<h1>Is the 2020 Dodge Battery Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Boring, or Am I Simply Dumb?</h1>


With the spooky season upon us and Halloween right around the corner, it's time for a scary tale: that time a 707-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive sedan made me really feel ... tired. That's right. The 2020 Dodge Battery Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody, in the brand-new Hellraisin paint shade, left me feeling extremely "meh." And also it might occur to you! (But probably not.).


The likeliest explanation for this incredibly spicy take is that I'm jaded, and having regular access to numerous different new vehicles significantly lessens the enjoyment a Charger Hellcat-- also the brand-new Widebody version-- can offer.

But it feels like there's even more to it, so let me make my situation. By making it a widebody, Dodge might lastly give the Battery charger Hellcat properly broad tires-- in this situation, foot-wide Pirellis-- getting rid of one of the white-knuckled elements of driving a Hellcat: always being on side when you press the accelerator, particularly if the car isn't pointed 100% directly, since the tail really wants to glide out. That's amazing, and also it seemed like a success to return from a drive without incidents. It does not feel like a 700-plus horsepower automobile should ever appear convenient, however Widebody versions of both the Battery Charger and Challenger Hellcat fall under that camp.

Add to this that I live within Chicago's city limits, a lot of my driving was restricted to city roadways where it's hard to obtain one of the most out of that power. Even freeway conditions can not maximize its power, making every trip seem like a waste of gas. Which the Battery charger Hellcat beverages like a frat pledge. It simply felt ... pointless. You genuinely need to take a Hellcat to a drag strip to experience the task of engineering it is.

Was it simply me? I asked my colleagues to believe on whether it was dull, particularly after one shared that he had both a Charger Hellcat Widebody and also a brand-new Ford Transit van in his driveway one weekend break and also picked the Transportation for his neighborhood Cars and trucks as well as Coffee meetup. So right here's a point-counterpoint based on what they needed to state.

Point: The Charger Hellcat Isn't as Exciting as It Used to Be.
The majority of remarks concentrated on the look of the Hellcat versions and just how Dodge, by adding widebody versions to numerous model variants, has worn down a great deal of the Hellcat's originality. (Having actually simply driven a Challenger Scat Load Widebody before the Battery charger, I can confirm that I was usually asked if I was driving a Hellcat-- typically appropriate before a person tried to race me at a stoplight.).

" I assume Dodge actually watered down the Hellcat's specialness when it introduced the same designing modifications for the non-Hellcat models. Now, it's nearly difficult to inform if a Charger/Challenger is a Hellcat or not; even the badges aren't a good giveaway anymore.

" I believe Dodge needs to restore some aesthetic flair to the Hellcats to make them clearly various in some way-- which doesn't suggest large, dumb graphics. Something one-of-a-kind as well as promptly identifying to divide your 700-plus-hp car or sports car from the lesser models that use the exact same widebody options.".

-- Aaron Bragman, Detroit bureau chief.

" To me, part of what's lowered the allure of a Charger or Opposition-- in spite of absurd horsepower figures, trick Mopar bits as well as absurd paint names fit for an Arena Football Organization group-- is a dilution of the trim degrees. Dodge's recent statement that it will increase the Challenger Widebody schedule alone to six variants of the sports car is a good example. Arguably one of the most special aesthetic component for a Hellcat when it first turned out in 2018, the Widebody variation currently feels merely pedestrian.

" One evident remedy is to clarify the Charger as well as Opposition lineups. Certainly a few of the reduced trims (SXT, GT, R/T, R/T Scat Load) can pay for to go, not to mention the possibility of an R/T Widebody of any type of kind. Trim-specific grilles, additional brightwork as well as some varying aero benefit the spoiler-- gaudy though they may appear-- could also assist distinguish trims on the higher end and offer an additional visual component.".

-- Patrick Masterson, elderly duplicate editor.

Counterpoint: You're a Moron, Brian.

Most of these comments nicely told me that I'm foolish.


" I completely get that they're becoming a more common and less special sight on the roadway, however I'm absolutely not in the 'Hellcats are boring to drive' camp. Anything that can crack off a 10-second come on stock kind with a drag radial will make many people crap their trousers. What could be mistaken for 'monotonous' is exactly how forgiving and simple to drive they are, with wonderful street good manners and a long wheelbase that makes it much more convenient to get the tail end a little squirrely. That's an and also. The Widebody cars are even more stable with their added hold. Driving a narrow-tire Hellcat on a basic road tire, and with manual transmission, remains super sketchy.".

-- Joe Bruzek, handling editor.

" This shows the bubble cars and truck enthusiasts-- as well as the automobile media-- live in. We see enough Hellcat versions of the Charger and Challenger around here, particularly as Dodge moms and dad Fiat Chrysler Automobiles generated also higher-performance versions of both autos as well as spread the engine to its SUVs. Yet the 'regular' Hellcats stay beasts. We ran the quarter-mile in 11.03 seconds with a Battery charger SRT Hellcat in 2015, and that was before Dodge included the Widebody version with 16% wider back tires. Even 5 years later on, that's quick sufficient to smoke the substantial majority of brand-new, factory efficiency vehicles 2013 ford mustang gt grille .".

- Kelsey Mays, senior editor, customer events & vehicle examinations.

" I like the fact that having 700-plus hp isn't really frightening. I think Dodge did a fantastic task in making it civil.".

-- Aaron Bragman.

11 Views