Dodge Unveils New NHRA Funny Car and Challenger 1320
July 20, 2018
Dodge is no stranger to speed and now they’re putting the power down in the new 2019 Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat NHRA Funny Car.
The announcement came yesterday ahead of this weekend’s Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway near Denver, Colorado. The Head of Parts and Service at Mopar, Pietro Gorlier says, “The changes made to this new Funny Car body will improve on-track performance and help us carry on the Mopar brand’s long tradition of success at the drag strip.”
The 10,000-plus-horsepower drag car based off the 707 horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat will initially be piloted by Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) driver, Matt Hagan. DSR teammates Jack Beckman, Ron Capps and Tommy Johnson Jr. will eventually be taking over during the 2018 season.
In addition to the NHRA car, Dodge unveiled the street-legal 2019 Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320. For those not mathematically inclined, the “1320” is a reference to the number of feet in a quarter-mile.
Powered by the 392 HEMI V8 producing 485 horsepower and 475 lb.-ft of torque, the Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320 uses a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission and a class-exclusive TransBrake, which was featured on the Demon. Power reaches the ground via street-legal 275/40R20 Nexen SUR4G Drag Spec radial tires, which Dodge says will do their part in generating a quarter-mile time of 11.7 seconds at 115 mph with 60 mph flying by in 3.8 seconds. By shaving three tenths of a second off the 0-60 and quarter-mile times of the Challenger R/T Scat Pack, the 1320 is “the fastest naturally aspirated, street-legal muscle car available.”
To clear up any doubt about their intentions, Dodge provides only a driver’s seat in standard configuration to save about 114 pounds. Passenger and rear seats can be optioned individually, costing a hefty $1 per seat. Line Lock, Launch Assist, Launch Control and heavy-duty rear half shafts from the SRT Demon also aid the insanity.
The 1320 Package adds $3,995 to the Scat Pack’s $38,995 sticker price while the mandatory automatic transmission costs another $1,595. Again, for you math haters, a 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320 will cost about $46,000 after the destination charge. Dealers start taking orders late this year with cars scheduled to hit their lots in the first quarter of 2019.