Motoring Middle East: Car news, Reviews and Buying guides

Shahzad Sheikh finally gets his hands on the Hellcat, plus the 2015 Charger and Challenger range with spec and prices

By Shahzad Sheikh

[Read Imthishan’s previous Hellcat Challenger review from the launch]

I feel like Homer Simpson obsessing over doughnuts. I’m at the 2015 Dodge Experience press drive at Yas Marina Circuit and no matter what they’re telling me about FCA (Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles) and 2015 Chargers & Challengers, all I can think of is… Hellcat. That’s the only work coming out of my mouth and the only question I’m asking is: ‘when can I drive the Hellcat?’ 6.2 litre HEMI V8 officially putting out 707bhp (some say it’s actually 740bhp, some say it’s even higher) and 650lb ft of torque! Top speed of 329kph and 0-100 in about 3.7 seconds. Can you blame me?

To watch our video driving these cars and the Hellcat click below (Bonus material: we also happen to meet the World Endurance Championship safety car driver and a chap who raced an original BMW E30 M3 Touring car!)

And the car we have here is the four-door Charger version (it also comes in Challenger flavour for the ultimate muscle car seeing off all-comers in the Pony car wars). But here is a car you could drive to work, drop the kids off to school in, tour across the world, take on a track day, embarrass rivals on a drag strip and be the ultimate bank-job getaway driver (the Dubai Police would have to break out the Bugatti Veyron to catch this thing!).

It’s the only one officially here in the UAE, and it’s right here at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. There’s a bit of a bum-rush fight for the keys amongst the journos present, but I bully my way through and grab a turn at the very end of the day – in the interests of serving you my dear reader of course!

What. A. Machine. I only get two laps in it, and that too driving it in full ‘street’ configuration despite being on the track, and it’s still a barely tameable beast. Merely breathing on the accelerator sees it lunge at the horizon, stomping on it rearranges your very position on what constitutes a ‘muscle car’. It’s breathtaking, neck-snapping, relentless, remorseless, pulverising and yet somehow controlled.

Even with the safety systems in place, there was a bit of slidey-widey – sheer torque defies electronics and tells it to go suck on a fuse whilst whimpering in some corner of the Yas Island. It murders the straightline, yet still feels more planted, capable and playable than any of the other cars I’ve driven today when it comes to the track. This is clearly NOT just an SRT with more power. Can’t wait to drive it on the road, and when that happens, you can be sure you’ll hear from us!

Click here to read Imthishan’s first drive of the Hellcats at the launch including the Challenger Hellcat.

2015 Charger

As mentioned we also got to drive some of the 2015 Challenger and Charger range. I had about three laps each in the Charger and Challenger R/T models, as well as the V6 Rallye edition of the Charger. Plus we got to go play on wet and dry surfaces for a bit of friendly one again one gymkhana-style autocross action. You can see all of that in the video above. Three laps in the Charger SRT also proved it to be as good a track-day tool as it is a family-friendly road car.

The Chargers obviously get a heavily facelifted exterior and a host of minor interior tweaks to make them even more drivable and usable than the practical machines they already are. Plus that new front has really grown us on us since we first saw it in pictures and it looks quite imposing in person.

2015 Challenger

The Challengers of course have had very little done to the exterior part from front and rear bumpers, grille and taillights (mimicking each other in fact) but the big change is on the inside where things have dramatically improved. The quality, fit and finish is better than ever, but the usability is unprecedented in a Challenger.

Despite its age, it feels like a new born-again muscle car – which is a good thing since an actual all-new car seems two-three years away, whilst the new Mustang is here and next year an all-new Camaro arrives. This one still has the most interior space and comfort (particularly in the rear) and still manages to outdo the others in terms of classic cool and charm – if you believe there’s no school like the old skool this one’s for you.

Verdict

These pair just got better in every way, and remain as achingly desirable as ever. Serving up a delightfully multilayered dish of charisma, performance, practicality and value. Plus they’re cool. And there’s just no answer to that forthcoming from rivals.

And in the Hellcat, they have the ultimate statement of outrageous power in the most polished packaged currently on the market – the Charger, especially, is the world’s fastest and most powerful official production saloon car.

We absolutely love these cars, and helplessly crave the Hellcat. Sadly we’re not alone. Demand has far exceeded expectations and with limits on how fast the Hellcat cars can be built, there is just no way for Dodge to supply enough cars for the foreseeable future. We have been promised that these cars will go on sale in the Middle East, but initially the allocations will be small.

If you desperately want one we suggest you pick up an SRT version of a 2015 Charger or Challenger (or perhaps even the Viper – since the price is now AED200k less than when it was first introduced) and wait. Believe us your patience will be rewarded!

Read all our Dodge Reviews here

The Specs

2015 Challenger & Charger prices (sourced from Trading Enterprises in Dubai)

Challenger 3.6 V6 SE: AED129,999 ($35k)*
Challenger Rallye 3.6 V6: AED164,999 ($45k)*
Challenger R/T 5.7 V8: AED172,999 ($47k)*
Challenger 6.4 V8 SRT-8 Auto: AED219,999 ($60k)
Challenger 6.2 V8 SRT HELLCAT Auto: AED329,000 ($90k)

Charger 3.6 V6 SE: AED119,999 ($33k)*
Charger SXT Plus 3.6 V6: AED144,999 ($40k)*
Charger R/T 5.7 V8: AED162,999 ($44k)*
Charger 6.4 V8 SRT-8: AED209,999 ($57k)

*5+5+5 offer from 1 June to end of Ramadan 2015 = five years warranty, servicing and roadside assistance included from Trading Enterprises

Challenger 3.6
Engine: 3.6-litre V6, 305bhp @ 6350rpm, 268lb ft @ 4800rpm
Performance: 0-100kph 6.3secs, 244kph, 10.2L/100km
Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Weight: 1739kg

Challenger R/T
Engine: 5.7-litre V8, 372bhp @ 5200rpm, 400lb ft @ 4300rpm
Performance: 0-100kph 5.2secs, 268kph, 13.1L/100
Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Weight: 1852kg

Challenger SRT
Engine: 6.4-litre V8, 485bhp @ 6100rpm, 475lb ft @ 4200rpm
Performance: 0-100kph 4.5secs, 287kph, 15L/100km
Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Weight: 1923kg

Challenger Hellcat
Engine: 6.2-litre V8, 707bhp @ 6000rpm, 650lb ft @ 4000rpm
Performance: 0-100kph 3.6secs, 320kph, 16L/100km
Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Weight: 2018kg

Charger 3.6
Engine: 3.6-litre V6, 292bhp @ 6350rpm, 260lb ft @ 4800rpm
Performance: 0-100kph 6.7secs, 253kph, 10.2L/100km
Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Weight: 1799kg

Charger R/T
Engine: 5.7-litre V8, 370bhp @ 5250rpm, 395lb ft @ 4200rpm
Performance: 0-100kph 5.4secs, 274kph, 12.4L/100km
Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Weight: 1934kg

Charger SRT
Engine: 6.4-litre V8, 485bhp @ 6000rpm, 475lb ft @ 4200rpm
Performance: 0-100kph 4.6secs, 290kph, 13.1L/100km
Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Weight: 2000kg

Charger Hellcat
Engine: 6.2-litre V8, 707bhp @ 6000rpm, 650lb ft @ 4800rpm
Performance: 0-100kph 3.7secs, 329kph, 18.1L/100km
Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Weight: 2075kg

What’s your pick of the bunch? And let us know what you thought of our review of the Dodge Challenger, Charger & Hellcat & our video, below in the comments section.