NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: Dodge Demon is evil
US car-maker confirms 530kW-plus Challenger SRT Demon muscle car with more gristle than HellcatIf you thought the new HSV GTS-R W1 was going to be the V8 muscle car to beat in 2017, wait until you get a load of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.
To be revealed at the 2017 New York motor show in April, Dodge's resurrected Demon model will have the Easter bunny cowering in fear, but it won't be offered in Australia.
However, like the scorching HSV W1, it'll be a horsepower hero with more mumbo than the current Challenger SRT Hellcat, which makes an insane 527kW/880Nm.
Indeed, the SRT Demon will take production car power outputs to almost unseen levels, but it's not clear whether it will use a version of the Hellcat's 6.2-litre supercharged V8 or a worked – possibly blown – version of the SRT Viper's 8.4-litre V10 engine (480kW).
Although the US car-maker is yet to announce power and torque outputs for the new Demon, expect it close in on 550kW and 1000Nm.
Yep, the Dodge Demon will be a bitumen berserker, and you can bet your bottom dollar it'll sell out fast.
Price? Well, the current Dodge Hellcat is pegged at around $US60,000, so this beast could ratchet up to $US70K-plus. By way of comparison, a brand-new 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera costs about $US90,000 in the USA.
The car won't be offered in Australia at this stage, but FCA Australia is still keen as mustard to bring the Challenger and Charger vehicles Down Under when the new-generation arrives in 2018.
Once again, the deal hinges on whether Dodge can establish a business case for right-hand drive versions of both muscle cars, as Ford did with its first global Mustang, which has been a sell out success here.
The Demon name was first used by the brand in 1971, in the Dodge Dart Demon 340, a V8-powered coupe with drum brakes all round and a three-speed manual.
The modern interpretation of the Demon will have much more advanced kit, with a heavy-duty six-speed manual expected and massive disc brakes with all the tech advancements required to slow this ballistic missile.
Tim Kuniskis, the head of Dodge cars in the USA, said his brand's upcoming four-wheeled weapon was not about versatility or fuel economy, just power.
"Most cars attempt to be everything to everybody," he said. "Then there are the rare few that revel in a single objective, rendering them totally irresistible to a subculture.
"The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is conceived, designed and engineered for a subculture of enthusiasts who know that a tenth is a car and a half second is your reputation," he added, referring to acceleration and quarter mile bragging rights.
No images of the new vehicle have been revealed, although a short teaser video called "Cage" is designed to build hype - and the headlights of the new model can be seen briefly reflected in a mercenary's sun-glasses.
The vid features a mechanised predatory cat that transforms into a humanoid demon with a touch of Metallica playing at the end, suggesting the Dodge SRT marketing department are just a little bit excited.
Stay tuned to motoring.com.au for all the news leading up to and from the 2017 New York motor show.
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