Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat gets 22 mpg

Thu, 18 Sep 2014

With its crazy 707 horsepower on tap and roughly $60,000 starting price, the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat has been one of the most talked about cars of the summer, maybe even the year. However, there's always been one lingering question about the behemoth that Dodge has waited to answer until now – its fuel economy. The EPA ratings for the muscle car are finally out, and the numbers are actually pretty impressive for a vehicle with this much power.

A 2015 Challenger Hellcat with the eight-speed automatic is rated at 22 miles per gallon highway, 13 mpg city and 16 mpg combined. Opting for the six-speed manual drops those figures to 21 mpg highway, 13 mpg city and 16 mpg combined.

"As the fastest muscle car ever, the Challenger Hellcat can run 10-second ETs [elapsed times] at the track, and then get 22 miles per gallon on the drive home. With a starting price of $59,995, there's nothing else that even comes close," said Dodge and SRT President Tim Kuniskis in the company's release.

When comparing the Hellcat to other cars in its power class, its fuel economy numbers could almost be called frugal. Take a Lamborghini Aventador coupe for example. With 700 hp, the Lambo is rated at 18 mpg highway and 11 mpg city by the EPA, but it costs significantly more than the Challenger. Even the Dodge Viper, the muscle car's sibling rival, is slightly lower at 21 mpg highway and 12 mpg city, while making less power and torque. Scroll down to read Dodge's full fuel economy announcement about the supercharged V8.

707-Horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Earns EPA Highway Fuel-Economy Rating of 22 mpg

• 22 miles per gallon (mpg) achieved with segment-exclusive TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission; new six-speed manual contributes to 21-mpg highway rating

• Ratings surpass those of many lesser-powered sports cars with price tags that
far exceed the SRT Hellcat's $59,995 starting sticker

• 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is most powerful muscle car ever

September 17, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, the most powerful muscle car ever, now boasts a fuel-economy rating as compelling as the 707 horses hurrying from its 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI® Hellcat V-8.

Equipped with Chrysler Group's segment-exclusive TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission, the new Challenger SRT Hellcat has earned a highway fuel-economy rating of 22 miles per gallon (mpg) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"The new 2015 Dodge Challenger is the perfect street / strip muscle car," said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO – Dodge and SRT Brands. "As the fastest muscle car ever, the Challenger Hellcat can run 10-second ETs at the track, and then get 22 miles per gallon on the drive home. With a starting price of $59,995, there's nothing else that even comes close."

Added Bob Lee, Chrysler Group LLC Vice President and Head of Engine, Powertrain and Electrified Propulsion Systems Engineering: "The collective benefits of the HEMI Hellcat engine and our newest TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission promise an extraordinarily rewarding ownership experience. If value is defined by the combination of price, performance and fuel economy, no car beats the Challenger SRT Hellcat."

The Challenger SRT Hellcat carves a unique place for itself in the lofty world of high-performance driving. Consider the price, output and 2015 EPA highway fuel-economy ratings of the following:
• Lamborghini Aventador Roadster – $425,845; 700 horsepower; 18 mpg

• Aston Marton Vanquish – $287,820; 576 horsepower; 18 mpg
• Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT – $221,580; 583 horsepower; 19 mpg

The supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI Hellcat benefits from content that is 91 percent new, compared with its 6.4-liter SRT cousin, better known as the 392 HEMI.

Engineered in-house, the Hellcat engine is designed for optimum durability in the face of the enormous loads that accompany its prodigious power. Its forged-steel crankshaft has induction-hardened bearing surfaces that contribute to its capacity to withstand firing pressures of 1,595 psi (110 bar) – the equivalent of five sedans standing on each piston, every two revolutions.

The HEMI Hellcat further benefits from premium-grade, heat-treated aluminum-alloy cylinder heads that are optimized for thermal conductivity. These are topped by a twin-screw 2,380-cc/rev supercharger that features integral charge coolers and an integrated electronic bypass to regulate boost pressure to a maximum of 80 kPa (11.6 psi).

A separate low-temperature cooling circuit with two air/coolant heat exchangers integrated into the supercharger housing keeps air temperatures below 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius), while enabling air flow of up to 30,000 liters per minute.

So effective is this feature that engine power will not be derated due to cooling demands, even after 20 laps of a grueling 3.1-mile road course where the ambient temperature is 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

The HEMI Hellcat does not lack for style, either. Its die-cast aluminum rocker covers echo the block's Street HEMI Orange motif.

The car's new TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission boasts maximum engine-torque capacity that is 30 percent greater than any eight-speed previously offered by Chrysler Group. To ensure its responsiveness matches the demanding expectations of SRT customers, the transmission features one additional pinion gear in each of the 1st and 3rd gear sets, and five more clutch-pack disks – two in clutch E and one each in clutches A, C and D.

The defining benefit of the gearbox is its 7.03 ratio spread, which enables the powerful HEMI Hellcat to operate in its most efficient mode, more frequently.

Not to be outdone, the Challenger SRT Hellcat earns an EPA highway fuel-economy 21 mpg when equipped with its new-for-2015 six-speed manual transmission. The sporty gearbox boasts an internal cooling pump and external, vehicle-mounted oil cooler and its beefier 258-mm heavy-duty clutch affords easy access to HEMI Hellcat's prodigious power.

About Chrysler Group Powertrain
Development of advanced-technology powertrains has been a primary focus of Chrysler Group since the Company was established in 2009. To date, Chrysler Group's investment in powertrain programs is approaching $2.5 billion – nearly half of its total manufacturing outlay. From model-year 2011 to the present, Chrysler Group has introduced 18 new engines, 15 new transmissions and the battery-electric drive system featured in the acclaimed Fiat 500e all-electric vehicle.

About Dodge
The Dodge brand is tearing into its centennial year as America's mainstream performance brand, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2014. With the purification of the brand and consolidation with SRT, Dodge is getting back to its performance roots with every single model it offers. The consolidated Dodge and SRT brands will offer a complete lineup of performance vehicles that stand out within their own segments. Dodge will be the "mainstream performance" brand within the Chrysler showroom. SRT will be positioned as the "ultimate performance" halo of the Dodge brand, together creating a complete and balanced performance brand with one vision and one voice.

From muscle cars to compact cars, minivans, crossovers and full-size SUVs, the Dodge brand's full lineup of 2015 models deliver best-in-class horsepower, class-exclusive technology, unmatched capability and a slew of cool features, such as LED headlamps, Dodge signature racetrack tail lamps, dual exhaust, 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment centers and 7-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) customizable gauge clusters, to name a few. For the 2015 model year, customers will be able to drive the new 2015 Dodge Charger and Challenger, as well as the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and Charger SRT Hellcat. The Dodge brand lineup also includes the 2015 Dodge Dart, Durango, Grand Caravan and Journey, including the new Crossroad model, and Dodge Viper.

By Chris Bruce