Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably know about Dodge's final Last Call model, called the Demon 170; a bonkers 1,025-hp street-legal eight-second dragster that runs on E85 and pops wheelies for breakfast, and the final goodbye to the Hemi-powered muscle car from Dodge.
You'd think a 6.2-liter V8 with a 3.0-liter supercharger bolted would be enough for most people, mainly since said engine produces 1,025 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 945 Ib-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm running on environmentally-friendly E85 juice.
But like other models in the range, the fiercest Dodge Challenger of them all will have access to modifications via Dodge's performance parts brand, Direct Connection. Dodge didn't mention any power modifications (yet), but the personalization packages it's kicking off with will already make a massive difference to an already bonkers car.
We'll kick off with the must-have accessory, which is a Goodwool breathable car shell to protect the exterior while keeping the exterior styling sort of visible. As you can imagine, the Demon 170 is not an everyday car and will likely be parked for extended periods. This shell mimics the exterior, down to the SRT and Demon logos.
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) verified the Demon 170's quarter-mile time of 8.91 seconds. Shortly after, it banned the Demon 170 from competing in NHRA events because it doesn't have a safety cage or parachute. Any car that can complete the quarter-mile in less than 10 seconds must have a roll cage, which is why the previous non-170 Demon was also banned.
While a roll cage is not an option (and won't be because it's not legal for a roadgoing car), Dodge can get you halfway there. Direct Connection will sell you a parachute mounting system, which we'd keep in place just to freak other people out.
Another exciting safety addition is a harness bar for mounting a five-point racing harness. If you opt for this bar, the rear seats are deleted, and Dodge replaces them with a set of carbon fiber inserts featuring the Dodge Rhombus logo.
With the parachute mount and harness bar in place, you're already halfway to having an NHRA-ready drag racer. There are various third-party companies selling roll cages for the Challenger, costing between $2,000 for a basic hoop and $4,000 for a more substantial item.
Given how much money Dodge has invested in Direct Connection, we wouldn't be surprised to see a roll cage added at some point in the future (at the expense of the road legality). You can already buy a stripped-out body kit with an NHRA-certified roll cage.
Elsewhere, you can spec a sunroof for $10,000.
The final options, for now at least, include the Challenger SRT Demon 170 street wheel and tire package. Dodge doesn't say what's included in the package but claims it provides the "highest level of street driving characteristics versus the vehicle's standard drag radials." The standard wheel and tire package on the Demon 170 comprises 315/50 R17 Mickey Thompson ET Street R drag radials at the rear and 245/55 R18 ET Street front tires from MT. While these are road legal, you have to sign a waiver acknowledging that in the cold or wet, they'll be useless on the road and that you won't hold Dodge liable for any crashes. But these are also speed limited to 168 mph.
The optional package will include a new set of street-biased tires, which may increase the top speed to 215 mph.
Buyers can also swap the standard wheels for a set of carbon and aluminum wheels with a carbon fiber barrel and aluminum center, reducing unsprung wheel weight substantially.
Pricing is not yet available, but we expect the options to go live on the Direct Connection website as soon as the embargo lifts.
