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Overview: While most carmakers are extolling the rewards of the coming age of autonomous vehicles, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has taken a contrary stance, doubling down on performance. It’s clear that the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is not only an unlikely candidate for autonomous driving, it’s a car conceived to stimulate the senses of the person behind the wheel. Not to mention the adrenal glands. It was engineered by the go-faster denizens of FCA’s SRT (Street and Racing Technology) group. The heart of the Hellcat is a supercharged 6.2-liter version of the company’s 6.4-liter Hemi V-8. While latter-day Hemis don’t actually have hemispherical combustion chambers, the Hellcat engine’s output eclipses memories of the legendary 426 Hemi of yesteryear: It makes 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque and connects to a robust eight-speed automatic transmission with paddles that deliver whap-whap shifts, up or down. This adds up to eyeball-flattening thrust that’s astounding in a two-ton sedan, matching the go power of pedigreed performance rides costing three times the Hellcat’s $ 68,740 base price. The Hellcat’s maximum cornering and braking measure up to its heavyweight punch, making this a bargain supercar in a family-sedan wrapper—the ultimate everyday hero. READ MORE ››
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