The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon Will Give The 1/4-Mile A Spanking With 'Drag Mode'
Recently, Dodge had the motoring world pretty bemused by quoting Metallica when talking about the Challenger SRT Demon’s massive airbox. Fast forward two weeks, and the latest Demon teaser is referencing Isaac Newton. Obviously.
The newly released teaser - number seven of 14 - is called ‘Third Law’, referencing Newton’s Third Law. That’s the whole “every action has an opposite and equal reaction” thing, which Dodge has tied into suspension set-ups.
First up, we’re given a history lesson:
“The “old school” solution was pretty simple – get the quickest reacting springs upfront, the softest rebound front shocks that wouldn’t restrict the springs’ reaction, remove any restrictions (sway bar) and increase the compression of the rear shocks. This combination resulted in extremely efficient weight transfer, but provided minimal lateral stability in the event that directional corrections were required.”
So, what’s the solution? Well, as much as muscle purists might baulk at the idea, the answer for the Demon will come in the form of electronics.
It’ll have a special ‘Drag Mode’, which disengages the traction control but keeps stability control switch on. Crucially, the system will change the suspension rates on the fly to stop the car bucking under heavy acceleration, working in tandem with a series of good old fashioned suspension hardware upgrades.
Both those and the Drag Mode system’s have been detailed in the release, and reproduced below:
Hardware:
35 percent lower rate front springs/28 percent lower rate rear springs
75 percent lower rate hollow front sway bar/44 percent lower rate rear sway bar
Drag-tuned Bilstein Adaptive Damping ShocksSoftware:
Rear = F/F and Front = F/S
F/F – F/S maintained @ wide open throttle (WOT)
F/F – F/F < WOT
Traction control disabled/ESC maintainedResult:
13.5=575@500
We’re assuming F = firm and S = soft, but as for that cryptic equation at the bottom, we’re pretty stumped. Comment below with your theories…
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Race mode, Drift mode, Drag mode, WHAT IS NEXT? SELF DRIVING?
Autonomous Mode: for when you want to beat the competition while shouting, “look, Mom, no hands!”
I’m no good at equations, but I do know that the Demon will be completely insane judging by that time…
that squat tho
Can Dodge just unveil this thing already? The constant teasers but no full reveal are getting annoying
Yup I agree
Wait till New York auto show
But fnf already spoiled it
Well they already said they’re going to reveal it in the New York Auto Show and teasers would keep coming weekly…
what if all the leaks and teasers are fake and its a whole different car
Here come the “back in my day…” comments
Can we also have Drift Mode on this?
It probably won’t be able to take a croner (not becouse It’s muscle but becouse It’s drag build)
Drift mode, drag mode, what’s next? Rally mode?
For every wannabe Colin McRae
Actually that already exists - the 2017 Raptor has Baja mode, essentially rally 😅😂
“The all new Subaru WRX STi, now with Rally Mode!
Pretend your Richard Burns or Colin McRae when your just a dumb teenager without a life!”
The only modes my car has is ESP on and, you already can tell, ESP off, which is also known as Hoonigan mode.
Forgot track mode
PS: the tesla is still gonna somehow beat it
But it’s an EV and will die after 100
Could the equation mean 13.5 pounds of boost= 575 lb-ft at 500 rpm?
I’m thinking 13.5% might be the weight transfer from front to rear with spring rate being 575fr and 500r but those numbers seem very high. Like a track only honda high.
Cobra Jets and COPOs are crapping themselves because this is street legal, and quick.