2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

Episode 3703 , Episode 3716
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

We’ve all heard the numbers and seen the hype videos. The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, with its 840-horsepower Hellcat engine will do the ¼ in 9.65-seconds, while hitting 60 in just 2.3. But as with most cars, there’s more here than just numbers. So come along to the dark side with us, as we do some down and dirty deeds with the demon. 

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is one of those cars that you think is only possible in a dream. Fortunately, the hard-working folks at Dodge’s Street and Racing Technology division are more than just dreamers. They actually made this drag strip worthy beast happen. 

It seems implausible with all of the hype surrounding it, but the Demon was actually developed mostly in secret; engineers going cloak and dagger, and even working on their own time, until they knew they had something the brass would devour.

We all know the basics for more horsepower, more air, and more fuel to react with it; but cranking the Hellcat’s 6.2-liter HEMI V8 up to 840-horsepower and 770 lb-ft. of torque required a lot of work, a few more revs, and 100-octane fuel. On premium grade gas it’s a mere 808 horse ride.

Such output also demanded cranking the supercharger up to 14.5 psi to shove said air into the combustion chambers. 

Along the way it passes through an SRT-developed Power Chiller which uses the A/C’s refrigerant to reduce air temps by up to 18-degrees. 

On the other end of the engine, they beefed up everything that carries the power to the rear wheels, added a production-car first TransBrake for nailing killer launches, and a line lock for simplifying burnouts. 

Now, with all of that in mind, what you might not expect, is at the dragstrip, the Demon is not that insane at all. And by that we mean doing ten second ¼-miles in a car properly set up for drag racing, is similar to hitting a road course in a perfectly balanced race car. 

The Demon launches extremely hard, but if you hit it just right, all of the car’s weight gets pushed to the rear, and it just hooks up and takes off; carrying all of that power down the track with no drama whatsoever. 

Sure, you can get some wheel-spin if you want, but using Drag Mode with Launch Assist and Torque Reserve makes launching super simple.

All Demons come equipped with the TorqueFlite 8HP90 8-speed automatic transmission, which fired through gears without missing a beat; as we made passes continuously for an entire afternoon, without a hiccup.

So, don’t think of this as some one-off car just to do a couple runs and get some crazy numbers for publicity. 

With temps in the 90s and high humidity, we couldn’t match Dodge’s NHRA-certified run of 9.65 but we ran consistent low-10s, and came real close to matching the claimed 2.3-seconds to 60. 

Other things that set the Demon apart from standard Hellcat fare, are the Air Grabber hood and wide-body styling that adds fender flares to fully cover the standard 315/40/18 Nitto drag radials. Wheels for those front skinnies are part of the $1 Demon Crate option. 

Unique touches inside, include a numbered Demon badge, and Demon logo on the seats. A Speedlogix 4-point harness is also an option…

…as is the front passenger seat, though Dodge will throw it back in for just a buck more. 

Even though every update has been made with drag racing in mind, it remains a very street-able car. And as a value-added bonus, due to the flexible sidewalls of the drag radials, ride quality is actually better than the Hellcat.   

Now, you would think that’d be enough SRT news for one year, but Dodge has got something else headed our way for ’18, it’s the Durango SRT. 

Believe it or not, it’s the first time Dodge has applied the SRT treatment to this 3-row SUV. 

For power, it gets the 392 HEMI V8, which supplies 475-horsepower and 470 lb-ft. of torque. The all-wheel-drive system, 8-speed automatic transmission, suspension, and 7-mode drive system all get upgraded to handle it. 

This Durango will hit 60 in 4.4-seconds, and clear the ¼-mile in less than 13. But even more impressive, is that you lose none of the functionality that you buy an SUV for; as this Durango will tow 8,700-lbs. 

There’s a body kit of course, and plenty of interior treatments as well. 

The 2018 Dodge Durango SRT rolls out of showrooms for $64,090. 

But, back to the Demon. For a turnkey 9-second drag car, base pricing of $86,090 doesn’t seem that evil. That’s less than what some of the original Hellcat’s were going for. 3,000 of them will be available here in the U.S. 

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon may be a hellishly fast car, but we say God Bless the U.S.A.; as the forces of good and evil have combined to create one of the most amazing cars to ever lay down rubber on America’s streets. 

