While everyone else is working on the next crossover, Dodge pays more attention to giving more muscle to their already potent pavement rippers. Most recently, they unveiled the land missile known as the 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody. Dodge touts it as the fastest mass-produced sedan in the world, and we believe them. Based on appearances alone, this thing looks ready to throw down with the likes of the 640 horsepower Cadillac CTS-V and come out on top.
The Widebody moniker isn't a euphemism. The bigger fenders add a substantial 3.5 inches to the car's width, and the huge 11-inch wide tires now fit, as a result. And it's a good thing Dodge threw fat rubber into the equation to manage the power from the monster 707-hp HEMI V8 engine. The new body kit includes a revised front end that includes an opening at the base of the grille to increase cool air flow into the radiator. The lower half gets bigger intakes than the standard Charger Hellcat. There's also a new trunk lip spoiler to increase downforce.
The engine is unchanged, and it didn't need more punch since 707 horses and 650 lb-ft of torque from the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 is more power than you should be able to legally unleash in public, anyway. Dodge says the Charger Hellcat Widebody will hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and can cover the quarter mile in 10.96 seconds. We think that's awfully conservative since the regular Charger Hellcat has been clocked from 0-60 in as little as 2.9 seconds. Top speed is 196 mph, making it the fastest mass-produced sedan in the world. You can't count cars like the much lower production BMW M5, which only gets to 190 mph in delimited guise, anyway.
Additions to the Widebody package include an upgraded uspension setup with stiffer springs, bigger anti-sway bars, and Bilstein adaptive dampers with three modes. The Widebody also gets a new power steering system that lets the driver select the setting with tiered levels of assistance. An 8-speed automatic transmission and chunky 15.4-inch Brembo front brakes round out the specs.
Inside, there's improved technology that aid in the driving experience including what's called Race Cooldown that keeps the intercooler pump and radiator fan running to cool the supercharger. Line lock automatically holds the front brakes when engaged in order to allow the driver to do a burnout to warm up the rear tires (or to show off). There's also a Launch Control feature to optimize takeoff, and Launch Assist to prevent the dreaded wheel hop when mashing the gas upon takeoff.
The Widebody's cabin is upgraded but still has the same overall look as the regular Charger Hellcat. Seats are made of Laguna leather and get heating and cooling features, and you can opt for a Carbon & Suede package that uses grippy Dynamica suede and real carbon fiber trim. Seat colors include Black, Black and Sepia, or Black and Demonic Red in case you need to warn yourself the car could very well send you to the netherworld if you're not careful.
More good news is that you don't have to get the Charger Hellcat to get the Widebody package since it's also optional on the Charger Scat Pack. Though you don't get the monster engine, the package still provides Brembo brakes, upgraded suspension, and the electric power steering. The Scat Pack is still plenty fast with its 6.4-liter V8 good for 485 hp. It will do 0-60 mph in a very fast 4.3 seconds, which still ranks near the top of the list for speedy sedans.
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Interested in a Great Used Dodge Charger? Read our review below:
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