Last week, MoparInsiders.com broke the news
that Dodge//SRT was secretly working on a factory E85 fuel-capable Hellcat. Now after probing one of our sources, we know have a hint about how much power the newest addition to the Hellcat lineup will have when running E85 fuel. While talking to a reliable source, I decided to just ask straight out: “How much power is this E85 Hellcat going to make?” Our source
replied, “I’ll give you one guess, but will tell you it’s not four figures.” This slideshow requires JavaScript. At that point I took a step back but thought to myself, Dodge isn’t anything if not a little predictable. We all know that when the Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat debuted in 2015, the 707 horsepower number was the big news. Then came the 2018 Dodge
Challenger SRT Demon rated at 808 horsepower on pump gas [840 horsepower on 100+ octane race gas], followed by the Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye models and their variants ranging from 797 to 807 horsepower. I thought might as well make this count and guessed: “909?” Our source replied with “bingo.” This slideshow requires JavaScript. Of course, don’t take this number as fact until Dodge//SRT officially releases the car. Considering Dodge’s history and the fact that they want to give the Hellcat a proper goodbye this does make sense. Of course, like all of you, I was personally hoping for that magically 1,000 horsepower and even heard from some sources in the past that engineers were targeting that number, but it appears that wasn’t meant to be. It does on the other hand allow the 1,000 horsepower
7.0-liter [426 cubic-inch] Hellephant HEMI V8 crate motor to preserve its rarity.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
What we don’t know yet, is how the factory E85 Hellcat tune will be implemented. Will it be like the Challenger SRT Demon with a separate Engine Control Unit [ECU] and a high-octane button? Or will it be a real Flex Fuel tune that will automatically tune for the fuel in the vehicle?
For all the answers to the rest of our curious questions, we will just have to wait until next month when the car will more than likely be unveiled during the week of the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit.
Jared founded MoparInsiders and is a 39-year-old automotive enthusiast from Vancouver, British Columbia. He took an interest in cars at a very young age and has been interested in them ever since. His hobbies include photography, videography, drag racing, and auto detailing. He currently owns and drives a 2022 Ram 1500, and 2021 Mustang GT500.
The Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger, in current form, are coming to an end, and the Dodge brand is seizing the opportunity to celebrate in true, over-the-top Dodge style. The Dodge 2023 lineup will pay homage to the muscle car pair with seven special models, the return of a rainbow of heritage colors, an expansion of SRT® Jailbreak models, a commemorative “Last Call” underhood plaque for all 2023 Charger and Challenger vehicles and a new, customer-focused vehicle allocation process.
>
Demon, Hellcat, Redeye, Scat Pack, Shaker, Jailbreak. Iconic Dodge Charger and Challenger models have ushered in a second golden age of the muscle car, continuously elevating the magic number for performance from the 707 horsepower of the original Hellcat to the 840-horsepower Challenger SRT Demon. Since the modern-day Charger was launched in 2005, the Brampton [Ontario, Canada] Assembly Plant has built 3 million Dodge vehicles, representing a billion horsepower.
Charger and Challenger are departing on top — Challenger closed 2021 as the No. 1 muscle car in the U.S. — with enthusiast demand that will only gain momentum as the brand teases the rollout of the 2023 vehicle lineup.
“We are celebrating the end of an era — and the start of a bright new electrified future — by staying true to our brand,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer – Stellantis. “At Dodge, we never lift, and the brand will mark the last of our iconic Charger and Challenger nameplates in their current form in the same way that got us here, with a passion both for our products and our enthusiasts that drives us to create as much uniqueness in the muscle car community and marketplace as possible.”
New Models Embrace Dodge Heritage
Dodge will pay tribute to the long and legendary history of the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger by introducing seven heritage-influenced models for the 2023 model year. The models were teased and displayed under full vehicle covers at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan, during the first day of the three-day Dodge Speed Week event, which featured announcements and reveals of current Dodge products.
Each model will share a connection to an iconic Dodge model from the past, reaching back to the dawn of the muscle-car era in the 1960s and 1970s. Graphics featured on each vehicle cover offer hints to the secret identities of the models displayed at M1 Concourse.
Details and specific information on six of the vehicles will be released later this year. The new models will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis at top-selling Dodge dealerships, with a list of dealerships to be shared on DodgeGarage.com.
The seventh and final 2023 Dodge model will be the very last of its kind and will be revealed at the 2022 Specialty Equipment Market Association [SEMA] Show in Las Vegas, scheduled for Nov. 1-4, 2022.
Heritage Colors, Commemorative Plaques and Jailbreaks
Dodge brand will also celebrate its 2023 model lineup by bringing back three beloved heritage exterior colors: B5 Blue, Plum Crazy purple and Sublime green. One popular modern color, Destroyer Grey, also returns to the fold. Charger and Challenger will each offer 14 total 2023 exterior color options. 2023 Charger and Challenger R/T models will also feature new “345” fender badging, a callout to the 345-cubic-inch HEMI® engine under the hood.
All 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger models will also carry a special commemorative “Last Call” underhood plaque, making every 2023 Charger and Challenger a true collector’s vehicle. The brushed aluminum underhood “Last Call” plaque features the vehicle name and a vehicle silhouette, as well as “Designed in Auburn Hills” and “Assembled in Brampton” to proclaim each vehicle’s origin.
The brand is also expanding the reach of its popular SRT Jailbreak models, which were introduced earlier this year for the Dodge Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, unlocking color combination ordering restrictions and exclusive content. For 2023 model year, Jailbreak models will also be available for the 717-horsepower Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat, providing even more owners the option of building their own one-of-a-kind muscle car.
Making the “Last Call”
Dodge is taking a new approach to getting the Charger and Challenger in the hands of its enthusiasts. The entire 2023 Charger and Challenger model-year run will be allocated to dealerships all at once, helping customers identify and secure their dream cars more easily.
Dodge will provide customers a guide for locating their desired Charger or Challenger at DodgeGarage.com, which will include information on all 2023 Charger and Challenger inventory at each Dodge dealership.
Ordering and pricing information for the 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger will be announced closer to the on-sale date.