They are saying all good issues should come to an finish, although nobody has efficiently elaborated on why the Hellcat Challengers and Chargers are going away. I imply, they’ve *tried* however their causes appears lackluster and out of contact – a mix of bowing to strain from the Greenies, social media humble bragging, and the evil plan of some shadowy cabal of villains who’re uninterested in us having enjoyable and wish us all to drive sluggish ‘environmentally accountable” vehicles. Sure, the designs and platforms are getting lengthy within the tooth, however they’re nonetheless promoting like hotcakes and are arguably probably the most enjoyable of all the present muscle vehicles out there in the present day. The all-electric Dodge Daytona that turned up on the Chicago Auto Present earlier this yr was completely beautiful and supplied promise, however who needs an electrical automobile? Fewer and fewer folks it appears. So lets hope Dodge was good sufficient to depart room beneath the hood to drop a enjoyable engine into it as a result of if that is the tip of the road for the Hellcat motor, then I could costume is sacloth and ashes and weep. However going away, the Challenger is. And so Dodge, sentimental sumbitches that they’re, determined to launch a collection of ultimate nostalgic “Final Name” particular editions. That is one. The Black Ghost.

The identify sprouts from a Detroit city legend. Apparently again within the early seventies, when midnight road racing on Woodward Ave was the factor to do, a stock-looking black Dodge Challenger with a faux-alligator vinyl roof would sometimes present up and race. Because the rumor goes, he would handily beat them after which disappear into the inky Detroit evening. As his legend grew, he started to be known as the Black Ghost. He haunted Woodward for a number of years till he disappeared for good. It was solely just lately that he handed away and his household felt snug figuring out him because the proprietor of the Black Ghost. Why did they wait? Apparently on the time he was taking part in these unlawful underground road races, he was employed as a policeman with the Detroit Police Dept. How’s that for irony?

Nice story, huh? Dodge thought so too and determined to make a restricted run of particular Black Ghost Challengers as a part of their Final Name collection. Beginning with the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, they dropped in a particular higher-output version of the Hellcat engine that makes 807 hp (as a substitute of 797) and 707 lb-ft of torque. begin!

The Black Ghost is, as you’d count on, black. The precise identify of the paint is “Pitch Black” and it’s becoming. There’s an appliqué on the roof that resembles alligator pores and skin. The fuel cap is chrome, identical to the unique Black Ghost. Dodge additionally added a white stripe throughout the again deck lid of the automobile like the unique and the place the Hellcat badge usually goes on the aspect fenders behind the entrance wheels, there’s as a substitute a script badge that reads “Challenger” identical to the 1970’s ones did. However that’s simply the Black Ghost design particulars. The remaining is trendy Challenger Hellcat muscle automobile cues: the dual ram-air intakes on the hood (useful), the deep splitter alongside the entrance fringe of the automobile, the flip-up spoiler throughout the rear fringe of the trunk, hood pins to maintain the hood on the automobile at 200mph, and a number of the sexiest wheels you’ve ever seen on a Challenger. The automobile seems beautiful and it bought a whole lot of consideration even whereas parked.

Beneath the hood is the HO model of the Hellcat, throwing an additional 10hp into the combination. With 807 hp, you gained’t really feel the extra 10 however 807 is a better quantity to cite than 797 hp. It’s hooked to a stout 8-speed computerized transmission with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel in case you need to row your personal. The torque shaft is hooked to a limited-slip differential that balances energy between every of the rear wheels to impact most grip.

That most grip is offered by the fats Pirelli P-Zero’s that wrap across the attractive satin silver 20 x 11” wheels. These tires are so sticky they actually choose up each stone on the highway and throw it towards the underside of the automobile. Throw it right into a nook and the tires simply grip, grip, grip till you select to overpower them with the engine and ship the backend sliding out behind you.

The Ghost corners and handles like no automobile it’s measurement and weight has any proper to. The competitors suspension does a improbable job of serving to the tires grip the highway and maintain the physique movement in verify because it tears down winding nation backroads or by the curves of a decent highway course. There are a number of totally different efficiency settings you possibly can dial in – regular, sport, and observe. Every has totally different levels of firmness and traction and stability management to take advantage of highly effective common manufacturing automobile an absolute pussycat to drive onerous.

And may a deer or an errant driver pull out blindly in entrance of you, or a ought to a police automobile come from out of nowhere, the Brembo 6-piston brake calipers clamp down on probably the most monumental brake disks you’ve ever seen fitted to a manufacturing automobile to offer a number of the most superb braking efficiency you’ve ever skilled. You possibly can actually hold your self up within the seatbelts because the automobile involves a silent cease.

Dodge threw in a bunch of different efficiency goodies too. The Linelocker possibility, which locks the entrance brakes however unlocks the rear ones so you will get the rear tires spinning fairly good and sizzling earlier than releasing the brakes; launch management, which helps you to set the rpm degree you need to launch at; and Chiller, which redirects the cool a/c air from the cabin to the supercharger plenum to make the cost extra dense, offering extra oxygen for ignition.

The son of the Black Ghost’s proprietor was just lately requested about his reminiscences of the automobile. He stated he remembered his dad would tape a $50 greenback invoice to the sprint and inform him he may have it if he may seize it on the rely of three. Three, after all, is when he’d nail the throttle and the automobile would launch like a Saturn rocket, pushing them each again firmly into their seats, unable to battle the momentum of their ahead route. The brand new Black Ghost is far the identical. It’s born to run onerous and quick – an exhilarating carnival trip that your neighbors will actually queue as much as trip in.

We took it round to all of the family and friends, giving rides, successful hearts and minds. All people needed to really feel the unimaginable acceleration, hear the fury of the Hellcat engine because it raged like some livid jungle cat, ripping the very environment round it, making the fats rear tires scream like wounded wildebeests as they laid down units of black parallel traces many times and once more. The sounds it makes is likely to be the one smartest thing concerning the automobile. I’ve heard a whole lot of competitors V8 motors in my day however there’s NOTHING that sounds as indignant, as highly effective, as ferocious as Dodge’s supercharged 6.2L Hemi V8 engine. It makes the hair in your arms rise up, and your mind to register concern and even alarm on the sheer ferocity of the sound. It’s like nothing else on the highway. Mustangs, as nice as the brand new Coyote V8 sounds, can’t maintain a candle to it. Camaro’s and Corvettes don’t come shut. It’s as uniquely American as it’s merely distinctive inside the American muscle automobile scene. It’s, in brief, an ICON of American motoring.

Our Black Ghost stickered at $99,350. Whereas that looks like some huge cash, the efficiency that you just’re getting for the cash is unimaginable. Plus, it does the day by day commute in nice consolation too.

Dodge is being tremendous useful about serving to you safe your personal muscle automobile, your personal Hellcat – even your personal Black Ghost – earlier than they’re all gone. As manufacturing winds down, they’ve arrange a particular web site that will help you discover your perfect Challenger or Charger at a dealership, whether or not it’s in your hometown or throughout the nation. It’s accessible from their essential webpage. My recommendation is to behave now earlier than stock is gone. As a result of as soon as it’s gone, it’s gone for good.

We don’t need to see it go. It’s our hope Dodge has one thing simply pretty much as good or higher ready within the wings, but it surely’s onerous to optimistic lately when each automaker is electrical automobiles as the following large factor. All good issues should come to an finish ultimately. Even the issues that perpetually put a smile on our face each time we bought to drive them. Thanks, Dodge. It’s been a improbable journey and it’s due to your love of enjoyable vehicles that we’ve gotten to get pleasure from it.