The teasing part is over. Dodge recently announced two new models of the Dodge Charger, and one of them earns the bragging rights of being the fastest and most powerful sedan in mass production.
I’m proud to introduce the widebody versions of the 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and Scat Pack. The Widebody Package is standard on the Charger SRT Hellcat but is also available on the Charger Scat Pack.
Here are the most exciting features of the wildest, baddest, and widest Charger SRT Hellcat ever.
The new Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody has a meaner stance
But it’s not just the added width. Besides the integrated fender flares adding 3.5-inches of width on all sides, the Widebody Package also includes mild exterior changes in the front and rear of the vehicle.
This includes a new mail-slot grille that offers the most direct route for cool air to travel into the radiator. The car also has new side sills, a new rear spoiler (which is unique to the Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody), and two-piece satin Hellcat fender badges.
The wider fenders allow more room for wider 20-inch by 11-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli 305/35ZR20 tires. Summing it all up, the Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody is designed to resemble a predatory animal hunting for its next meal.
The Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody has a powerhouse motor
It’s not just a powerhouse, but it’s the most powerful engine fitted in a mass-produced sedan. Hauling the SRT Hellcat Widebody is a supercharged 5.2-liter HEMI Hellcat V8 motor. It produces 707-horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. And you get all this from what is truthfully a large and spacious family sedan; albeit one that’s capable of going 196 mph, effectively making it the fastest mass-produced sedan in the world.
This masterpiece of an engine is connected to a TorqueFlite 8HP90 eight-speed automatic driving the rear wheels.
It’s really, really fast
And we’re not talking about top speed. The 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6-seconds. It pulls the quarter-mile in 10.96-seconds, which is amazing for a stock vehicle.
But it’s not only good in a straight line. The new Charger SRT Hellcat is 2.1-seconds faster in a 2.1-mile road course than the outgoing Hellcat. If you’re not paying attention, that’s equal to 13 car lengths per lap, which means the difference between winning and losing.
But it stops on a dime, too
The 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat features standard 15.3-inch Brembo two-piece brake rotors with six-piston calipers in the front wheels. The rear gets four-piston calipers for better stopping power. The results were immediate. The new Charger SRT Hellcat takes only 107 feet to stop from 60 mph to zero. This is four feet shorter than the outgoing Hellcat.
It handles better than the old Hellcat
The 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody is also engineered to go around curves. Dodge installed specially-tuned Bilstein adaptive suspension to improve handling and high-speed stability. Larger sway bars, retuned shock absorbers, and stiffer springs keep everything under control. And for the first time, The Charger SRT Hellcat now comes with electronic power steering with selectable steering tuning, which is paired with the standard SRT drive modes in the car.
The SRT drive mode allows you to control the power output of the engine along with changing the transmission shift speed, steering feel, and suspension settings. You can also choose from pre-made settings for street, sport, or track driving. Custom mode enables you to select individual settings for each parameter, which sounds good if you like fiddling endlessly with confusing vehicle settings.
Thankfully, the steering settings and driving modes are adjusted easily using the 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen display.
The new Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody comes with new tech
The 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody receives a host of racing-inspired tech updates. The race cooldown feature prevents the charge air cooler from shutting down after a hot lap. The line lock feature engages the front brakes so you can perform glorious burnouts with moving the vehicle. Launch control is also included to improve straight-line acceleration, while launch assist alters torque delivery in the rear-wheels to improve grip on those hard launches.
Dodge dealerships will start accepting orders for the 2020 Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody this fall, with deliveries commencing in early 2020.
