700bhp Makes The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat The Most Powerful Muscle Car Ever

Last month Dodge announced the Hellcat, the ultimate version of its standard SRT model. The first supercharged HEMI ever offered by Dodge, the 6.2-litre V8 was going to produce more than 600bhp, and we predicted it would fit ‘above the ZL1 and below the GT500 in the power stakes.’ How wrong we were!

Dodge has just announced the Hellcat will have a whopping 697bhp and 650lb ft of torque - that’s 44 more than the GT500 (653bhp) and 66 more than the V10 Viper (631bhp).

It was clear from the outset that Dodge meant business with that supercharger, but the Hellcat also gets a forged-steel crank, forged rods and pistons, a ram air intake built into the headlight, and the butch six-speed manual from the Viper. It’s also benefitted from wind tunnel access, so it’s not all senseless brute force.

There’s still no word on price, but if Dodge can pitch this in relatively affordable terms, the competition might as well go home. Your move, Shelby.