Known for his obsession with power on Tool Time, even Tim Allen was impressed by the incredible power of the 2018 Dodge SRT Demon present in Jay Leno’s Garage. Touted by Leno as “the most powerful muscle car on the planet,” the Demon’s rule of the streets has ended.

A June 2019 announcement of the Demon’s discontinuation made by the head of FCA Passenger Cars, Tim Kuniskis, shocked the muscle car world. All American muscle-car enthusiasts have left is the legacy left behind by the most powerful Challenger ever built.

The specs on the Dodge Demon are impressive

When you lead off with a whopping 840 horsepower, all other specs tend to take a back seat, but a few other impressive specs attached to this newly “retired” phenom. Despite being 200 pounds lighter than the Hellcat, the Demon still comes in at 4,248 pounds, which is probably what keeps this car on the ground, though the Demon is the first production car capable of doing a wheelie. 

Its power comes from a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 capable of churning out 770 lb-ft of torque and producing 1.8g in g-force acceleration. Even using 91 octane fuel, Top Gear notes Dodge Hellcat’s maximum of 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque while Demon hammers out 808 hp and 717 lb-ft.

Production models of Demon come equipped with a TransBrake (used in drag racing to build up rpm before launch), the capacity to use 100+ octane fuel, only the driver’s seat (you can get front and rear passenger seats by spending an extra $1) and a record-breaking 45.2 square inches of functional hood scoop. Demon uses the first-ever liquid-to-air intercooling system to keep from burning up the engine, comes with street-legal drag radials, includes a drag-specific suspension system, and powerful braking to bring it from 60 mph to standstill in 97 feet. To add insult to injury, Demon outperforms most supercars even in its standard Eco-mode.

“Speed Demon” takes on a whole new meaning

Demon’s power set the record for 0 to 60 mph acceleration at 2.1, getting to 30 mph in just 1 second. In a quarter-mile from a standstill, the Dodge Demon can hit 140 mph and stop the timer at 9.65 seconds. The closest cars to that kind of speed are the McLaren, Porsche, and Ferrari, who lag with a tortoise-like time of 9.8 seconds.

A very affordable muscle car

Whenever you mention any horsepower level over 700, thoughts immediately jump to Lamborghini, Porsche, Ferrari, and McLaren price tags. While these supercars certainly have a higher status (and sticker prices) among millionaires, a 2018 Dodge Demon sold for around $85k and included an additional “Demon Crate” to add high-level features for $1 more. Even as an “exclusive” model, the 2018 Dodge Demon rarely exceeds a $130k price tag (about ¼ the price of the cheapest supercar), making it the most affordable muscle car.

Dodge Demon is the most powerful Challenger ever

Lots of cars, including various models of Dodge Challenger and plenty of supercars exceed 700 horsepower, but 800 horsepower, before the arrival of the 2018 Dodge Demon seemed impossible. At 840 horsepower, the Demon put an end to the horsepower myth and became not only the most powerful Challenger ever built but also the most powerful car ever to come off the production line.

Will there ever be a more powerful Challenger? It seems unlikely because Dodge elected to retire the Demon nameplate after shattering power and speed records. However, American muscle car lovers can sit back with a satisfied smirk. At the same time, supercar engineers scramble to come up with anything close to the power and price tag of the 2018 Dodge Demon.