They may look the same, but there’s more going on underneath the skin.
We get to give you our driving impressions of the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat vs the 2019 Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. Neither vehicle is mellow or composed, but both are remarkably similar in how they drive on normal turf. Get them on the track or push real hard, things begin to feel different.
Power is the main difference with the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat vs the 2019 Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye comparison. The Hellcat now makes 717 horsepower and 656 lbs-feet of torque, thanks to better breathing via a dual-nostril hood. Honestly, we couldn’t tell a difference with regular diving and seat-of-our pants driving impressions. It feels the same, but it’s friggin’ awesome to say it’s a 717 hp car.
Coming to terms with a 797 horsepower Hellcat
The 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye is a completely different creature in a straight line. Basically using a Dodge Demon engine, the Redeye puts out 797 hp and 707 lb-ft of torque. Both vehicles came with the beefy 8-speed automatic transmission, but you can get a six-speed manual with the regular Hellcat.
Both vehicles are also available with and without the $6,000 wide-body kit. According to FCA, the wide-body kit’s suspension and extra rubber make for a much faster, better handling vehicle. While no regular body Redeye were available, we did drive the new Hellcat sans wide-body kit and it drove exactly like our 2016 Hellcat.
We also drove the 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack both on the track and on the backroads of New England. You can read about it here. While it handles great, it simply felt a bit like a slow Hellcat. That’s basically what it is. There’s nothing wrong with that, provided you don’t want that straight line speed.
Speaking of speed, that’s where the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat vs the 2019 Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye differ in the straights on our test track. Punch the 2019 Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye out of a corner and the power increase is like being slammed in the ass by a Saturn V booster.
