Hellcat actually faster than a gen III

[Viper4Life]

Buddy is about to buy a 2015 Hellcat and was just curious if anyone has had any true experience with them. Much heavier but more power. Overall faster?

[Mopar'er no car]

Buddy is about to buy a 2015 Hellcat and was just curious if anyone has had any true experience with them. Much heavier but more power. Overall faster?

Faster in a straight line. As soon as you get into the twisties a stock gen 3 will effortlessly leave a Hell Kitty in the dust...

[99RT10]

A stock Gen 3 with a good driver will get 11.4-11.5 in the quarter. Hellcat will get 11.2-11.4.

[pokeyl]

My wife has a 2015 MT6, it is fast, but the viper is faster. My non-stock Gen 3 anyway. The Viper will blow out the tires and the traction control Hellcat will be gone. 95% Hellcat wins...

[Steve M]

Stock for stock, the Hellcat should be a bit faster. The problem I have is I've never seen a truly stock one at my local drag strip.

[BLUVENM]

This is like comparing apples and oranges. If you prefer a drag car that can haul groceries and you can drive to a dinner reservation for four then go with the Hellcat because it is quicker down the line (stock). The viper is an experience, strap in and hang on because it could kill you! The viper is more than a drag car, it is meant to be driven on a track to take advantage of the suspension and speed. So it isn’t really a good comparison.

[Steve-Indy]

The interesting thing to me would be to see the FACTORY promotional literature claims of the 0 to 60 times for the
first Gen III Viper and for both models of the first Hellcats...not "tests" from Road &Track, Motor Trend, Car and Driver, or personal time slips.

Then, using these data points (however manipulated they may or may not be) as a starting point, we can argue the merits of each Beast forever. :)

[Unlimtd]

Stock Gen III Viper coupe was 12.2 sec/118 MPH in the quarter. Stock 2015 Challenger automatic Hellcat per Dodge ( done on a prepped surface) 11.2.
My former Stock 2015 automatic Hellcat with street/strip drag radials did 10.982/125.92 on a 75 degree/75% humidity day at Palm Beach International Raceway. With colder/dryer air, it would have been considerably faster. In a straight line, there is no comparison to a Gen III Viper. Gen IV's get closer and a well driven Gen V can come close. As a poster said above, there is no comparison on a road course. The Challenger is a bloated pig compared to the Viper. And yes. I have driven both on a road course. Then there is the top end issue. Since the Gen III Viper came with fifth and sixth gear overdrives, once you shift out of fourth, a stock Gen III Viper craps out quite a bit and takes a very long time to gain speed. The auto Hellcat does not have that problem. Its problem is due to aerodynamics. Stated top speed of Gen III Viper- 190. Stated top speed of 2015 automatic Hellcat Challenger - (drag limited) 199. I hope that you find this data useful.

[commandomatt]

These questions are always pretty amusing. What I can not figure out is.....who cares ????

They have made over half a million Challengers since 08. Countless models that all look the same (kind of like the Vette in that respect) Even if there was one that blew the doors of the Viper, it is still just a Challenger. It is like when you tell a Ferrari owner that some other car is faster than his. Do you really think that makes a difference for him ?

The Viper will beat the Challenger in every possible way, every time. It does not come down to HP or trap speed.

....and Yes, my wife drives one. All it is ....a big, heavy grocery getter, just slightly smaller than a mini van

[ViperJon]

^^^^ Couldn’t agree more. I will never understand the appeal of those huge generic boats.

[Unlimtd]

It is not written about much but the Hellcat and Hellcat Redeye are great highway cruisers. If you have not driven one, try it and you will understand. But you are right. Vipers and Hellcats are apples and oranges. But it's good to have an apple, an orange, and maybe a couple of plums.

[commandomatt]

It is not written about much but the Hellcat and Hellcat Redeye are great highway cruisers. If you have not driven one, try it and you will understand. But you are right. Vipers and Hellcats are apples and oranges. But it's good to have an apple, an orange, and maybe a couple of plums.

Sure it is good to have different fruits, but the problem is when people try to compare them.

My wife likes her Challenger but she also likes to take our cherry 1989 Lincoln Town car when shopping, so what does she know........

