Hellcat, Scat Pack, And Other Dodge Performance Names Explained

Muscle car heritage runs deep at Dodge.

Emme Hall | 

Jun 2, 2023 | 3 min read

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When it comes to high horsepower, Dodge has long made speed and V8 power its bread and butter, but folks new to this class of performance might find the model names confusing. Here's a primer to get you up to speed, so to speak.

The modern Dodge Charger was introduced in 2006 and the Challenger in 2008. While all models bring plenty of power to the pavement, the fun doesn't really begin until the Scat Pack.

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Scatting Around

Scat Pack was originally the name of a group of Charger models in the 1960s, but today you can find the moniker on both Charger and Challenger sedans. In either case Scat Pack variants get a 392 Hemi V8 engine with 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. Both of these are available in a widebody trim for a more planted stance and wider tires.

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Hellcat all the Cars

Next on the fun-o-meter is the SRT Hellcat. Again, this engine is available on both the Charger and Challenger. SRT stands for Street and Racing Technology while the Hellcat name is derived from an American World War II fighter aircraft. This engine goes big with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 with 717 horsepower and 656 lb-ft of torque in the Challenger, and 717 hp and 650 lb-ft in the Charger. As with the Scat Pack, the Challenger SRT Hellcat is available in a widebody. All of the Charger models in Hellcat trim, or higher, come in widebody form.

When 717 ponies isn't enough, drivers can opt for the SRT Hellcat Redeye, which takes that 6.2-liter supercharged V8 and tunes it to 797 ponies and 707 lb-ft of torque. Redeye Challengers are available in standard or widebody form, while Redeye Chargers get the widebody as standard equipment.

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Dodge is also offering the Jailbreak trim for both Charger and Challenger, unlocking past-verboten features in the two cars like paint colors and certain interior combinations. This model also squeaks 807 ponies out of that Hellcat powerplant for maximum tire-shredding burnouts.

For folks who really want to go big, they can pick up the Challenger SRT Super Stock. Named after an actual class in drag racing, the Super Stock comes with the same 807 horsepower as the Jailbreak, but is focused on drag racing performance.

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The Final Countdown

As Dodge prepares to electrify its fleet of vehicles, it will offer seven Last Call 2023 models within the Charger and Challenger lineups. These low-production editions include the Challenger Shakedown, based on the 2016 concept of the same name, the street- and drag-strip-ready Charger Super Bee and the retro-themed Charger and Challenger Scat Pack Swinger models. The Charger King Daytona harkens back to the West Coast drag racing scene while the Challenger Black Ghost is named after a famous car that raced along Detroit's famed Woodward Avenue back in the day.

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The final Last Call edition, the Challenger SRT Demon 170 — named after the proof content of the E85 fuel required for peak power — is the automaker's absolutely excessive send off. This particular Challenger can be ordered with a parachute mount and makes up to 1,025 horsepower and Dodge claims it can achieve an 8.91-second quarter-mile time.

Emme Hall

Emme Hall loves small convertibles and gets out to the canyons in her 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata whenever she can. You can also find her in the dirt in her lifted (yes, that's right) 2001 Mazda Miata, or racing air-cooled Volkswagens in races like the Baja 1000. She's taken first place twice in the Rebelle Rally — once driving a Jeep Wrangler and then a Rolls-Royce Cullinan the second time. She was also the first driver to take an electric vehicle to the Rebelle Rally when campaigning the Rivian R1T to a top-five finish.