The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon went out of production last month but it appears the company isn’t going to rest on its laurels.
In a new teaser video, Dodge provided a few glimpses of the 2019 Challenger while the whine of a supercharger is evident in the background. The screen then blacks out and shows “Lock: RED797_62818.”
While that seems like typical Demon gibberish, the latter part of the message appears to be the date of 6-28-18 – better known as tomorrow. The RED797 is more mysterious but speculation naturally turns to a horsepower rating.
There isn’t much to back up this idea but Dodge has previously announced the 2019 Challenger SRT Hellcat will be unveiled this summer with a new dual-snorkel hood that “pays homage to the distinctive Mopar design themes from some of its most famous muscle cars.” The company has said the hood is fully functional and will provide additional air to the car’s supercharged engine.
The current Challenger SRT Hellcat features a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 developing 707 hp (527 kW) and 650 lb-ft (881 Nm) of torque. That’s significantly less than 797 hp (594 kW) but the Demon had 808 hp (603 kW) and was capable of developing 840 hp (626 kW) on 100 octane fuel.
That means the 797 hp (594 kW) figure is more than doable but it remains unclear if that’s what Dodge is talking about. However, it’s worth noting the Red in the teaser could be a subtle reference to the Hellcat’s two keys. As Dodge explained years ago, the “Challenger SRT with a Hellcat engine comes standard with two key fobs – red and black. The red key fob is the only key that can unlock the full horsepower and torque potential of the Challenger SRT Hellcat engine; while the black key fob limits the driver to a reduced engine output.”
https://youtu.be/oXJVAmUPqy4