In a new teaser video, Dodge provided a few glimpses of the 2019
Challenger while the whine of a supercharger is evident in the background. The
screen then blacks out and shows “Lock: RED797_62818.”
While that seems like typical Demon gibberish, the
latter part of the message appears to be the date of 6-28-18 – better known as
today. The RED797 is more mysterious but speculation naturally turns to a
horsepower rating.
There isn’t much to back up this idea but Dodge has
previously announced the 2019 Challenger SRT Hellcat will be unveiled this
summer with a new dual-snorkel hood that “pays homage to the distinctive Mopar
design themes from some of its most famous muscle cars.” The company has said
the hood is fully functional and will provide additional air to the car’s
supercharged engine.
The current Challenger SRT Hellcat features a
supercharged 6.2-liter V8 developing 707 hp and 881 Nm of
torque. That’s significantly less than 797 hp but the Demon had 808 hp and was capable of developing 840 hp on 100 octane fuel.
That means the 797 hp figure is more than
doable but it remains unclear if that’s what Dodge is talking about. However,
it’s worth noting the Red in the teaser could be a subtle reference to the
Hellcat’s two keys. As Dodge explained years ago, the “Challenger SRT with a
Hellcat engine comes standard with two key fobs – red and black. The red key
fob is the only key that can unlock the full horsepower and torque potential of
the Challenger SRT Hellcat engine; while the black key fob limits the driver to
a reduced engine output.”
