With the last Dodge Challenger SRT Demon auctioned off for charity in June 2018, we were left with a decent sized void. None of the company’s vehicles deliver the same punch as the 840-horsepower Demon.
Dodge intentionally pigeonholed the Challenger into being a quarter mile car. After discontinuing the Demon, they needed to think of something fast before losing momentum.
Enter the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye.
The Redeye carries the same engine as the Demon – a supercharged 6.2L V8 HEMI. It produces 797 horsepower and 707 lb-ft of torque.
The power is slightly down because of the smaller air intake on the hood. The Redeye uses a pair of small nostril-type intakes, versus the Demon’s giant scoop. They reduce the volume of air going to the engine, but they also reduce lift generated by the large bulging surface.
Still, it’s a significant power increase over the base Hellcat model. And, the Redeye packs a handful of interesting features to help it perform on the drag strip.
Like the Dodge Demon, the Redeye features the Torque Reserve system. It closes the bypass valve of the supercharger, holding 8 psi of pressure into the intake manifold. This allows the engine to produce maximum power on launch, giving the car the best possible acceleration.
Another system that debuted in the Dodge Demon is the SRT Power Chiller® and After-Run Chiller. The system uses the AC unit to cool the intercooler, decreasing intake temperatures even further. This reduces engine knock and helps cram more air into the cylinders, producing even more power.
The After-Run Chiller helps return the car to optimal conditions between drag runs.
The drive train gets a reinforced ZF 8-speed automatic transmission and heavy duty 41-spline rear half-shafts. These are needed to make the car reliable under heavy loads when drag racing.
This particular 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye comes with the widebody package. It features a set of giant 20×11-inch Devils Rim forged aluminum wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires. These are street tires, but pack adequate performance on the drag strip.
The widebody also gets a 3-mode Bilstein adaptive damping suspension. It’s factory tuned for the track.
Last but not least are the large wheel flares needed to cover the enormous wheels.
The Redeye comes with fully customizable suspension and handling settings. You can turn features on and off and dial in the perfect setup for what you want to do.
In reality, you can’t do too many things with the Dodge Challenger. At least not competitively. For all the power it packs, the car isn’t particularly impressive around the track. It’s too heavy and its awkward brick-like shape doesn’t allow it to move well in the corners.
However, the one thing it’s very good for is drag racing. In fact, in the video, you’ll see the car achieve a 10.78-second quarter mile run, moving at 126 mph at the end of the line.
Right off the production line, on street tires and regular gas, the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye is a 10-second car.