The Dodge Charger has always been known as a rugged yet stylish muscle car. The new 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat has improved on that image, creating an even more powerful car in one stylish package.
Muscle car enthusiasts and Dodge fans alike can get excited about this new special edition in the Charger lineup. Yet even if you are a Dodge superfan, the Hellcat may still have a few tricks up its sleeve that you don’t know about.
Here are seven awesome things about the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat that you might now know:
It Can Reach Speeds of 204 MPH
Befitting a car with the name “Hellcat,” this Charger can drive three times as fast as the speed limit on most highways. With its immense 707 horsepower engine, it can reach top speeds of 204 mph.
Under the hood of the Hellcat is a 6.2-liter, supercharged HEMI V8 engine, making it the fastest and most powerful production sedan ever made. The Hellcat can cover 1/4 mile in just 11 seconds and can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds.
While you will likely never actually drive at speeds of 204 mph, it’s amazing and empowering just knowing that you can. With all that power at the touch of your fingertips, you’ll feel like a warrior on the road.
It Has an Eco Mode
Powerful cars and trucks aren’t known for being very eco friendly. They end up burning through gas to power their massive engines and haul their heavy loads.
However, the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat features multiple drive modes, including an eco mode that helps make it more environmentally friendly. Amongst modes such as “Track” and “Sport,” you’ll find an option for “Eco” under headings such as horsepower, transmission, traction and suspension. Under eco mode, you can also choose to turn off the paddle shifters.
By switching on eco mode, you’ll downgrade the power behind the Hellcat a bit. However, if you’re just driving to the office, you don’t really need to put the full muscle the Hellcat offers into it. You can enjoy a more casual driving mode that is also better for the environment by going easy on the fuel consumption and putting out fewer emissions.
No Body Panels are Shared with the Previous Generation
The Hellcat may look reminiscent of previous Charger models, but it is its own car. Even though the design changes are minor in most cases, none of the body panels on the 2015 Dodge Charger are shared with previous models.
Deep scallops run down each side, starting at the front doors, and they blend seamlessly into a sculpted rear. The hood raises up near the front, almost like a snarl — which is especially appropriate for this car, given its power and its name.
The wide body creates an impressive profile when viewed from any angle, and features like the single racetrack tail light make the car stand out even from a distance.
It Shifts Like It Drives — Fast
When you’re whipping around a track at 204 mph, you need a car that can respond quickly. OK, so you probably won’t be driving that fast, but the point is that the Hellcat delivers the performance to match its speeds.
The Hellcat shifts in just 160 milliseconds thanks to its TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmission. You won’t lose any time due to shifting. The transition will appear to be seamless.
Even if you don’t ever push the Hellcat to its very limits, you’ll still feel powerful and in control even when you’re running errands around town. You can just imagine that you’re on the race track instead of the highway.
It Has a Valet Mode
When you hand over the keys of your beloved Hellcat, you don’t want to worry that some overzealous valet is taking it out for a spin to see what it can do. You want to keep that power all to yourself and protect your Hellcat from an inexperienced driver looking to show off for friends.
The Hellcat has you covered. Its valet mode limits its outputs, revs and chassis settings so that it won’t go as fast or as hard. Your valet will be able to drive it politely into the next waiting parking space and then bring it curbside to you when you are ready. You won’t have to worry about any illicit street races or joyrides while you are inside enjoying a nice dinner.
It is More Aerodynamic than the Challenger
The Hellcat has a cousin in the Dodge Challenger Hellcat, but the two have key differences. One of them is that the Dodge Charger Hellcat has four doors and a longer body, while the Dodge Challenger Hellcat has only two doors and a shorter body.
The longer body on the Dodge Charger makes it more aerodynamic, which is what allows it to reach higher speeds. Just think of the long, lithe body of a jungle cat in mid-stride, and you’ll have the perfect image of the Dodge Charger Hellcat on the road.
The Interior is a Marriage of Modern and Retro Design
Just as the exterior was created to pay homage to earlier Charger models while also upgrading to a more modern design, the interior is also a mix of past inspiration and modern advances.
The dashboard includes an instrument cluster that is reminiscent of early models, but it also features touch screens and advanced controls that seem like they are right out of the future. There’s a retro-styled T-handle shifter just below a touch screen display that puts you in command of the car’s impressive sound system as well as its drive modes and other advanced controls.
The interior features bucket seats in both the front and the back. However, there is a center seat in the back that looks more like a placeholder for armrests. For the upholstery, you can choose your own combination of black laguna leather, sepia laguna leather, black nappa leather and ruby red nappa leather. The two-tone look is right out of the 70s, but it won’t seem dated.
Other interior features include a three-spoke steering wheel and heated and ventilated seats.
Though the Hellcat is considered a special edition model, Dodge has already said that it will not cap production on either the Charger or the Challenger lineup. That means that you have ample opportunity to own this exceptional vehicle.
Unless you’re a racecar driver or have an uncle who is, you will never get to drive a car like this outside of the Hellcat. Even if you only plan to drive the Hellcat as a family car, you’ll feel more powerful and sophisticated when you’re behind the wheel.
