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When it comes to all-out speed, there are no two greater cars like the fabled Nissan GT-R and the beastly Dodge Challenger Hellcat. One car relies on a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system and turbochargers, while the other pushes its weight with its rear wheels and a supercharged V8. They couldn’t be any more different from each. But which one is faster in a drag race?

The Dodge Challenger Hellcat is a quarter-mile monster

The Dodge Hellcat Challenger
The Dodge Hellcat Challenger | Ted Soqui/Corbis via Getty Images

Looking at the stats of both cars, it’s easy to see that they can both put down some low numbers on the drag strip. The Dodge Challenger Hellcat is quite the beast to be reckoned with. It’s powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI engine that makes 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. That power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

According to Car and Driver’s testing, the 2023 Challenger SRT Hellcat could get up to 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.6 seconds. It also went down the quarter-mile in only 11.8 seconds at 125 mph. That’s insanely fast for a street car, especially one costing only $70,000. However, the Nissan GT-R is quite a formidable opponent.

The 2023 Nissan GT-R is no slouch on the dragstrip either

2023 Nissan GT-R rear
2023 Nissan GT-R | Nissan

Looking at the 2023 Nissan GT-R, it’s clear that it could put up quite a fight against the Hellcat. It doesn’t make as much power, but it has an all-wheel drive system to connect its power to the ground. Under its hood is a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 that makes 565 hp in its base form.

Stepping up to the NISMO model equates to an even higher power output of 600 and 481 lb-ft of torque. With that kind of power, the Nissan GT-R can get up to 60 mph in just 3 seconds and down the quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds.

It’s able to pull off these quick times through the use of launch control and other electronic wizardry. According to Car and Driver, “The GT-R’s quick steering, rigid structure, and adjustable suspension can make even amateurs feel positively heroic from behind the wheel.”

With the Nissan GT-R, it’s a point-and-shoot affair when it comes to drag racing.

How do these powerful cars fare up at the drag strip?

A search on YouTube will bring up plenty of examples of these two power monsters racing on the drag strip and on the street. However, the video above is a great indication of how they do against each other.

As we can expect, the Nissan GT-R is quicker off the line and takes the lead for a few feet at the start of the race, thanks to its all-wheel-drive system. But the Dodge Challenger Hellcat catches up quickly, and it looks like it’s neck-and-neck through the rest of the race.

It’s hard to tell which car won as the Challenger pulled off an 11.25-second time. However, a glitch in the track’s system didn’t log the GT-R’s time. Although, we can guess it crossed a little later.

Ultimately, It’s safe to say that the Challenger Hellcat is faster. Although, with some tuning, the GT-R can easily outrun it.

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