Dodge Resuscitates the Demon

With an aging product line-up and dwindling car sales, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has announced something new for its Dodge brand. Well, it’s actually not new, as the name Demon will be revived for a high-performance version of the Dodge Challenger.

Wait, isn’t the Hellcat the ultimate Challenger? It is, but not for long, as FCA is “raising the bar again with the Challenger SRT Demon.”

• Also: 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT 392: Fountain of Youth
• Also: 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat - It’s All About The Horsepower

The first of several teaser videos to appear, which will lead up the car’s unveiling right before the New York Auto Show in April, shows a caged, animated Hellcat that transforms itself into a demon. Little information has been revealed so far, other than the automaker stating that “the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is conceived, designed and engineered for a subculture of enthusiasts who know that a tenth is a car and a half second is your reputation.”

It seems as though the 2017 Dodge Demon will be even more powerful than the Hellcat, which boasts a supercharged, 6.2-litre V8 that belts out 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. So what can we expect? 800 horsepower? All-wheel drive? An appetite for rocket fuel?

By the way, the name Demon first appeared in 1971 as a performance version of the Dodge Dart, and more recently, Dodge Demon was the name of a small concept sports car that was first shown at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show.

Musclecar fans might be thrilled by this announcement, but treehuggers will once again flame FCA for raising their middle finger to global warming with another ultra-powerful, fuel-swilling road missile. The company’s pretty good at recycling old products, though.

We’re expecting the 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon to go on sale this summer. More information can be found on the Demon's dedicated website, www.ifyouknowyouknow.com.