2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody

It says a lot about what Dodge has been up to lately when your reaction to this Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody is...”oh, another 700-horsepower Charger, cool! What's so special about this one?” We thought you’d never ask!

Ah Hellcat. Just saying the name sends chills down our spines and makes us glad to know that Dodge has not gotten out of the business of building ginormous fire-breathing V8-powered rear-drive muscle cars…yet. They even build them with 4-doors, like this 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody.  

Getting right to the fun stuff at Mason Dixon Dragway; there are not too many cars in which you can take off with a horrible crossed-up wheel-spinning launch and still get to 60 in less than 5 seconds. Hit it just right and you can get deep down into the 3s. But, we’ll take 4.0 seconds flat any day.

You feel like you’re always walking a tightrope when it comes to throttle input and available grip until you’re well into 3rd gear. Between the supercharger whine and the healthy dose of exhaust snarl; it’s a full-on audio assault accompanying you throughout the ¼-mile.

As always, an 8-speed automatic transmission deals out the gearshifts with precision. It’s a blast for sure; even if it does only last for 12.0-seconds, but finishes at 126 miles-per-hour.

Not that you need any help doing burnouts, but Dodge was nice enough to now include the Demon’s drag-strip line-lock here in the Charger.

Now, unlike the Charger you or your dad may have owned back in the 1970s, this 21st century Charger is built to handle a road course too...sort of; you certainly need to have the proper mindset when taking to the track.

Here at Summit Point Motorsports Park, you’d think there wouldn’t be enough rubber in the world to harness the Hellcat’s wrath. But, cornering grip was surprisingly high, provided our throttle inputs stayed smooth.

And despite its ferocious nature, the Redeye, in terms of handling, is actually very predictable.  It gives you plenty of time to react to any rear end movement, and it remains easy to steer with the throttle.

The front seats provide a commanding view, and offer great comfort on the highway; but here on the track they don’t exactly hold you in place, and they position you so far above the track it feels like you’re riding on top of the car, not in it.

No upgrade for the brakes; standard Hellcat Brembos. They tend to fade quickly, and the pedal feel is not confidence inspiring at all. But having said that, the Charger Hellcat Redeye is a heap of fun on the track; provided you don’t focus so much on lap times and just enjoy the experience.

So, how did we get here?  Well, if you’ll remember, the original 707-horsepower SRT Hellcat arrived for 2015 in both Challenger Coupe and Charger Body styles. Over the years, they’ve increased performance here and there, as well as added a widebody treatment.

Going next-level, the Redeye essentially adds a de-tuned version of the Challenger Demon’s 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8; which means a bigger supercharger delivering more boost than the standard Hellcat, higher 6,500 RPM limit, dual stage fuel pumps, and larger intake featuring SRT’s Power Chiller.  Built for the street and not necessarily the track, it doesn’t require ultra-high octane gas; so output comes in at 797-horsepower and 707 lb-ft. of torque.

There’s also a unique grille up front; along with a new hood, satin black trim, and 20-inch lightweight Carbon Black wheels.

While inside, you get a special gauge panel with a 220 miles-per-hour speedometer; not to mention plenty of room to take the family or a few friends along for a hellraising cruise.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 12-City, 21-Highway, and 15-Combined; we averaged 15.6 miles-per-gallon of Premium fuel.

The fact that Dodge puts Hellcat insanity on the street for as little as $74,165 is still pretty amazing; stepping up to Redeye costs $82,765.

Sorry, no matter how many motors it has, or the theoretical lb-ft. of torque it can deliver, or how fast any EV is; it just can’t give you the sensation that a car like this 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody can.  And, it remains the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world. There’s nothing about it that’s subtle, smooth, or even all that modern. And that’s why we love it. Long live the Hellcat!