Shaquille O’Neal turned 50 recently, and the NBA legend was showing off a brand-new customized Dodge Charger Hellcat for his special day.
Illustriously brandishing the words “Diesel Dog Mafia” on the hood, one quick glance at this special surprise had Shaq calling it the “best club car ever.” With horsepower ratings that raucously begin with 7 and 8, this modern muscle car boasts power some would call a “nuclear reactor” under the hood. This year’s model looks even cooler with flared fenders and boasts better handling courtesy of wider wheels and tires.
There are very few new cars that could be sent back to the “glory days” and still appear as if they were from the future, and the 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat meets the criteria. Its menacing V8, retro appearance, and stellar horsepower ratings are true to a muscle car, and the 807-hp super stock lays claim to a 10.5-second run around the quarter-mile.
This is a large and heavy car that gets going in a hurry, at least with one of the V8s installed. The Edmunds.com test team covered 0-60 mph in just 4.6 seconds, also claiming that the braking performance is excellent and particularly on point. In town, the pedal response feels a bit soft at first, but on the test track, a simulated-panic stop from 60 mph took just 102 feet to complete. If you simply flex your big toe, the Charger bolts off the line, and the front seats provide plenty of necessary lumbar support.
Opting for the Technology Group provides driver safety aids such as adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, and lane-keeping assist. The available trim levels are SXT, GT, R/T, Scat Pack, and SRT Hellcat Widebody, and all Chargers use an 8-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, though the SXT and GT trims offer all-wheel drive for an option. Stepping up to the Scat Pack brings about the introduction for the 6.4-liter V8, and the SRT Hellcats use a supercharged 6.2-liter V8. The top dog is the SRT Hellcat Redeye’s even more powerful supercharged 6.2-liter V8, coming in at 797 Horsepower, and 707 lb-ft of torque. If you are feeling like the confines of motorized life are keeping you down, you can always opt for the Jailbreak package: this bumps the Earth-shaking output of the entire outfit up to a mind-blowing 807 hp!
