2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock Review: Power Up (2024)

by Gerhard Horn

The Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock makes the current German power wars look… cute. The BMW M8 Coupe is a prime example. It came along with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 producing up to 617 horsepower, which is more than the 603 hp produced by AMG's twin-turbo V8 in the Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe. The Super Stock has 807 hp. War ended.

Instead of simply adding ten or so horses to get the more significant figure, Dodge completely terminates this silly war by launching a Challenger with 807 hp. If the car world were a school playground, the Challenger SRT Super Stock would be the bully. It punches Jerry in the neck, takes his lunch money, buys too much candy with it, and as a result, vomits all over the other kids' school bags.

The SRT Super Stock is a sort of replacement for the limited-run Demon, but production will not be limited. This is good news, as Dodge is essentially democratizing power. The Demon suffered from inflated prices, ending up in the hands of a select few. Thanks to the Super Stock, more people can spend their weekends in drag (races). Of course, it's not the Germans but rather the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 that the Super Stock must conquer, so is that what it does?

• Granite Pearlcoat +$95
• Indigo Blue +$95
• Smoke Show +$95
• Triple Nickel Clearcoat +$95
• F8 Green +$95
• Frostbite +$95
• Stinger Yellow Clearcoat, Build Out: 10/07/2021 +$95
• Hellraisin +$395
• Octane Red Pearlcoat +$395
• Sinamon Stick +$395
• Go Mango +$395
• Pitch Black Clearcoat
• Torred Clearcoat
• White Knuckle Clearcoat

• 

  Engine

  6.2L Supercharged V8 Gas

  See Also

  First Drive: 2021 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock - The Detroit Bureau
• 

  Transmission

  8-Speed Automatic

• 

  Drivetrain

  RWD

We say this with as much respect as possible: the Super Stock is a one-trick pony. It's epic in a straight line and it easily spins the tires in the first three gears when they're cold. When the drag radials are warm, the grip is epic. These are usually reserved for track weapons, but in the Super Stock case, it's meant to provide as much grip as possible on the rear axle. It also comes with a limited-slip differential and a Bilstein adaptive suspension. In Track mode, the rebound damping at the front is slackened to send as much weight as possible to the rear. The track Dodge refers to in this mode is a drag strip and not any track with corners.

You can also feel its dedication to straight-line speed in the way it goes around a corner. It does so perfectly fine at a reasonable pace, but on the limit, it understeers. This can be prevented by giving it some stick, in which case it oversteers. Oversteering with grippy drag radials is not advised. They don't grip as other tires do. You have monumental grip until the moment you don't, and then there's no safety net to catch you. The Super Stock is equipped with four-piston Brembo brakes instead of the six-piston brakes you get on Hellcat and Scat Pack models. Its smaller 18-inch wheels don't leave enough space for the six-piston calipers.

Usually, we'd be annoyed with a one-trick pony, but in this case, the trick is so good that we wouldn't mind playing it on repeat. To further enhance the straight-line speed, Dodge includes all of the usual SRT Race Options as standard on the Super Stock. These include Line Lock, Launch Control, Power Chiller, Race Cooldown and Torque Reserve.

• 

  Trunk Volume

  16.2 ft³

• Basic:

  3 Years\36,000 Miles

• Drivetrain:

  5 Years\60,000 Miles

• Corrosion:

  5 Years\Unlimited Miles

• Roadside Assistance:

  5 Years\60,000 Miles

Some secretly laugh at cars like this and their inability to cope with real track time, but there can be no doubting the Dodge SRT Super Stock's insane mastery of its chosen field of expertise. We guess it depends on what your definition of track time is, which boils down to whether you respect drag racing or not.

We love a good drag race. There's an old anecdote suggesting that car racing was invented the moment Karl Benz built his second car. And that first race was likely a drag race. It's entertainment in its rawest, most enjoyable format. Two cars line up in front of the Christmas Tree, and only one emerges victorious ten seconds later. Throw in some noise, smoke, and a crowd vibrating in anticipation, and you have the recipe for a really good time. In this world, the Super Stock makes complete sense. It's a nerdy numbers car, and while some people may look down at their noses at the Dodge, a larger group of car nerds will spot the drag radials and tell-tale lightweight alloys, point and say, "that's a hella cool car."

The only thing that annoys us is that it's not faster. We know Dodge can do better because of the Demon. We know Dodge promised that it wouldn't make more Demons, so the existing 3,000 cars retain their value, but it could have made more effort to give the Super Stock its unique character.

It seems odd to compare a car against itself, but there is some method to our madness. As mentioned earlier, the Super Stock is a one-trick pony. The Hellcat Redeye is a more rounded muscle car that's nearly as fast. Independent tests have shown that the 797-hp Redeye can get to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, while the quarter-mile is completed in under 12 seconds. At the top end, it's much faster than the Super Stock. Dodge claims a top speed of 203 mph.

The $9,000 cheaper Redeye is better suited to a twisty track, though it's not exactly a sporty masterpiece. You'll never beat track records, but the Redeye will provide loads of sideways action. The standard six-piston calipers are much better suited to track use. The only thing the Super Stock has going for it is the fact that it's the most. It has the most power and the best-claimed acceleration and quarter-mile times. Considering this is an emotional purchase, that's enough reason to declare the Super Stock as the winner.

The Ford is proof that you can have it both ways. Ford claims the GT500 can sprint to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, and you won't be able to feel the difference from behind the wheel - unless you live at the drag strip and have access to a timer.

What we love most about the GT500 is that it doesn't just go fast in a straight line. It's poised through the corners, and it decimates the Dodge when it comes to ride and handling. The Dodge is bigger and more practical but does that even matter when it comes to cars like these? The GT500 is over $7,000 cheaper than the Super Stock and it has a broader range of abilities. We also like the model-specific touches on the Ford, which gives it a unique character utterly separate from standard Mustang models. We like the more rounded nature of the Ford, which is why it gets the nod from us.