Revealed: 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody

Dodge cross-breeds a Demon and a Hellcat to give the Challenger more capability than ever.

Dodge has officially lifted the veil off of its new road course monster. Feast your eyes on the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody.

"Feast" is the right word, since that name is a mouthful. But what exactly does it mean? Well, the Widebody combines the best elements of its two top-dog Challengers, the SRT Hellcat and SRT Demon, to give customers who want it all, well, exactly what they want.

From the Demon, the Widebody inherits its namesake--a body kit which adds 3.5 inches to the car's overall width. This is the linchpin of the model's overall concept. Without it, Dodge couldn't outfit the Widebody with its true killer feature: a set of 305/35ZR20 Pirelli P-Zero performance tires on 20x11-inch wheels.

Challenger fans have been begging Dodge for more rubber (especially on the rear end) since the first SRT-8 model debuted nearly a decade ago. Early cars were equipped with 245- or 255-section-width tires (the former were all-seasons, if you can believe it), and simply don't afford the Challenger the sort of lateral grip that makes for fast road course times. Aftermarket fitment of 305mm tires required modifying the fenders--a step which the Widebody has taken out of customer hands.

Dodge says the extra tire is good for 2 seconds per lap on its 1.7-mile evaluation course--no joke in terms of lap times--and .04 g on the skidpad, allowing the Widebody to pull nearly a full g (0.97, factory-claimed). Oh, and Dodge claims the high-performance compound is good for three-tenths in the quarter-mile, meaning the Widebody is a ten-second Mopar.

There's more to the Widebody than just the extra body work and some wide tires, however. In fact, it's home to a first for the Hellcat: Electric power steering. Dodge claims the new system improves response and makes tighter maneuvering more pleasant, not to mention allowing for selectable steering settings in the Hellcat's drive mode options.

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody will be available for dealer orders starting in July with deliveries starting in early fall. MSRP is $71,495 (plus another $1,095 for destination).