2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye offers 797 hp for $70,000
Dodge is the master of performance bargains.
The Dodge Challenger is a very efficient way to spend money and receive horsepower in return, and it appears that story will continue on with the automaker's 2019 lineup.
The 2019 Dodge Challenger starts at $27,295 for a rear-wheel-drive Challenger SXT with a 305-horsepower V6. Want to move up to all-wheel drive? That'll bring the price up to $30,295. An eight-speed automatic appears to be the only transmission on offer.
The widebody kit looks so freakin' mean. I'm glad it stuck around.
If you want the same engine but a bit sportier of a look, the Challenger GT will set you back either $29,995 (RWD) or $32,995 (AWD). This model adds a hood scoop, a splitter, paddle shifters and cloth Houndstooth seats. It also stiffens up the suspension and gives the steering a bit more heft for a more engaging time on the road.
If a V8 is more your speed, consider the Challenger R/T, whch starts at $34,100 and includes a 5.7-liter V8 with 375 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque and can be had with either an eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual. If that's not enough power, head to the R/T Scat Pack, which bumps output up to 485 horsepower and 475 torques. This model is the true performance bargain, offering all that hustle for just $38,995 (not including a $1,000 gas-guzzler tax on the manual).
The penultimate Challenger trim is the SRT Hellcat, which relies on the same supercharged 6.2-liter V8 as before, but power is now up to 717-horsepower from 707. Available with either an automatic or a manual transmission, the Hellcat starts at $58,650 (not including a $1,700 gas-guzzler tax). That's more than $5,000 cheaper than the Hellcat used to be, which is nice to see. Both the Scat Pack and Hellcat are available with a widebody kit that borrows some of its aesthetics from the now-discontinued SRT Demon.
And then there's the Redeye. The new Challenger Hellcat Redeye is absurd, putting out 797 horsepower and 707 pound-feet of torque. Available only with an eight-speed automatic, this is the most expensive Challenger variant at $69,650 (not counting the $1,700 gas-guzzler tax). The 2019 Challenger lineup starts production this fall in Ontario, with deliveries starting in the fourth quarter of this year.