[Old School]

It all comes down to what you want, different people are different. I would say the majority of Viper owners don't use them as daily transportation, for whatever reason. But Hellcat owners do. Does that mean Hellcat owners enjoy them more?

[Camfab]

It is not written about much but the Hellcat and Hellcat Redeye are great highway cruisers. If you have not driven one, try it and you will understand. But you are right. Vipers and Hellcats are apples and oranges. But it's good to have an apple, an orange, and maybe a couple of plums.

Couldn’t agree more! Why would you not appreciate all the options.

[moparFBI]

exactly, bluvenm sums it up perfectly

[SlateEd]

OP - The Hellcat is faster on paper, and because of driver skill (or general lack thereof) is usually faster in the real world also, at least compared with a Gen3.

As for the related discussion - Fast and quick are such overused words anyway... almost no one can tell the difference between a 3.2 second 0-60 and 3.4, but somehow these distinctions mean everything in magazines and internet feuds.

Bottom line is the Viper will 'feel' faster because it IS more violent. The size of the tires, location of the driver in the chassis, wheelbase, amount of noise, firmness of the shifts... all of that adds up.

[J TNT]

OP - The Hellcat is faster on paper, and because of driver skill (or general lack thereof) is usually faster in the real world also, at least compared with a Gen3.

As for the related discussion - Fast and quick are such overused words anyway... almost no one can tell the difference between a 3.2 second 0-60 and 3.4, but somehow these distinctions mean everything in magazines and internet feuds.

Bottom line is the Viper will 'feel' faster because it IS more violent. The size of the tires, location of the driver in the chassis, wheelbase, amount of noise, firmness of the shifts... all of that adds up.

Good point SlateEd , Viper gives you more of a visceral experience .
Chuck Yeager who had card blanch to any aircraft in the US military was asked what Aircraft would you prefer to Fly , most thought it would be a F16 0R F18 . He said it was the P51 Mustang given the pilot engagement.

[Blue T/A 2.0]

I have one of each even though it is just a 392 Scatpack, but I do really like driving the Scatpack more often as knock around car. It’s fast, quick and comfortable and I don’t have to worry about where I take it or where I leave it out of my sight. The whole time the Viper is safe in the garage. The only problem is Mustangs drop out of the sky wanting to race all the time.

[Unlimtd]

Sure it is good to have different fruits, but the problem is when people try to compare them.

My wife likes her Challenger but she also likes to take our cherry 1989 Lincoln Town car when shopping, so what does she know........

How to get you to buy her cars. She sounds brilliant to me.

[ViperTim]

A stock Gen 3 with a good driver will get 11.4-11.5 in the quarter. Hellcat will get 11.2-11.4.

I did 12.2 in a stock gen 2, unprepped track on street tires.
Man wonder if I could've launched at 4-5k rpm without wheelspin on slicks! (apart from broken driveshafts).

[commandomatt]

How to get you to buy her cars. She sounds brilliant to me.

Actually, she is brilliant. I recently picked up a 54 Chevy and she told me that she may want to drive that. Straight 6 with a 3 speed. Just a tad slower than her Challenger :drive:

[plumcrazy]

never in my life have i ever seen a 4 door car that i wanted to own unless it was to drive my parents around in. whats the point of a fast 4 door car ?

[Unlimtd]

never in my life have i ever seen a 4 door car that i wanted to own unless it was to drive my parents around in. whats the point of a fast 4 door car ?

To enjoy it with friends. Drive a Trackhawk. ( I know. Technically its not a car but its four doors.) Use its very functional launch control. You will have an "aha" experience and start laughing at what a monster it is at the same time. Back in the beginning of February, I gave the Base Commander at Homestead a ride from zero to one hundred and twenty to zero on the runway apron as part of a car show exclusively for the military. He's an F16 pilot. He got it. So did his spouse. So did the other fighter jockeys and support crew people I gave a ride to. It also does not hurt that the vehicle has an incredibly cool look to it. Especially, when you lower it with a set of Eibach pro springs. Think Batman's SUV.

[USAFPILOT]

i know my hellcat will give my GenV a run for its money