If the sensory assault of a supercharged V-8, the smell of high-octane fuel being turned into an inferno, and the brutal G-forces of a sub-11-second quarter mile time are too scary for you, click off this Dodge Challenger Demon vs. Hellcat page right now before things get too wild. Seriously. Final warning.
Great. Now that the weak-kneed, muscle-averse drivers are gone, we can give these iconic thrill rides the justice they deserve. Buckle up, blast Free Bird (or whatever song soundtracks your 100% legal driving sessions), and read on as we take a retrospective look at the most powerful, thrilling, and iconic muscle cars of the modern era with our Dodge Challenger Hellcat vs. Demon muscle car comparison guide.
While the Challenger has been discontinued, we often have stock available. Contact Spartanburg CDJR to inquire about our available high-performance Dodge Challenger models.
The key component to any Dodge Challenger Demon vs. Hellcat comparison is how fuel-efficient each model is ….
That’s a joke. These vehicles both shotgun fuel like there’s no tomorrow, and no one keeps MPG in mind when buying or driving a Challenger Hellcat or Demon.
Instead, the type of fuel they use is a key point of comparison. Premium 91-octane unleaded gasoline is the drink of choice for the Hellcat and Hellcat Redeye. You can fill the Demon 170 with premium gasoline, too, and get a freight train’s worth of horsepower. However, the Demon 170 rocks the Dodge Challenger Demon vs. Hellcat comparison with its flex-fuel ability to drink corn juice – E85 fuel, to be precise.
If you’re a fan of muscle cars, you already know the winner here. Dodge Challenger Hellcat vs. Dodge Challenger Demon horsepower figures are downright insane on both sides. Still, the Demon and Demon 170 are the craziest models in both the history of the Challenger and the history of muscle cars as a whole.
Let’s start with the ‘Cats. While there was a power jump in the middle of its production history, the final iteration of the Challenger SRT Hellcat made 717 horsepower, with the SRT Hellcat Redeye version going even wilder with 797 horsepower. There is also a Jailbreak option that can boost the Hellcat Redeye model to 807 horsepower.
The first Dodge Challenger SRT Demon cast the automotive industry into chaos back during its 2018 model year. The brutal engine could release 840 horsepower. For the 2023 model year, the Demon 170 went even harder: around 900 horsepower when using gasoline and up to 1,025 horsepower when fed with E85 fuel.
The funny part of the Dodge Challenger Demon vs. Dodge Challenger Hellcat comparison is that all models here use the same engine: a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8. They can all be heard coming from miles away, thanks to the violent scream of that supercharger harmonizing with the deep, brutal roar of eight HEMI cylinders.
These models all use RWD and an eight-speed automatic transmission, but differences like the Demon 170 model’s Transbrake 2.0 system are a big part of the faster 0-60 mph and quarter mile times.
So, how can the Demon 170 make up to 308 more horsepower than a Hellcat? Ethanol fuel, as mentioned, partially explains this Dodge Challenger Demon vs. Hellcat difference, but a larger supercharger, forged engine internals, and a larger air intake are also responsible. That applies to the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, too.
Laugh, scream, cry, or do whatever you need to do to manage two full Gs of lateral acceleration. Which model are we talking about? The Demon 170. With the most power in the Dodge Challenger Demon vs. Hellcat battle, the Demon 170 is, quite obviously, the fastest model here.
Not only that, the Challenger Demon 170 is the fastest production vehicle in the world for 0 to 60 mph times,1 doing that sprint in an almost unbelievable 1.66 seconds.
Send the power to its specialized drag-race rear setup and watch the quarter mile blast by in 8.91 seconds. The trap speed? 151.17 mph. In the Dodge Challenger Demon vs. Hellcat comparison, the Demon 170 isn’t just the winner: It’s a world champion and the first factory-produced muscle car to run an eight-second quarter mile.2
The 2018 Demon is right behind it. It laid the foundations for that insanity with a 2.3-second 0-60 time, a 9.65-second quarter mile time, and a 140-mph trap speed.
Don’t let that dull the impact of the Hellcat, though. These violent beasts are some of the wildest vehicles out there. With the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye, manufacturer testing resulted in a 3.4-second 0-60 mph time, and the quarter-mile run ended in 10.8 seconds with a trap speed of 131 mph.
Specs for the “normal” (if you can even call it that) Challenger SRT Hellcat, according to MotorTrend (parallel Hellcat and Hellcat Redeye tests were not conducted), include 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds,3 and a very similar quarter-mile of 11.7 seconds at 125.4 mph.3 Pavement conditions and more can affect quarter mile and 0-60 mph times, but generally speaking, you’ll find more tire-shredding fury in the Redeye model.
| 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat | 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye | 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon | 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 | |
| Insanity Level: | High | Very High | Extreme | Unparalleled |
| Engine: | 6.2L Supercharged HEMI V-8 | 6.2L Supercharged HEMI V-8 | 6.2L Supercharged HEMI V-8 | 6.2L Supercharged HEMI V-8 |
| Horsepower: | 717 | 797 | Up to 840 | Up to 1,025 |
| Torque: | 650 lb-ft | 707 lb-ft | 770 lb-ft | 945 lb-ft |
| 0-60 MPH: | 3.7 seconds3 | 3.4 seconds | 2.3 seconds | 1.66 seconds |
| Quarter Mile Time: | 11.7 seconds3 | 10.8 seconds | 9.65 seconds | 8.91 seconds |
| Quarter Mile Speed: | 125.4 mph3 | 131 mph | 140 mph | 151.17 mph |
The Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger Last Call models have ceased production and are going fast. We may have some Dodge Challenger specials remaining for the Hellcat by the time you read this, so act quickly and contact Spartanburg CDJR to take home a future classic.
The Dodge Challenger Demon is faster than the Hellcat by a massive margin. The Challenger Hellcat posted an 11.7-second quarter mile3 in MotorTrend testing, and while that is an impressive feat that would’ve blown minds back in the heyday of American muscle, the Challenger Demon 170 would’ve been mistaken for witchcraft with its 8.91-second quarter-mile time.
The Challenger Demon and Hellcat share an engine and overall design, but the Demon adds a boatload of parts designed specifically for drag racing, then cranks the power up to terrifying levels. The 2018 Challenger Demon makes up to 840 horsepower, the 2023 Challenger Demon 170 makes up to 1,025 horsepower, and the Challenger Hellcat has 717 horsepower on tap.
Despite both having sinful names and a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8, a Dodge Challenger Demon can be immediately told apart from a Hellcat by its gigantic air intake and drag radial tires. If you happen to be spectating a Dodge Challenger Demon vs. Hellcat drag race, it’ll be obvious which is the Demon and which is the Hellcat: The Demon will smoke the Hellcat down the strip.
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1Current production vehicles, based on 0-60 time, excludes non-mass-production vehicles.
2Based on quarter-mile time.
3This information is not verified by the official manufacturer and shall serve solely as unofficial general information. For details, visit: https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2015-dodge-challenger-srt-hellcat-first-test/
