For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with muscle cars and SUVs that deliver unrivaled performance in each of the segments where they compete.
2021 marks the year that Dodge distilled into a pure performance brand. They are offering Hellcat-powered 6.2-liter 700-plus horsepower SRT version of every model across the lineup.
Dodge’s image as a muscle car company is further enhanced for the 2021 model year with the new “Demon Possessed” SRT Hellcat Redeye. It’s the most powerful and fastest mass produced sedan in the world, raising the bar to performance levels never seen before in a four door family sedan. The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye serves up 797 horsepower and 707 lb.-ft. of torque. With a top speed of 203 miles per hour, Charger Hellcat Redeye delivers the ultimate in high performance, comfort, and road ready confidence as the “world’s only four-door muscle car.”
The new widebody model that I drove adds 3.5-inches of body width and rides on new 20-by-11-inch lightweight carbon black wheels wearing Pirelli 305/35YR20 BSW performance tires.
Standard on every Dodge Charger model is the innovative TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission. The Hellcat does 0-60 sprint in 3.6 seconds, with quarter-mile elapsed time of 10.6 seconds at the speed of 129 mph.
The Charger Hellcat Redeye wears an aggressive, modern widebody exterior with fender flares integrated into the front and rear fascia, adding overall width to the Pirelli tires. The front fascia includes the mail-slot grille, providing the most direct route for cool air to travel to the radiator and maintain ideal operating temperature even in the hottest conditions.
This Hellcat also packs excellent braking performance, requiring an estimated 144 feet to come to a full stop from 70 mph. This dynamite muscle car features electric power steering for better feel, making it easier to turn at “parking lot speed.”
Crafted to be a serious tire-burner, Charger Hellcat Redeye is equipped with racing-inspired features like Launch Assist, Launch Control, and Line Lock, all working together to extract the most traction out of the immense power surge on start. Launch Assist and Launch Control reduce tire slip and hop, while Line Lock holds the front brakes while setting the rear tires rolling ablaze.
Uconnect 4C with 8.4-inch display provides SiriusXM, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and integrated voice command with Bluetooth. Sound is produced by a premium Alpine 6-speaker audio system. Front seats are heated and ventilated. Seating surfaces and door trim inserts are leather crafted, and the steering wheel is wrapped in leather as well.
You feel such empowerment when you drive the Hellcat Redeye. The rich, thick roar of the engine speaks for itself. You can create your own world for driving, a world that can be seen and imagined but a car that can never be caught.
The MSRP for the 2021 Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody starts at $78,595. The test vehicle had options that bumped the sticker price up to $89,155. Fuel economy is estimated at 12 mpg in town and 21 mpg on the highway, for an average of 15 mpg.
Warranty
3 years/36,000 miles Basic Limited Warranty
5 years/60,000 miles Powertrain Limited Warranty
5 years/unlimited miles Corrosion Perforation Warranty
5 years/60,000 miles Roadside Assistance
Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this newspaper or [email protected].