These days, it seems like the modern era of the muscle car is coming to a close. Both the Dodge Challenger and Charger are officially at the end of their life cycles, with production ending after the 2023 model year. The Chevy Camaro is set to retire in 2024, and the Ford Mustang’s future is even more uncertain, with recent reports suggesting an end to pony production by 2030.
As a result, many automakers are going out with a bang, the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 being one of many send-offs you’ll see in the coming years. The two-door muscle coupe pulls out all of the stops when it comes to performance, sporting the ever-iconic widebody profile, menacing full-width hood scoop, and a set of forged aluminum wheels with thick, street-legal Mickey Thompson radials.
But the SRT Demon 170 is more than just some pretty add-ons and a quick tune. For starters, it does away with the previous Demon’s supercharged 6.2-liter V8 for something with a bit more kick. Yes, it shares the same 6.2-liter displacement, but that’s about all the Demon 170’s mill shares with its tamer counterpart.
Aside from the camshaft, every component is upgraded for life on the drag strip – upgraded main and rod bearings, aerospace-grade head studs, nitride-coated intake valves, a larger throttle body, and beefier connecting rods, for starters. Sitting atop it all is a larger 3.0-liter supercharger pulled straight from the Hellephant crate engine, tweaked to produce 21.3 psi of boost pressure and pull 30 percent more airflow than before.
Remember the black and red keys that came with the original Demon? This time, you’ll only get a set of red keys. That’s how serious Dodge is about the Demon 170’s mission as the ne-plus-ultra of muscle. And speaking of muscle, the Demon 170 flexes its maximum 1,025 horsepower and 945 pound-feet of torque while gulping down E-85 fuel. That’s enough power to propel it to 60 mph from a standstill in a brain-melting 1.66 seconds and blast past the quarter mile in 8.91 seconds at 151.17 mph.
Not only does that make the SRT Demon 170 the world’s quickest production car from 0-to-60, but also the world’s first 8-second factory muscle car. It’s no wonder the SRT Demon 170 is officially banned from NHRA drag racing, at least in its stock form. Fortunately, Dodge offers a few aftermarket mods to make the Demon 170 strip-legal.
Dodge and the Last Call
The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 doesn’t just represent what appears to be both the pinnacle and swan song of the high-horsepower muscle car. It’s also the seventh and final of Dodge’s “Last Call” models, appropriately named to herald the end of the Charger and Challenger lineup – at least in their current ICE-powered forms. Others include the 2023 Dodge Challenger Shakedown, based on the 2016 concept that debuted at that year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, and the 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost, based on the legendary 1970 “Black Ghost” Challenger of local Detroit renown.
It’s no surprise that these and the other “Last Call” models are the final hurrah of what’s shaped up to be a legendary era in automotive history. With concerns about climate change, dwindling oil supplies and ever-tightening emissions standards, a growing number of automakers are grabbing the electric bull by both horns. Stellantis, Dodge’s parent company, aims to have an all-electric vehicle lineup by 2028. In the meantime, the company plans on pushing more hybridized versions of its existing lineup, including the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrids.
Other automakers, including GM and Ford, are following suit, leaving many of their ICE-powered models in history’s dustbin. The recent unveiling of Ford’s VW-based Explorer EV and the recent cancellation of once-popular ICE-powered models like the Fiesta and Focus show are just where the automotive winds are blowing. Meanwhile, Hyundai continues to broaden its EV lineup with an assortment of quirky yet versatile electric rides.
Governments throughout the globe are also leading the charge toward an EV-based future. California, a state infamous for its stringent emissions standards, recently paved the way toward an end to ICE-based vehicle sales by 2035. With a significant lead in both plug-in vehicle sales and home EV charger installations, the state is well-poised to usher in an all-electric era. Other states and nations abroad are also studying or in the process of implementing bans on ICE vehicle sales within the next decade.
The Crossroads of Power and Efficiency
With the move towards EV power comes a dilemma – how to cater to both the purists who’ll certainly miss the ICE-powered muscle cars of old while staying the course towards an EV future? One of those answers comes in the form of the Charger Daytona SRT Concept. At first glance, the concept has all of the makings of a bonafide muscle car, but it does away with any ICE-powered means of motivation in favor of electric power.
What it lacks in V8 power under the hood, it makes up for in some very interesting ways. For starters, the Charger concept breaks outside of the EV box with a multi-speed transmission – an interesting move considering how EVs typically don’t need conventional automatic transmissions. In addition to simulating the feel of powerful gear changes, the concept also sports “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust.” In a nutshell, this feature generates a simulated exhaust note with the deep, melodic burble and raunchy tones associated with ICE V8 engines. Drivers can even “rev” the vehicle while at a standstill, which is sure to raise many an eyebrow and maybe even some cheers and thumbs-ups from enthusiasts.
Then there’s the Tesla Model S Plaid, which many would consider a muscle car in its own right. With a trio of electric motors putting out an epic 1020 total horsepower, the Model S Plaid lives up to its namesake with a blistering 1.99-second 0-to-60 time, all while offering up to 396 miles of usable range. The Model S Plaid’s numbers are right up there with the Demon 170s but in a sleeker, quieter, and more luxurious package.
The Charger Daytona SRT Concept and Tesla Model S Plaid show that automakers won’t forget to make a memorable experience for drivers and onlookers as they edge closer towards an all-EV future, especially as today’s muscle cars go out in a blaze of exhaust-ripping tire-smoking glory.