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The 2021 Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody is the fastest and most powerful sedan ever produced.
For nearly two weeks, I put the 797-horsepower Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody through its paces, covering 1,670 miles. During that time, I found myself wrestling with an internal conflict between my usual preference for lightweight, agile sports cars and the sheer, unadulterated power of this Dodge muscle sedan.
The Redeye doesn’t just command attention; it owns the road. With 797 horsepower driving only the rear wheels, it possesses more power than any other production sedan on the market. This brute force dwarfs the capabilities of even high-performance German rivals like the Mercedes-AMG E63, BMW M5, and Porsche Panamera Turbo. In fact, the power delivered to each of the Redeye’s rear tires exceeds that of the all-wheel-drive Bugatti Chiron.
Driving the Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody forces you to confront a series of “deadly sins,” from pride and greed to wrath, lust, sloth, gluttony, and envy. This car amplifies every aspect of the driving experience, making it an unforgettable, albeit morally ambiguous, machine.
The Siren Call of the SRT Hellcat Redeye
From the moment you lay eyes on the Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody, you know you’re in for something special. The aggressive widebody stance, the massive air intakes, and the menacing grille all signal that this is no ordinary four-door sedan. This is a beast unleashed, a machine built for pure performance.
Stepping inside, the driver-focused cockpit reinforces this impression. The SRT Hellcat Redeye features race-inspired seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and an abundance of performance-oriented gauges. It’s a space designed to make you feel like a pilot ready for takeoff, not just a commuter heading to the office.
But the true allure of the Redeye lies beneath the hood. The heart of this beast is a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8 engine, capable of producing a staggering 797 horsepower and 707 lb-ft of torque. This powerplant is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that can handle the immense power while delivering lightning-fast shifts.
The Seven Deadly Sins of the Redeye
Pride
The first sin to contend with is pride. With 797 horsepower at your disposal, it’s virtually impossible to drive the Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody without feeling an overwhelming sense of superiority. You’re the main character on the road, with more power than almost any other vehicle in sight.
Even when surrounded by high-end sports sedans, the Redeye stands apart. You can’t help but notice the smaller engines and less aggressive stances of other performance cars. The Charger’s sheer presence commands respect, and its performance capabilities leave competitors in its dust.
Greed
The Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody embodies automotive excess in every sense of the word. This car possesses more power than anyone could ever truly need, and more than can be effectively utilized on public roads. The 0-60 mph time of 4.0 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 11.9 seconds at 126.6 mph are impressive, but they pale in comparison to the car’s potential.
The issue isn’t the car’s capability; it’s the reality of driving it. Even with 305-section tires, the Redeye struggles to put all its power down at lower speeds. Hitting the throttle at 70 mph can still result in the rear tires lighting up, demonstrating that traction is the limiting factor, not horsepower. This explains why the all-wheel-drive Durango Hellcat, with less power but better grip, can achieve a 60 mph time more than half a second quicker.
Furthermore, the braking system seems ill-equipped to handle the car’s immense weight and speed. While the brakes can feel grabby around town, the pedal lacks the firm response needed for confident stopping from high speeds. This creates a disconcerting sensation, especially when contemplating the car’s 203 mph top speed potential.
However, the Redeye’s true performance prowess emerges at higher speeds. From 90 mph and beyond, the car pulls with a ferocity that few sports cars can match. While a Tesla Model 3 might beat the Charger to 60 mph, the Charger is just getting started. By the time the Tesla crosses the quarter-mile mark at 115.1 mph, the Redeye is traveling over 10 mph faster, continuing to build speed relentlessly.
Wrath
The Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody seems to possess an inherent anger, particularly towards its tires. Dodge includes a line lock feature, typically used in drag racing to heat up the tires for optimal launches. While effective in theory, it primarily serves to unleash a torrent of smoke and tire destruction.
Even without line lock, the car’s power is difficult to manage. Most attempts at full or even half throttle result in significant wheel spin. The tires provided by Dodge were nearly bald after just 10 days of testing, a testament to the car’s insatiable appetite for rubber.
Lust
The Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody triggers a primal desire to push the limits. The urge to accelerate to triple-digit speeds is constant, even when aware of the risks and the car’s environmental impact. This car taps into a deep-seated need for speed and thrills that’s hard to resist.
Even when alone in the car, its performance inspires a stream of expletives, not out of anger, but out of sheer awe. The Redeye transforms the act of driving into a visceral experience, one that demands attention and respect.
Sloth
Despite its performance credentials, the Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody can be surprisingly relaxed in everyday driving. The engineers at SRT have programmed the throttle response to be lazy, making it easy to drive the car like a normal sedan. With an abundance of low-end torque, the engine barely needs to work during normal commuting.
The car can feel quiet and subdued, almost like a V6 Charger, until you decide to unleash its full potential. This Jekyll-and- Hyde personality makes the Redeye versatile, capable of blending in when necessary before unleashing its fury when desired.
Gluttony
The Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody’s thirst for fuel is legendary. During the first week of testing, the fuel economy averaged a dismal 10.5 mpg. After a 1,000-mile weekend road trip, the number improved to a still-poor 18.3 mpg.
To put this into perspective, 1,670 miles at 18.3 mpg requires 91.3 gallons of gasoline. If that same amount of fuel were used in a Honda Insight, which can comfortably cruise at 80 mph, you could travel 4,745 miles. That’s enough to drive from Orlando, Florida, to Anchorage, Alaska, or to cover a 20-mile round-trip commute for 47 weeks of the year.
Of course, reasonable fuel economy is possible. During a brief hypermiling exercise, I managed to achieve 22.0 mpg over 200 miles, including stop-and-go traffic and 80 mph cruising. However, this requires conscious effort to resist the car’s true nature.
Envy
The Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody’s thirst for fuel can also inspire envy. During a trip from Tucson back to Los Angeles, my fuel gauge dropped below the quarter-tank mark with 44 miles of range remaining and the nearest gas station 46 miles away.
For the next 45 minutes, I drove at a reduced speed, tucking behind a semi-truck to benefit from its aerodynamic slipstream and conserve fuel. Watching numerous hybrids and plug-in hybrids pass by with ease was a humbling experience. It highlighted that 797 horsepower is meaningless when you’re worried about running out of gas.
The Verdict
The Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody is a car that defies easy categorization. It’s a muscle car, a sedan, and a performance benchmark all rolled into one. While it may not be the most practical or environmentally responsible vehicle on the market, it offers an unparalleled driving experience.
The Redeye forces you to confront your own desires and limitations. It’s a car that demands respect, challenges your driving skills, and rewards you with an intoxicating blend of speed, power, and adrenaline.
As automotive regulations tighten and fuel prices rise, cars like the Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody may become relics of a bygone era. But when that day comes, the Redeye will be remembered as a symbol of peak automotive excess, a time when manufacturers weren’t afraid to push the boundaries of performance.
For me, the experience was a memorable one. The sins I committed during my time with the Redeye won’t be forgotten. It’s a car that stays with you, long after you’ve returned the keys. And while I may not be its typical target audience, I’ll always look back fondly on the time I spent with this magnificent machine.
Performance Metrics: Charger Hellcat Redeye Widebody
| Metric | Value | Notes |\n|——–|——-|——-|\n| 0-60 mph | 4.0 seconds | Limited by traction |\n| Quarter-mile | 11.9 seconds @ 126.6 mph | Impressive, but less than optimal
