#HorsePower – Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170

Dodge unveiled the seventh and final “Last Call” variant of its Challenger and Charger muscle cars with the brand’s most powerful ever. The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 picks up where the first Challenger SRT Demon left off in 2018.

The last breed of Dodge’s iconic gas-guzzling muscle car has turned out to have the ultimate iteration of the automaker’s legendary 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8. It’s a direct descendant of the Hellephant C170 crate engine by Direct Connection (Dodge’s factory-backed performance parts maker) that debuted at the 2022 SEMA Show.

Under the hood is a fire-breathing, high-output 6.2-liter Hemi V8 with tons of upgrades. First, it has a new 3.0-liter supercharger based on the Hellephant C170 crate engine, producing 30 percent more airflow and 40 percent higher boost pressures at 21.3 psi. The supercharger pairs a 3.02-inch pulley with an updated 2.68 drive ratio to deliver 14 percent more overdrive.

Other noteworthy upgrades include higher-strength connecting rods with improved pin-bushing support, viscous damper assists to cut torsional vibration, and for the aluminum cylinder heads, aerospace-specification steel studs with steel inserts for a 38 percent increase in clamping load.

Next, the engine received higher-flow fuel injectors (capable of pumping 164 gallons of gas per hour), a 105 mm throttle body (33 percent higher airflow volume), nitride-coated intake valves, copper-lead central rod and bearings, lower heat and ethanol-optimized spark plugs, and an upgraded TorqueFlite 8HP90 eight-speed automatic.

Given a steady diet of E85 ethanol blend gas, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 produces a tire-shredding 1,025 horsepower and 945 lb-ft. of torque, more than the first SRT Demon unleashed in 2018. However, the madness diverts to 900 horsepower and 810 lb-ft. of torque if the engine senses E10 gas. Those numbers make the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 the most potent muscle car in the automaker’s long and cherished history.

Dodge claims zero to 60 mph in an unbelievable 1.6 seconds while delivering the highest G-forces (2.004 gs) while at it. It’s also the first production car in automotive history to run an eight-second quarter mile. The Challenger SRT Demon 170 destroyed the quarter-mile in an NHRA-certified 8.1 seconds at 151.17 mph, enough to receive a violation letter for running below nine seconds without a parachute and safety cage.

Underneath is a 30 percent stronger rear propeller shaft, larger CV joints, and a 53 percent stronger rear axle housing with an integrated Direct Connection logo to deliver some proper street cred. Everything connects to a reinforced 240mm rear axle and 43-spline rear half shafts to deliver all 1,025 horsepower. Helping the cause are 18 x 8-inch front and 17 x 11-inch custom rear wheels wrapped in bespoke Mickey Thompson ET Street R drag radials.

Moreover, the Challenger SRT Demon 170 has the necessary drag-ready software and hardware to make heroes out of ordinary drivers at the dragstrip. It features the next-gen TransBrake 2.0, initially featured in the first Demon, allowing drivers to configure or select launch-torque profiles for specific track conditions. The system works with Launch Control and the Torque Reserve feature to improve engine response at any rpm while maximizing acceleration.

Standard for the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 are features from the previous Demon, like Line Lock (enables stationary burnouts at the press of a button) and launch assist. It also has the SRT power chiller function that diverts air-conditioned air to the supercharger to lower the intake temperature while also cooling the engine after an intense run.

Don’t mistake the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 for a fast yet practical car. It has no front passenger seat, rear seats, sound insulation, trunk carpeting, or trunk lights, all in an effort to reduce weight. It only has a two-speaker audio system. In return, you get a yellow and red Demon badge on the instrument cluster (that spells out the vehicle’s four-digit VIN), an Alcantara performance tiller, and genuine carbon fiber trim.

However, a premium leather interior option flourishes the otherwise barren cabin with Alcantara and Laguna leather, a heated and ventilated driver’s seat, a heated tiller, and an 18-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, to name a few. Other changes include an SRT badge on the front grille, a custom Demon badge (with a 170 neck tattoo and a yellow demon’s eye), and commemorative “Last Call” plaques.