Last time, I managed to get behind the wheel of Dodge's ultimate masterpiece, the Challenger SRT Hellcat, and when compared to its superior stalwarts such as the new Ford GT and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, the Challenger Hellcat, despite its high power output, got left behind at Laguna Seca.
So the main question is, why did this Hellcat back for more? Something tells me that the Challenger Hellcat isn't the only Hellcat offered in Forza Motorsport 6. In fact, it forewarned me of another Hellcat coming out in the world of Forza via DLC.
Oh, that explains the scenario right now because thanks to the game's Top Gear Car Pack, the all new Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is here, completing Dodge's Hellcat duo and they all share the almighty supercharged V8 engine that will make Europe's finest bow to their knees...or so I thought.
But first, what's it all about this four-door monster saloon? Following the unveiling of SRT's ultra-powerful Challenger Hellcat, its four-door equivalent, the Charger Hellcat was unveiled as part of the recently-facelifted Charger lineup for the 2015 model year.
This ultra-powerful saloon inherits the same Hellcat 6.2L HEMI V8 engine as the Challenger, resulting to 707HP of power output, making it the most powerful four-door saloon ever made. With this power, the Hellcat-powered Charger is able to do an NHRA-verified quarter mile time of 11 seconds and 204mph of top speed.
Just like the Challenger Hellcat, the key to unleash all that power is via the red key fob because it comes with two key fobs; the black key fob which restricts the Hellcat's engine power output of just 500HP, and the red key fob which lets all the power output from its V8 engine unleashed. The Charger Hellcat is mated exclusively with an 8-speed automatic gearbox.
So, any further explanation why we need another Hellcat in the game? No one knows why but because this a 707HP V8 saloon destined to unleash a coup de grace to European super saloons, it's no wonder why the Charger Hellcat makes a wondrous addition to the roster, despite being a four-door relative to the Challenger Hellcat. Sure, I can compare that to the old, aggressively-styled Charger SRT8 to see how much it improved but this isn't a time for that because while I am not here to bow down to the four-door Hellcat's temptation, I came here to expose its weakness just how I did to the Challenger Hellcat a while back. Sure, it may be a track-honed V8 monster that can roar away the Europeans but it's somewhat too tricky to tame the feral beast of a saloon. Despite being heavier than the Challenger Hellcat, the Charger Hellcat sure is a quick car that can shred both the track and the tires, whichever comes first.
Having spent a few minutes with the four-door Hellcat, I'm still trying to find its secret weakness and that brought me an idea. Sure, I can invite some European sports saloons but because of the Charger Hellcat's 707HP power output, everyone in the world backed down...except for one.
Well, this is an unexpected turn in development. This is an all-electric Tesla Model S, with the ludicrous P85D variant equipped with four-wheel drive that transformed into an all-weather zero-emission sports saloon that makes a silent getaway from points A to Z. This could be an interesting comparison because what we have here is a ferocious beast up against...a ninja assassin. Gasoline power versus electric power, all for the entrustment of the future of automobiles...whatever that is. Anyway, let's get this show on the road.
Oh, snap! The duel between two different powerplants made it into one of the most exciting comparisons I've ever made and it's a good thing why I played this game for so long, just for the love of cars. Anyway, after a lap around Laguna Seca, the Charger Hellcat did it in 1:49.561 while the Tesla Model S, in its ludicrous P85D model, did it in 1:48.430, a second quicker.
The Model S's electric powertrain results in less wheelspin rather than the Charger Hellcat. Less or no wheelspin start at all means quick getaway from the starting line, making it a quick advantage, but because of the Model S's extensive use of batteries, it's heavy to handle through the corners even if it has four-wheel drive, meaning the Hellcat can catch up within a split second. It's amazing that despite a second gap, both of America's super saloons managed to do similar results around Laguna Seca and it's clear that no matter the powertrain, it's the skill that counts to master these super saloons.
I have high respect for Tesla's Model S because of its technological advancement only Silicon Valley's finest thought but the Charger Hellcat is an all-round saloon that managed to handle big power in a convenient package. Sure, it may be lost to a zero-electric saloon made by nerds but there's a lot in store for the Charger Hellcat.