Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8
It's been less than a month since Dodge officially took the wraps off the Challenger SRT8, and horsepower fanatic John Hennessey already has a performance package available called the SRT700 that will have muscle car fans tingling with excitement. Since there's no replacement for displacement, Hennessey adds extra cubes to the 6.1-liter V8 with a stroker crankshaft, pushing it out to 426ci. For good measure, a 67mm turbocharger system is added as well, complete with an air-to-air intercooler. Forged aluminum pistons, forged steel connecting rods, high-flow cylinder heads, and a 3-inch exhaust system are also added, among other upgrades. The result is a tire-shredding horsepower increase of nearly 75% – 725 bhp @ 5200 rpm and 750 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm. Hennessey claims it's good enough for the Challenger SRT8 to hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds (with the optional drag radial tire upgrade) and top out at 190 mph. Yep, sounds like pretty typical Hennessey stuff.
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[Source: Hennessey Performance via Motor Authority]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
John Johnson @ Mar 18th 2008 3:03PM
Only one turbo? :P
But, yeah, gimme one, thx.
This kit I figure should be around $20k - $10k for stroker, $5k for built internals, $5k for turbo setup? Sound right?
Looks like that GT500 isn't looking so hot. Too bad this can't hit 200MPH - would have put it in a league of its own.
Bink @ Mar 18th 2008 9:34PM
"Looks like that GT500 isn't looking so hot."
Yeah, whatever, I'll take a GT500 with a S/C swap, pulley swap, full exhaust and engine tune and get the same or more power then bank the extra 13 or 14k somebody is spending on this Challenger upgrade.
That One Person @ Mar 18th 2008 11:51PM
You do realize that the 5.4L in the GT500 is a variant of the engine in the used in the Ford GT, right? An engine that can easily pump out 1000+hp with light mods to the engine?
Looks like this mod (from the biggest loser in the automotive world) isn't looking so hot.
john @ Apr 8th 2008 6:45AM
For starters, I thought the Challenger was going to be marketed so the every-day man could afford it?.....anyways, the cost of the srt700 turbo kit upgrade is a hefty $45+K upgrade.......Don't get me wrong, I am a mopar fan, but does the pricing thing seem out of control........well maybe a shot of NOS and a few bolt-ons would give the same end result, but save $40k in the process?! Somebody pinch me.
barry @ Mar 18th 2008 3:07PM
Can somebody please explain why Hennessey still gets any play whatsoever from the "legit" automotive press? His customer service shenanigans should pretty much exclude him from any serious tuner discussion. Google it if you don't know...
Anyone?
Frank @ Mar 18th 2008 3:11PM
I wonder the same thing everytime i read something about him
barry @ Mar 18th 2008 3:15PM
Which pretty much invalidates this article as "news" and relegates it to marketing...
Daniel @ Mar 18th 2008 3:16PM
"Yep, sounds like pretty typical Hennessey stuff."
There are so many other things I think of when Hennessey gets mentioned besides horsepower, haha. And apparently I'm not the only one.
SayWhat? @ Mar 18th 2008 4:58PM
What's up, Barry? I see a lot of elluded-to bad news about Hennessey on today's 'Blog. What the 4-1-1 on this dude?
MajorGeek @ Mar 18th 2008 6:54PM
Curious as well, I Googled Hennessy customer satisfaction and found an old thread with a bunch of "i heard that too" posts and this one. Anyone got anything to back this up, like a real person and not "i heard that too"? Would love to know, thanks!
barry @ Mar 18th 2008 8:58PM
This explains a lot of it but it's a fairly long read. He's had more troubles since then...
http://www.300cforums.com/forums/general-discussion/21978-efool-gets-punked-his-own-board.html
Red @ Mar 18th 2008 3:08PM
Those engine numbers are fantastic, but the actual performance numbers are not so much. If a Z06, R35, F430, and 997 can do similar times, I'm not really impressed anymore.
Before anybody says anything about the price of the SRT700 being more than likely lower than the Ferrari and perhaps the Porsche, that still doesn't account for neither the R35 nor the Z06. And IIRC, the Viper SRT-10 does the deed with less horsepower as well. All of the above on sticky street tires. Sounds like more dyno bragging (aka overcompensating) than any real engineering, even when compared to previous muscle cars of the 60s and 70s that were putting out large numbers from large engines to go faster in straight lines.
Perhaps these numbers are a bit conservative. Then again, I'm not familiar with Hennessey's modification history.
Parkerman @ Mar 18th 2008 3:32PM
Well, you have to look at this, all that was mentioned was just engine upgrades, no suspension or wider tires. It just mentioned needing some DR's.
The wheel width of the Challenger compaired to the viper or the vette looks real small. Thats one thing i imagine people will change real quick.
Also, another thing to think about is that the quicker you get.. the harder it is to get a better 0-60 time unless you are using slicks or something, or have an upgraded suspension for it.
Sean Flanagan @ Mar 18th 2008 3:28PM
They don't even have a Challenger yet. They're just assuming it's going to be identical to the other 6.1l Hemi engines and calling it a performance package for the Challenger.
steve @ Mar 18th 2008 3:40PM
it is the same as the other 6.1L engines
MajorGeek @ Mar 18th 2008 3:28PM
Interesting guys, thanks, I will Google the info. I have bought one and would like to tweak it out, though I prefer to err with caution as it will be a pleasure car and would prefer multiple stage kits for example, chip, exhaust and mild supercharger. No point keeping a car you love and frying the engine for me. I think I will drive it this year as is, except maybe wheels and see whats available next year.
rar @ Mar 18th 2008 4:09PM
When are you going to take delivery? What color did you get?
MajorGeek @ Mar 18th 2008 6:19PM
Supposed to be getting the first orange one in to one of the dealers here. For me, silver is ok for every day, black is too much work and I had a Dayton Ram and really loved the orange.
Trojan man @ Mar 18th 2008 3:34PM
Something doesn't seem right with that setup. Besides underwhelming performance numbers, it looks like the engine combo isn't ideal either. Why run expensive aluminum pistons if max power is well below even the stock redline? And i know this thing is just a tire scorcher, but a 1200rpm powerband is kind of sad for a 7L motor with a "small" turbo
steve @ Mar 18th 2008 3:39PM
i just had a accident in my pants....i cant wait to see what gsmotorsports will do that hasnt already been done to the 6.1L