With retro styling becoming increasingly popular in the mid 2000s, what better line of cars to revive than old American muscle. Ford Mustang had done it with the S197, Chevrolet with the new Camaro and Dodge with the Challenger. The Challenger looked almost identical to the original 1970 model and while for the first few model years the Hemi V8 with its 425 horsepower was satisfactory, its competitors quickly surpassed it with more powerful engines and much lower weight. However, as the 2016 facelift rolled around, the Dodge Challenger would become the epitome of modern muscle car. That’s all thanks to the 2016 Challenger SRT Hellcat which included a supercharger for the first time and pushed its Hemi V8 to power levels beyond everyone’s expectations. With the new found power, the Hellcat would easily shame European sports cars, supercars and often even hyper cars. Moreover, the 2016 update made the Challenger look better than ever without changing its classic styling which by the look of it, will continue to look just as good for decades to come. In addition, some technological advancements were also squeezed into the new Challengers but without suffocating the raw experience everyone expects from a car of its nature. Now, before we go into more detail, check out the ones currently for sale here at Exotic Car Trader.
While the first generation Challenger never really got to spread its wings before the fuel crisis hit, the second generation most definitely did. In spite of increasingly tightening emissions standards, Dodge managed to grace the world with one of the most amazing V8 production engines ever made. And it was the perfect time to do it as the demand for the Challenger never went down ever since it came out in 2008 even though it was built on an old Mercedes platform shared with the Charger and the 300C. In 2015, the Challenger would get the 6.2 Supercharged Hemi for the first time together with the first major facelift which the 2016 Challenger SRT Hellcat included. The Hellcat was so popular that Dodge made even more powerful versions later such as the Demon with over 1,000 horsepower and the Red Eye. During its 15 years of production, Dodge sold around 2,000,000 Challengers, of which over 40,000 were Hellcats. Demand didn’t even drop for the 2023 model year after which it was discontinued because Dodge’s parent company now wants to make EVs.
Apart from the 2015 facelift, the 2016 Challenger SRT Hellcat exterior is easily distinguishable from the rest of the lineup. One of the biggest differences comes from the front bumper which is now lower and features three vents without fog lights giving it a much more aggressive face. The grille around the headlights lost the center frames which were a throwback to the ’70 Challenger while a low front splitter gives it an old school race car look. And one of the biggest highlights are the inner two LED headlights which are no longer that but rather intakes for the giant supercharger. That’s one of the most unique features found on any modern performance car and an obvious tie to street racing which is always rad. Furthermore, the hood intake also serves a purpose of venting the hot engine bay air away from the supercharger. The side profile gets new BBS style concave wheels. Rear end gets new LED tail lights thanks to the 2015 update and a new ducktail spoiler on the trunk. Two square exhaust tips are again, fully functional, and give a hint of the monster hiding under the hood. All these changes coupled with full LED headlights and vintage styling give the Challenger the perfect retro futuristic look which made everyone fall in love with it.
While the Challenger’s exterior always looked amazing, the interior was underwhelming to say the least. That’s until the 2015 update rolled around which gave the 2016 Challenger SRT Hellcat a new 7 inch screen inside the gauge cluster for all the driving modes capable of 100 different setups. The main infotainment screen is now touchscreen and measures 8.4 inches which is a huge improvement over the ancient Chrysler unit. The entire dashboard design is now much more bespoke and features less parts sharing than before. A new three spoke steering wheel alone improves the look tremendously and so does the 200 mph gauge cluster. Furthermore, the new sports seats could be had in a number of different colors and finishes giving the buyers a good amount of optional customization. An interesting thing to note is that within all those driving modes the driver could also cut 207 horsepower from the V8 to make for a more civil driving experience. On the other hand, two keys were provided with each example where the red key would unleash all 707 horsepower while the black key would limit the power to 500. In general, the interior is much more modern and doesn’t look too bad even today, but it could never match its European competition in terms of quality.
Sheer power is what stunned the entire world when the 2016 Challenger SRT Hellcat first came out. With 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, the Hellcat was more powerful than most Lamborghinis, Ferraris, McLarens and Aston Martins of its generation. Everything was packed in an old Mercedes platform with rear wheel drive only, making the Hellcat quite a handful. But despite those shortcomings and its 4,470 lbs of weight, it still managed a 0-60 time of just 3.6 seconds which is hardly matched by modern sports cars which cost substantially more. Even the top speed was impressive at 199 mph considering that its vintage design isn’t exactly optimal for high speeds. That said, the 2016 Challenger SRT Hellcat still isn't that true to the original with adjustable Bilstein dampers, multilink rear suspension, and 15.4 inch Brembo brakes squeezed by four piston calipers. But it’s thanks to those features that the Hellcat can put all that power down relatively safely and still be fun to drive even when the road isn’t straight.
With a starting price of $65,000 back in 2016, the Hellcat was a deal of the century. And while prices have gone up and down over the years, today in 2024, 2016 Challenger SRT Hellcats with less than 20,000 miles still go for between $50,000 and $60,000. Those with higher mileage will go down to $35,000 at most. The used market is also full of modified examples the prices of which are fairly unpredictable. Lastly, with the Hellcat being discontinued, well kept examples will almost certainly increase in value and make them just as sought after as the first generation models.
With everything said and done, the 2016 Hellcat SRT represents the pinnacle of modern muscle cars and the most authentic throwback to the originals from the ‘60s. Sure, there were more powerful iterations and even more powerful models from other brands, but none were as cheap as the Hellcat which is a major point of a good muscle car. And if you are after a Hellcat or any other muscle car, classic or luxury vehicle, buying it through Exotic Car Trader is one of your safest and most convenient options. Exotic Car Trader offers escrow protection on all sales, delivery, and first inspection while the entire process is done online. The same goes if you are looking to sell a car with Exotic Car Trader.
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