Why the Dodge Demon Isn't Worth the Hype

The Dodge Challenger Demon is one of the most hyped vehicles to come out this year among the car community.  It is a Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody on steroids. With a 0-60 time of 2.3 seconds, ability to do wheelies, and 840 horsepower, it is no wonder why the Dodge Demon is a car that has been raved about in the car community. However, though it is a beast that starts at $80, 500 (not counting in insane dealer markups), this car just isn't worth the hype.

Dodge Challenger Demon
By Car and Driver

The idea of the Demon is that it is a drag car that is covered under a warranty. However, this idea simply doesn't work. No matter how powerful a car comes out of a factory, the kind of person who would buy a Demon will always want more power. Sooner or later, the warranty of a Demon will be voided because of the owner's desires for more horsepower and faster times. The concept of a factory drag car simply fails.

Dodge Challenger Demon
By Car and Driver

The only real advantage a Dodge Demon has above a modified Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody is that it has a warranty. However, as I explained in the previous paragraph, the warranty is likely to be voided anyway because owners always want to go faster. If the warranty is going to be voided anyway, why not just buy a  Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody from the factory and tune it to make 840 horsepower or even more.

Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody
By Autoweek

With an additional two to three thousand dollars in upgrades, you can run nine second quarter miles in a Challenger Hellcat. Not only that, a stock Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody costs around seventy grand so you are better off if you modify a Widebody Hellcat rather than buying a Demon. The warranty on the modified Hellcat may be gone, but if you owned the Demon, it would probably be gone within a few months anyway.

Dodge Challenger manual transmission
By cars.com

The other problem is that the Demon isn't sold with a manual transmission. Though the automatic may make the Demon faster, enthusiasts want a manual transmission. The manual transmission provides more connection with the car. This car is built for car enthusiasts, and car enthusiasts love manual transmissions. Dodge will sell the Demon with a $1 crate with all kinds of tools and the racing ECU because it wants their owners to go onto the drag strip and have fun, but it won't sell the Demon with a manual transmission.

Dodge Demon with Demon Crate
By Dodge

The final issue with the Demon is that it is banned by the NHRA from racing. Dodge may be proud of it, but it does pose a potential safety risk. Sub ten second cars require rolls cages, something that the Demon doesn't have. The Dodge Challenger Demon isn't "too damn fast". It is too unsafe to be allowed on the strip. Had it gone ten miles per hour more, it would require a parachute, something that it also doesn't have.

Dodge Challenger Demon
By Dodge

The Dodge Demon is undoubtedly a cool car. It can run some insane lap times, do some wheelies, and for the amount of horsepower that comes with the car doesn't cost that much. However, because there are cheaper alternatives such as a modified Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody, no manual transmission, and lack of enough structural safety, it isn't worth the hype.

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