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Dodge Hellcats changed Thar Stripes for the 2016
model year. (Image source: autoblog.com)
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As Who let 'em Doggies Out? Or is that the sublime
whine of a Supercharger instead?
So it's become quite a Bitamyte of a running
joke lately that my various outings are inspired as "blog Material"
gathering sessions; Hya! which isn't really true, but in some cases...
Like going to Turkey-Lurkey Day's (Thanksgiving)
Dinner in Grand Fashion, unbeknownst to Mwah. As the day began hilariously here
in Florence when Ye Power went out for approximately an hour's time just minutes
after 11AM. Hmm? Musing to Thyself that perhaps Florence's Power Grid couldn't
handle thou demand of everybody cookin' Thar Turkey's at once, Eh?
Not to mention it was raining all morning
long, before Colin knocked upon the door and cheekily told me he had a surprise
waiting outside for me... Nearing the garage I mused to Thyself, that Ain't the
Durango', as somme-thun' sat outside rumblin' away angrily, menacingly albeit
in muted tone.
Whiskey-Tango-foxtrot indeedy! As I was being
escorted to the front seat of a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat; SHIT! Presumably a
2018 model? (Which I've subsequently learned it was indeed a
Brand New 2018 model...) As I marveled over how quiet this
modern day Muscle Car was burbling away in thou Driveway!
Holy Hemispheric Combustion Chambers Batman!
As our Affable chauffer Larry drove off in
"Eco Mode," which he claimed was much more manageable for driving in
the Rain. Noting that we'd be stopping back off at the Scene of The Crime, as
Colin wanted me to feel the Hellcat's Fury unleashed; Err true power, where
they'd previously done a Burnout at a nearby business! Or was it thou local
Parish, instead?
As I never truly even remotely guessed I'd
ever ride in a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat! Which is a very amazing modern day
4-Door Sedan, or as Larry enjoys calling it, his "Grocery Getter!"
As I'd have to guess that this is the highest
horsepower "Street legal" vehicle I've ever ridden in. With a
whopping 707Bhp produced by its "blown" 6.2-litre Hemi V-8, eschewing
a massive 650 foot-pounds of Torque; Yowzah!
For which Claudio's
informed me that he remembers the 'Ol 392 Cast Iron block being a favourite of
Drag Racers Wayback' in the Day. Although ARSE-Sumedly this modern day's Charger
Hellcat's 392cid V-8 block's been updated...
Coming to full Stop, Larry casually changed
the car's driving characteristics outta Eco-mode into a more sinister, foot
poundin' Loud Pedal Blisterin' tyre's "launch mode!" Before saying
ready?
then being immediately thrust backwards into
my seat as a Narly, Snarlin' noise emanated from the immediately tortured rear
rubber, I felt us momentarily hooking up traction-wise as Larry said that's
enough - After having let this Beast Slither slightly sideways in its forwards
Crab-walk in the blink of an Eye; Aye
Karumba!
And as we leisurely drove the rest of the way
towards GrandMaMa's House, with a wide smile upon my face. Larry felt obliged
to recant lore of his having Blown Away a modern-day's Ford GT350-R on the
Freeway in Southern California. Noting how he'd rolled-up upon a lowered
Infinity and the hapless Ford.
Waiting to hear if
the Ford would downshift upon his arrival, Larry noted how he'd let the
"Seamless Shift" 8-speed Auto-Transmission do the shifting after
dropping down one gear, and proceeded to smartly pull away from the Ford from
their rolling 75mph start!
Nonchalantly noting it really wasn't a contest,
since the Ford only sported a "measly" 560bhp compared to the
Hellcat's 707! And what did the FoMoCo' Guy think would happen on a long,
straight stretch of Interstate Highway...
And Larry's apparently quite the Car Guy,
who's apparently had a bevy 'O Chrysler; Err Dodge products, for which I cannot
remember what they were, other than various Charger Hellcat predecessors. Along
with noting owning a Camaro ZL1 briefly...
Yet what blew me away about the Charger was
how Docile it was, as it was Uber Quiet inside the cabin, perhaps aided by the precipitation,
and our mild pace.
Not to mention that it not only featured
Fiat-Chrysler's version of Porsche's "Tip-tronic" style dual mode
automatic transmission, but also came equipped with paddle shifters upon the
steering wheel, for those daring enough to utilize the "Sport &
Track" mode.
As the car just felt silky smooth to Mwah,
noting how it didn't feel like it was lumbering, or protesting being driven so
mildly, never Shuddering or Stuttering for which many high horsepower
muscle-cars are prone to do!
Although I never, ever got to hear the scintillating
whine of its supercharger. For which Larry assured me, when opened at full
throttle, and the exhaust opens up along with its secondary "Gears,"
is quite the Screaming Banshee! Not that he knew; Honest, Wink-Wink,
Nudge-Nudge...
After letting the car sit idling somberly in
the driveway. when exiting the car, I could discern it's muscular stance and
notice the twin black center stripes
down the hood
of the predominantly whitecar, a la Shelby GT-350 treatment. Albeit these were tastefully done,
with a small center gap between the smaller width twin stripes running nose to
tail over the car's body.
Having since
learned that Dodge's Factory option for this stripe treatment began in 2016 and
they call these graphics Carbon...
As I wished I'd asked Larry many more questions about this
wonderful Beast, as the car left me most impressed! Especially since it's so
unique in today's plethora of everybody driving Jelly Bean SUV's or small
Sedans, or E-Gad's, PickemUp' Trucks!
And to think, this isn't even Fiat-Chrysler's
"Pony Car" entry, which presumably would be the Dodge Challenger
instead.
While this Charger SRT Hellcat makes me think
of the long forgotten Ford Taurus SHO Sedan, albeit this Charger model's most definitely
on Steroids!
Which makes me wish somehow Thar was a "2-door"
Challenger competition version to go Head-to-Head with the Corvette C7R and
Ford GT in IMSA Sports Car racing, although Me Thinks these Dodge's are aimed
at the Flatliner Stoplight-to-Stoplight Crowds instead...
As Thanxs for the
Ride, Larry, and in the immortal words 'O No Fenders Moniker King Randal, your
ride's definitely Bitchin!