Dodge Demon to be street-legal dragster

Dodge has announced that its wild Challenger SRT Demon will come with specially developed front and rear tyres used in drag racing that will maximise its performance in a straight line.

According to the US car maker the Demon will come with a set of wide 315/40 Nitto NT05 tyres that have been specially developed for the Demon, for use in professional drag racing.

The news the Demon will come with ultra-sticky tyres confirms rumours it will almost certainly be the fastest turn-key muscle car sold by a car maker of all time.

Releasing a single picture of the Demon and a candid short video clip of it in action, it's clear the recent leaked picture from the set of Fast and Furious 8 confirms the Demon will star in the octane-fuelled movie.

The video shows the Demon easily lighting up its rear tyres in a smoky burn-out demonstrating the huge amount of power and torque on tap.

The soundtrack is also revealing.

Instead of the rumoured use of the SRT Viper's naturally aspirated 8.4-litre V10, there’s the sound of a supercharged V8 clearly heard.

That means, under the bonnet, the Demon will rely on the Challenger SRT Hellcat’s supercharged 6.2-litre V8.

In the Hellcat, the blown V8 produces an unbelievable 527kW/800Nm but in the Demon the power figure could top 550kW.

Factor in a lightweight carbon-fibre boot lid, roof and bonnet, plus a stripped-out interior and a weight-saving of between 90-100kg and the Demon should hit 100km/h in less than 3.0 seconds - 0.6 seconds quicker than the Hellcat.

With the standard stickier drag tyres that sacrifice wet weather, comfort and refinement for pure traction, the new Demon could set a new performance benchmark of around 2.7 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint.

Top speed, meanwhile, is expected to be more than 330km/h.

Since the Dodge Hellcat is priced at around $US60,000, it’s thought the Demon will sell for approximately $US80,000 there.

Frustratingly, lack of right-hand drive has ruled out both the Hellcat and the forthcoming Demon from being sold Down Under, but both cars could give a taste of what's to come.

FCA Australia has already announced it plans to import both the next-generation Challenger and Charger Down Under when they go on sale in 2018.

If, like the Hellcat, the Demon proves a success it's likely both will return  in the next generation of Challenger.