Specifications

  • Engine: 6.2 liter
  • Horsepower: 840
  • Torque: 770 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 2.3 seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 9.65 seconds
2024 Acura ZDX 3

2024 Acura ZDX

Acura Gets To EVTown With A Little Help From Its Friends

Episode 4429
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

This Acura ZDX may look just like every other Acura, but that’s far from the case. This is actually the brand’s first all-electric vehicle. And that’s just the tip of this electronic iceberg, as there’s plenty more to discover beneath the surface. So, join us for a deep dive into some unchartered waters.

The Acura ZDX is the brand’s first full battery-electric vehicle, and Acura took a long and winding road to get here. It started off in Detroit where GM’s Ultium platform was born. Honda struck a deal to make use of it for their Prologue SUV and developed this Acurafied version right along with it. Base A Spec comes standard with a single 358-horsepower rear motor, or you can step up to a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup with 490 horsepower. This Type S cranks up the horsepower a bit to 499 but more impressively winds up an additional 107 lb-ft of torque for a total of 544; that’s 52 lb-ft more than the last NSX supercar.

All versions share the same 102-kWh battery, meaning a max range of 313 miles in the A-Spec. That drops to 278 here in our Type S tester, though in our driving loop, we were on pace for 295 miles. 190-kW max fast charging feeds enough juice to get you to 80% charge in 42 minutes. And using 43-kWh of electricity per 100 miles, the Type S earns a fair efficiency rating. Regen braking may not have as many levels of adjustment as some EVS, but full one-pedal driving is available, along with a regen-on-demand brake paddle on the back of the steering wheel.

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The Type S gets a host of additional upgrades dedicated to improving performance: bigger stabilizer bars front and rear, quicker steering ratios, 22-inch wheels, and an adaptive air suspension that keep the ride pleasant even with those 22s. Summer tires are also available.

Not sure if it speaks to the Acura’s overall refinement, or if we’re just getting used to launching crazy fast EVs, but the ZDX didn’t feel particularly strong off the line, yet when we looked at the numbers, we were racing to 60 in just 4.5-seconds. No drop off in power though the ¼-mile. ZDX is consistent and fast; silently streaking to the end of the track in 12.9-seconds at 110 miles-per-hour. As with all EVs, there’s substantial weight to deal with, here about 3-tons, but its distributed equally front to back, and it felt extremely smooth through our handling course. The very light steering and aggressive stability control took some getting used to, but after a few runs we were able to find a good pace that kept everything happy, including us as there was very little body roll in the ZDX.

It felt extremely smooth through our handling course.

Type S gets Brembo brakes up front, and in our panic braking runs, there was a very aggressive initial bite, and despite the weight, brought things to a quick stop in a short 102-feet from 60 miles-per-hour.

Inside, a sharp-looking digital instrument cluster is joined by an 11.3-inch color touchscreen display, small by today’s standards, but well integrated, and with Google built in, operation is very familiar.

All ZDXs come with Perforated Milano leather seating. Type S upgrades with Microsuede inserts. It also adds a unique steering wheel, brushed aluminum trim, lots of logos, and it is the first Acura to get a Bang & Olufsen audio system. Small item storage is plentiful up front, and rear cargo capacity is 28.7 cubic-ft; expanding to 62.0 with the rear seatbacks folded; that’s closer to RDX than MDX. Back seat passengers get a great experience, with plenty of room all around, heated seats, climate controls, and charging for their electronics.

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Despite starting off with the GM chassis, Acura designers clearly crafted a vehicle that looks every bit an Acura. It’s long, low, and wide with a modernized take on Acura’s shield grille leading the way.
A-Spec pricing starts at $65,850, Type S goes for $74,850; both versions are currently still available for full federal tax credits.

You may remember a first Acura ZDX, a coupe-style SUV that came and went in the early 2010s. This is not that ZDX, but it’s certainly just as forward thinking; better timed and much better looking too.

The Acura ZDX is a very well executed first step into the world of electrification. And we have no problems with them getting a little help from GM to get things started, as the Ultium platform has spawned some fantastic EVs. But, at the same time, we do look forward to what Acura’s next and perhaps far more important step will be.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Motor Setup: Dual Motor
  • Battery Size: 102-kWh
  • Horsepower: 499
  • Torque: 544 lb-ft
  • EPA Range: 278 miles
  • 0-60 mph: 4.5-seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 12.9-seconds at 110 mph
  • Braking, 60-0 (avg): 102-feet
  • MW Test Loop: ~ 295 miles
  • Peak Charging : 190-kW