The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 debuted at a special event in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 20, 2023. A new video provides a peek behind the scenes at all of the work necessary to premiere the car.
An early portion of the clip visits the Demon 170’s development three months before the debut. The rumors about engines blowing up were true. Dodge had to beef up the powerplant to make it reliable. Then, other stuff started breaking so those problems needed solutions. The final vehicle had to be durable enough for a warranty even after multiple runs at the drag strip.
The bulk of the video focuses on the preparation and production of the debut event in Vegas. Part of the premiere was delivering the Demon 170 to the strip by carrying it beneath a helicopter. This would have been challenging during the best of conditions, but the drag strip was on the border of Nellis Air Force Base. This limited the airspace in which the chopper was able to operate.
Producing the show is another major theme in this video. There’s a semi that’s full of video gear, a producer, and directors for making this event look as professional as possible.
Things come off perfectly judging by this video. Dodge boss Tim Kuniskis is boisterous about the Demon 170 during its delivery to the strip. Then, there are pyrotechnics when the muscle car rockets down the quarter-mile.
The Demon 170 uses an overhauled version of the supercharged 6.2-liter V8. The camshaft is the only major component that carries over to this car. When running on E85 fuel, the powerplant makes 1,025 horsepower and 945 pound-feet. On E10 pump gas, the figures are 900 hp and 810 lb-ft.
On a prepped surface, the Demon 170 can hit 60 miles per hour in 1.66 seconds and cover the quarter-mile in an NHRA-certified 8.91 seconds.
The Demon 170 boasts an eight-speed automatic with Dodge’s TransBrake 2.0. It features a tunable system where a person can tweak the torque output in tenth-of-a-second increments.
As an option, there are a set of wheels that combine carbon-fiber and aluminum. These pieces add $11,495 to the Demon 170’s price. Other available upgrades include a sunroof for $9,995. Adding a passenger seat and rear bench is a $1,995 upgrade.
Dodge intends to make 3,300 examples of the Demon 170. Of those, 3,000 would be for the United States and 300 would be for Canada. However, the final number will depend on production capacity.
For more Demon 170 discussion, check out this episode of Rambling About Cars:
