11.2 seconds on the track, 22 mpg on the way home. Not bad.
With news that will appease nearly any dragstrip commuter, Dodge has released the official fuel economy ratings for the 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat. The supercharged, 6.2-liter, 707-horsespower V8 manages 22 mpg on the highway, while returning 13 mpg in the city.
These impressive stats are achieved the with Hellcat-exclusive TorqueFlite eight-speed auto. With the six-speed manual, highway fuel consumption rating drops by 1 mpg.
These numbers are impressive for such a bulky engine, but remember, the 707-horsepower HEMI will grow quite a thirst when you put your foot down. At full throttle, the blown V8 will drink an astonishing 1.5 gallons of fuel per minute.
However, despite looking like a brute from some angles, the Hellcat’s V8 is actually 91% new and pretty sophisticated.
The supercharged HEMI features a forged-steel crankshaft, heat-treated aluminum-alloy cylinder heads, and induction-hardened bearings, steps that are absolutely necessary for an engine of its caliber.
To keep everything frosty, the Challenger’s supercharger is equipped with a dual exchange cooling circuit that sits apart from the car’s enormous radiator.
For comparison’s sake, the 2015 Corvette Stingray returns 29 mpg highway with its 6.2-liter, 460-hp LT1 V8. The economy numbers for the supercharged, 650-hp Corvette Z06 haven’t been released yet, but chances are they will dip close to the Challenger’s 22-mpg rating.
Related: Why Dodge’s Hellcats should make the Germans very, very nervous
Expect similar numbers for the Dodge Charger Hellcat, because at 4560 pounds, the sedan is only about 100 lbs heavier than its Challenger brethren.
Despite being slightly heavier, though, Dodge claims that the Charger is actually .2 seconds quicker in the quarter-mile than the Challenger at 11.0 seconds flat. Supposedly the 100 extra pounds help the muscle car gain traction off the line.
So, in Dodge’s case, more is less?
