2017 Dodge Charger and Challenger Hellcat Cruising, Blasting Down the Track

Yesterday, we brought you the first official information on the 2017 model year for the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. We talked about the new infotainment system, the new badges with Hellcat heads, the new back lit steering wheel center which glows red at night and the new “5Deep” lightweight wheels which will come standard on all 2017 Hellcat cars.

We were able to show off the new badges and the glowing steering wheel center, but FCA hadn’t included any images of the 2017 Hellcat cars with their new wheels. That changed yesterday afternoon when the automaker posted a big group of videos showing the 2017 model year vehicles driving around the handling track at the Chelsea Proving Grounds in Michigan. Included in those videos are a pair showing the Hellcat cars – one for the Charger and one for the Challenger – and from these videos we get our first good look at the lighter Hellcat wheels for 2017.

We also get a chance to hear the blower whine and the exhaust grumble from the Hellcat Challenger and the Hellcat Charger – and that is always a good way to kill a few minutes on a Friday.

2017 Challenger, Charger Hellcat Rolling Footage
So, while the 2017 model year Hellcat Challenger and Charger are being driven around the safe confines of the Chelsea Proving Grounds, these cars are not exercising all 707 angry horses. Both cars are actually being driven very gently, but the driver of each does occasionally goose the throttle a bit, giving us a chance to hear the supercharger whine and the exhaust tone during acceleration and deceleration.

The key point of these videos is to show the 2017 Hellcat Challenger and Charger how they look driving around on the road at “normal” speeds (for regular people – not Hellcat owners) with the new badges and, in the case of the Charger, the new 5Deep wheels. The Charger video ends with a panning shot of the Hellcat sedan with the new lightweight 5-spoke wheels which will come standard on all 2017 Hellcat cars while the Challenger in the video below has the current wheels which will be offered as an option.

By the way, for those of you who simply have to hear the Hellcat Hemi scream to get you through the day, we have you covered. I have also included a video of the 2017 Hellcat Challenger with yours truly at the helm, making a couple of 8th mile runs at the Proving Grounds along with an exhaust clip video of the Hellcat Charger making a hard 0-60 sprint (in just 3.9 seconds).

So grab a drink, crank up your speakers and enjoy this footage of the 2017 Hellcat Challenger and Charger from FCA, along with a few bonus clips of me testing the newest supercharged Mopar monsters.(More on Page 2)