2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: Less Weight, Wider Tires
2017-01-26
As expected, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is spoon-feeding us information regarding the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, which will officially be revealed next April at the New York Auto Show.
The first of 15 teaser videos of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon was published earlier this month, and two more have appeared since then. Very short clips that reveal very little, but that keep us on our toes until all the info on the car is unveiled.
In the video titled Reduction, we can see a Challenger on a platform and a weight reduction indicator, which hints that FCA has put the Hellcat on a diet to create the Demon. How much weight will it lose? We don't know yet, but it should be more than a hundred pounds-at least-in order to notably improve straight-line performance.
In the video titled Body, supported by a couple of published images, we get a few more details. The Demon blasts off, leaving two wide strips of rubber on the pavement. At all four corners, the car will wear Nitto NT05R tires, specially designed for the Demon, sized 315/40R18 and that even feature the car's logo. In comparison, the Challenger SRT Hellcat is equipped with 275/40R20 tires.
To accommodate these gumballs, the Challenger's fenders have been widened, and the car will end up being 3.5 inches wider. We're guessing the Demon will be a drag-racing champ, but will it be more powerful than the Hellcat, or will it be quicker simply because of its lighter weight and meatier tires? This remains to be clarified.
In addition, in the video, we can see a license plate which bears the inscription #2576@35, without giving further details. FCA obviously wants us to bang our heads together and figure it out, but as this is being written, we're stumped. Do you have an idea what this could mean?
The next video of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon will be available next week.
