Dodge Demon - Factory Race Car

[asphaltgambler]

I may get flamed here but all of you should check out the video on U-tube. What's significant is this car has from the factory: @840Hp / 770ftlb Tq. Equipped with a trans brake, line lock, drag radials

Ready for this? In it's as delivered form will whack the 1/4 in....................sub 9.50's with wheels up off the line.

Gentlemen - I believe this car to be on par significance-wise with low-production factory light-weight / specially prepared factory race cars of the 60's-70's. Except this is available to John Q Public.

Possibly more significant than say an early P-car like the 2.7 mechanically injected RS or the technology driven 959 super car.

I do not see this as even in the same zip code as say the Roush prepped Moostangs or ZL-1 Camaro's.

There is no doubt we are in a muscle car / horse-power race that the late 60's to 1970 could only dream of. Also no doubt all the offerings today surpass those cars. But Dodge...................... is killing it - MO.

I'll say it again - starting with my '07 Jeep SRT8 which was the fastest of all their SRT8 line because it has all-wheel drive and was / a trendsetter for performance SUV's.

Enjoy

[flipper35]

This car is illegal to race unmodified in NHRA. You have to add a cage.

[TheMentat]

Originally Posted by flipper35

This car is illegal to race unmodified in NHRA. You have to add a cage.

Who cares... these things are for doing burnouts at cars & coffee events!

[BReif61]

Now just imagine how fast it would be if it didn't have the curb weight of the Space Shuttle and the frontal area of a barn

[flipper35]

True, but I was just passing on more info from the press release.

With it sucking that much air and that big scoop, I wonder if it will hoover cats off the sidewalk.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by BReif61

Now just imagine how fast it would be if it didn't have the curb weight of the Space Shuttle and the frontal area of a barn

It is within 200 pounds of a Veyron. Just sayin'.

[Jeff Higgins]

There is all kinds of stuff the NHRA requires when you start going that fast. Brent already mentioned a cage. Add to that a race seat and harness, transmission blanket, certified rear axles (Strange Engineering or equivalent), fire suppression, and on and on. Maybe the powers that be at Dodge have worked something out, but the NHRA tends to be rather inflexible on this.

I posted a vid of my friend Gene Fluery on the Buick Grand National thread, showing his street legal seven second GN. He has another one, which is far more tame, that "only" turns low tens. He made the mistake of breaking into the nines one day in Spokane, and all hell broke loose across our Division 6. He was black listed across our division - "thou shalt not" ever show up with that thing again until... thousands and thousands of dollars worth of additional, race specific safety equipment gets added. He finally got a waiver, with the stipulation that if it ever breaks into the nines again, it's banned for life until the safety requirements for that speed were met.

That, and once you get into the nines, the NHRA wants to check you out and license you to do so. They don't fool around...

[asphaltgambler]

Yes - breaking into the 9's or exceeding 150 mph. You could always take power out of it.............

[flipper35]

Now, I wish they would take all that engineering talent and make a mid-size RWD sedan with the Pentastar, like a 2/3rds sized Charger. The 300hp is fine in a 3600lb car.

[pwd72s]

A bragging rights car...just a different bragging area than a new Porsche or Ferrari.

Nothing wrong with "what'll it do in the quarter?" being your top priority if that's your bag.

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

A bragging rights car...just a different bragging area than a new Porsche or Ferrari.

Nothing wrong with "what'll it do in the quarter?" being your top priority if that's your bag.

Yea, sort of like a souped up Mustang!

[OffCamber00]

and, apparently, only offered with an automatic.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by OffCamber00

and, apparently, only offered with an automatic.

Anyone who has ever driven a drag car into the nines will tell you that an automatic is by far the safest way to do so. Especially in a heavy door slammer.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

Yea, sort of like a souped up Mustang!

Actually, Flipper's post pretty much described my Mustang...315 horsepower, around 3,500 pounds. Adequate power, comfort, handling, and fuel economy for the driving I currently do. In other words, a decent road car that gets me where I want to go & back home. I'll leave the hot bragging rights machines to the younger folks..

[onewhippedpuppy]

I love the fact that it exists, even though I would never buy one. Most will get locked away in garages and driven to car shows on nice days.

[RANDY P]

....or stuffed into lamp posts and pedestrians as seen on You Tube..

rjp

[CurtEgerer]

Originally Posted by asphaltgambler

I believe this car to be on par significance-wise with low-production factory light-weight / specially prepared factory race cars of the 60's-70's. Except this is available to John Q Public.

I pretty much agree and big props to Chrysler. The difference, of course, is that those early factory lightweights were totally under the radar. The factory wanted the public to think that the car they saw killing it at the drag strip was the same as the one parked in their driveway. Today's factory specials are marquee cars made specifically to bombard social media, magazines, etc. and show-off what the factory can do. Maybe somebody will race them too. But it's all good!

Originally Posted by asphaltgambler

I'll say it again - starting with my '07 Jeep SRT8 which was the fastest of all their SRT8 line because it has all-wheel drive and was / a trendsetter for performance SUV's.

Have you seen the new 2018 707HP Trackhawk, world's fastest SUV?

[KNS]

Not a bad looking car even though it's nearly the size of the USS Missouri. Good for Chrysler.

I'd love to see them make a small RWD lightweight.

[911dean]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

Have you seen the new 2018 707HP Trackhawk, world's fastest SUV?

I've taken quite a liking to it! Unfortunately it's spendy and my wife would kill me if I brought that home. She hasn't even seen my Miata yet. In 10 years she's never seen anyone have a many cars and I think I've been reasonable.

[Dixie]

My understanding is only 3,000 will be built, and for one year only. I expect dealer markup to be $15 to $25 thousand over the projected $90,000 price.