremacy is not to be taken lightly.
Word comes form Auburn Hills today that the EPA has given its blessing on the Hellcat’s MPG rating, which is a respectable 22 miles per gallon. The Hellcat achieves this rating through the use of an eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission, and the new six-speed manual transmission version of the vehicle also achieves a rating of 21 MPG on the highway.
Of course, the around-town figures are probably half that, especially with the propensity for muscle car owners to hammer the throttle at every chance, but the simple fact remains that the musclecars of yesteryear couldn’t touch this achievement with a twenty-foot pole.
The supercharged HEMI Hellcat engine is comprised of 91 percent all-new parts, according to Chrysler, and benefits from a number of durability enhancements developed during the design process. A forged-steel crankshaft that’s been induction-hardened helps to withstand firing pressures of 1,595PSI every two revolutions, while the heat-treated aluminum cylinder heads are fed by the 2.3L supercharger blowing through integral charge coolers.
Two heat exchangers are also integrated into the supercharger housing, and these help to keep air temperatures below 140°F no matter the conditions. Chrysler has proven this out by testing the Hellcat over 20 laps of a 3.1-mile road course with ambient temperatures of approximately 100°F.
The development of the Hellcat, which is billed as “the most powerful musclecar ever” by Chrysler, currently stands atop the horsepower wars as the only vehicle with a 700-plus horsepower rating among the Big Three. “The new 2015 Dodge Challenger is the perfect street/strip muscle car,” said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO – Dodge and SRT Brands. “As the fastest muscle car ever, the Challenger Hellcat can run 10-second ETs at the track, and then get 22 miles per gallon on the drive home. With a starting price of $59,995, there’s nothing else that even comes close.”