The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon was built for drag racing, but can it do anything besides run the quarter mile?
It sure can. Pennzoil put racing driver Rhys Millen behind the wheel of a Dodge Demon and unleashed the pair on the streets of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The result is what has to be the best commercial for motor oil ever. Titled “Exorcising the Demon,” it features a bright yellow Dodge drifting through the darkened streets of the city.
The Demon was set up for driving in straight lines, but it’s still a rear-wheel-drive car with over 800 horsepower. With that much power, overwhelming the tires’ grip is relatively easy, allowing the car to slide. So while Dodge may not have had drifting in mind, this demonic muscle car can still do it, and do it well.
The framing device for this video, complete with references to actual exorcisms and demons, is admittedly a bit silly. And the whole thing is just a promotional vehicle for Pennzoil. But the two solid minutes of Demon drifting action still make it worth watching.
Unveiled at the 2017 New York Auto Show earlier this year, the Demon certainly lives up to its name. Its 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 engine produces 840 horsepower and 770 pound-feet of torque when running on 100-octane racing fuel, which Dodge claims is the most power of any production V8 ever. The Demon also features a host of equipment previously found only on full-on race cars, including drag-racing tires and a transbrake for its eight-speed automatic. Oh, and it only has one seat (you can buy more for $1 each).
Dodge claims the Demon will run the quarter mile in 9.65 seconds at 140 mph. That’s so quick that Dodge said the car was “banned” from drag racing by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). In reality, the NHRA just requires cars running that quick to have safety equipment the Demon doesn’t have. The Demon is as quick as a race car, so it should have the same amount of safety features, the NHRA reasons.
But for Demon owners who don’t feel like upgrading their cars for the drag strip, there’s always drifting.
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