Dodge debuts most powerful production V8

Dodge has unveiled the most powerful V8 engine for a current production car, boosting the performance of its eye-catching Challenger coupe.

No stranger to wild muscle cars and headline-grabbing performance figures, Dodge pumped the performance of its supercharged 6.2-litre machine up to 594kW and 958Nm, making the new Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye the most powerful V8 on sale anywhere in the world.

You read that right - a stars’n’stripes muscle car has more grunt than exotic machines including the 588kW McLaren Senna, 563kW Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and 530kW Ferrari 488 Pista.

Dodge says the new machine has a top speed of 328km/h, and that it can reach 60mph (just short of 100km/h) in only 3.4 seconds.

While it’s not quite as powerful as the discontinued, limited-production Challenger Demon, the Redeye promises to be more useful, as it doesn’t rely on drag-racing tyres and a single interior seat to achieve performance claims.

Driving 305mm-wide Pirelli P-Zero rear tyres through an eight-speed automatic transmission, the widebody machine features adaptive shock absorbers, Brembo brakes, launch control and a burnout-friendly line locker mode to optimise its performance.

A choice of two final drive ratios allows customers to optimise their car for straight-line acceleration or long-distance cruising.

Drivers who demand a manual transmission can pick a regular Hellcat model with the same engine as the Redeye, missing out on a beefed-up cooling system and driveline hardware intended for use on the drag strip.

While FCA’s Australian arm is unlikely to offer the Hellcat or Redeye on local shores, low-volume importers can convert the model to right-hand-drive for dedicated muscle car fans.