Dodge Debuts the 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170, Producing 1,025 Horsepower and 945 lb-ft of Torque

Dodge has recently unveiled the 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170, an all-new street-legal factory car that boasts impressive performance specs. The new vehicle's name refers to two things: the E85 ethanol being 170 proof, and its sharing of some DNA with the Dodge Direct Connection Hellephant C170 crate engine.

The Demon 170 has an output of 1,025 hp (764 kW / 1,039 PS) and 945 lb-ft (1,280 Nm) of torque on E85, while its output drops to 900 hp (671 kW / 913 PS) and 810 lb-ft (1,097 Nm) of torque on E10. It can go from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in just 1.66 seconds, and it has an NHRA-certified quarter mile time of 8.91 seconds at 151.17 mph (243.28 km/h), making it the fastest production car in the world. Its acceleration is also the highest of any production car at 2.004 g's.

To achieve these impressive performance figures, Dodge had to replace nearly the entire driveline, with the exception of the camshaft. The new model features a supercharger displacement of 3.0 liters and a throttle body of 105 millimeters, boosting the Demon 170's psi to 21.3, as opposed to 15.3 in the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody.

The Demon 170 also has smart engine management that optimizes the powertrain's output by adjusting fueling and spark timing based on the percentage of ethanol in the gasoline. It even has a display on the instrument panel that shows the ethanol proportion. The full 1,025 hp is available when the figure is over 65 percent.

The Demon 170 is available in 14 exterior colors, including the heritage shades B5 Blue, Plum Crazy purple, and Sublime green. All of them are available with Satin Black just on the hood or on the hood, roof, and trunk. The design at the front largely comes from the previous Demon, but the 170 doesn't have fender flares – a change that saves 16 pounds. A new badge features a 170 neck tattoo and yellow eyes, which alludes to the E85 fuel.

The Demon 170 retails for $96,666 before the destination fee. Dodge plans to make 3,300 of them, with 3,000 for the United States and 300 for Canada. Interested buyers can start placing orders on March 27, 2023, and the company will prioritize orders that dealers make at MSRP in an effort to deter markups.

Inside, buyers can opt for the Demon 170 with just a cloth-upholstered driver's seat and no rear bench, and they can limit weight further by specifying to get a car without trunk carpet, sound insulation, and a two-speaker stereo. 

Furthermore, buyers can shed significant weight by getting another optional set of wheels that mix forged aluminum and carbon fiber. With them, the Demon 170 sheds 20.12 pounds at the front and 11.98 pounds at the back over a Challenger Redeye Widebody. The suspension consists of adaptive Bilstein shocks that raise the rear by 0.39 inches. The Drag Mode setting tweaks the setup to make the front firmer while softening the rear. Compared to a Challenger Hellcat Redeye Widebody, the 170 also has softer springs and sway bars that improve the weight transfer during a launch.

Source: Dodge