[Maro_89]

Originally Posted by ZX-10R

Never understood the appeal of super heavy boat cars that only go fast in a straight line - it's kind of mindless. Then again, people ride heavy choppers with extended forks. The same people are almost always out of shape and and couldn't do anything with a sportbike anyway

More power I can understand, but a ZL1 can get to 700+ rwhp fairly easily. If you need more than that on the street you're probably more of a dreamer than a realist

700 plus nice. What kind of mods does it take to reach that number?

[Sakudog]

Just got in from driving my good friend's Hellcat Widebody M6 with the Redkey. The car is 100% stock and it pulls really hard on the big end. The chassis feels very, very dated because it is. The brakes are great, similar to the ZL1 but they have to stop another 650-750lbs and the car just floats all over the place at threshold braking. The interior is more GT car than Sports car and I have to say the car sure is comfortable, like a big couch. The blower is very loud, which is actually really cool, I like that part about the driving experience. Not a big fan of the clutch, releases pretty high and it's easy to stall the car, which is funny considering how much torque the motor makes. The stereo is pretty great, the infotainment is also, very great. I can see where the appeal is for someone who just wants a car that's pretty quick in the straight line and fun to drive around. It is by no means a "track focused" car, but it doesn't pretend to be what it isn't. The Hellcat isn't for me, but I can see how it could be for someone who value a big GT car over a sports car that will see track days.

[TheRealJA105]

Originally Posted by Alain

I own both.
They are totally different cars. Hard to compare them with each other, they are built with two different purposes in mind. I thought I was going to end up selling one of them at some point but after the first six months of owning both I realized they are two totally different machines.

They both bring their own version of fun in the street.

The Hellcat's raw power, and ability to go sideways at any moment brings it's own brand of fun. Myself and anyone who gets in the passenger seat (usually my girlfriend) giggle like school girls whenever I blip the throttle. The sounds it makes (blower whine and exhaust) makes the car incredibly fun to drive on the local streets.

The ZL1 1LE doesn't feel as raw as the Hellcat in the local streets. You have to get the Camaro up to speed and into some twisty back roads and it will deliver. But, it will deliver with a slightly different brand of fun than the Hellcat. It's not the giddy schoolgirl giggling the Hellcat brings. ZL1 1LE delivers more of an awe-inducing, serious brand of fun. Meaning, more like a "wow, I can't believe this car can do that", that will bring it's own giggling and fun.

In my opinion, on local town roads the Hellcat is more fun to drive. You don't need high speeds or a lot of room to get that thing to act stupid (in a good way). If you don't live anywhere near twisty back roads, the Hellcat is the beast for you.

On local town rods the Camaro always leaves me wanting more, it's too quiet and too refined. In order for the Camaro to come alive it needs to be at speeds on a twisty back road. In that scenario the Hellcat takes a lot of effort to drive hard which in turn detracts from the fun factor.

BUT, if you realize that the Hellcat is not supposed to be hugging tight corners and you are ok with that and drive it accordingly, the twisty back roads can be fun as well.

Luckily for me where I currently live (on the border of Northern NJ and Upstate NY) I have my pick of either local, main street type roads (tons of fun with the Hellcat) and twisty mountainous terrain (tons of fun with the Camaro).

I love both of them and I'm truly lucky to be able to have both. My mood for the day is the deciding factor for which car I drive.


By the way the 350R falls somewhere in between the two.

Originally Posted by Sakudog

Just got in from driving my good friend's Hellcat Widebody M6 with the Redkey. The car is 100% stock and it pulls really hard on the big end. The chassis feels very, very dated because it is. The brakes are great, similar to the ZL1 but they have to stop another 650-750lbs and the car just floats all over the place at threshold braking. The interior is more GT car than Sports car and I have to say the car sure is comfortable, like a big couch. The blower is very loud, which is actually really cool, I like that part about the driving experience. Not a big fan of the clutch, releases pretty high and it's easy to stall the car, which is funny considering how much torque the motor makes. The stereo is pretty great, the infotainment is also, very great. I can see where the appeal is for someone who just wants a car that's pretty quick in the straight line and fun to drive around. It is by no means a "track focused" car, but it doesn't pretend to be what it isn't. The Hellcat isn't for me, but I can see how it could be for someone who value a big GT car over a sports car that will see track days.

I didn't trade my Hellcat for a ZL1 but I did for a supercharged SS and these guys pretty much nail it. I traded mine because I was trying to track the Hellcat and it just isn't made for that. Though it does handle much better than most give it credit for.

[Alain]

If you accept the Hellcat for what it is, it’s an incredible machine. It’ll do things that a 4400 pound car shouldn’t be able to do.

It’s step on the gas and laugh, it doesn’t care about G forces On a skid pad or braking distances.

I’d love to get into a Red Eye for the extra 100 horsepower it has over my 2016. But mine is paid off and I just can’t get myself to get into another round of car payments. I’d rather throw 3K at mine and get it up to the 900+ horsepower range.

[ZX-10R]

Originally Posted by Alain

If you accept the Hellcat for what it is, it’s an incredible machine. It’ll do things that a 4400 pound car shouldn’t be able to do.

Not really - every track (roadcourse) test I've ever seen it gets humiliated by multiple seconds - basically an eternity. Not that the ZL1 is light, but the chassis is light years ahead of that big boat. No comparison

[URBAN LEGEND]

Originally Posted by ZX-10R

Not really - every track (roadcourse) test I've ever seen it gets humiliated by multiple seconds - basically an eternity. Not that the ZL1 is light, but the chassis is light years ahead of that big boat. No comparison

He implied straight line. Which is what Dodge said the car is for. Dodge said back then that if you’d want a track car they have the Viper ACR for you.

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by URBAN LEGEND

He implied straight line. Which is what Dodge said the car is for. Dodge said back then that if you’d want a track car they have the Viper ACR for you.

Agreed. I don’t know anyone buying a Hellcat for road course work.

[TheRealJA105]

Originally Posted by ZX-10R

Not really - every track (roadcourse) test I've ever seen it gets humiliated by multiple seconds - basically an eternity. Not that the ZL1 is light, but the chassis is light years ahead of that big boat. No comparison

You haven't seen a good driver in a Hellcat get held up by an "Advanced" driver in a C7Z06? I have haha

[Pantherzl1]

The hellcat from factory sounds super muffled, it only gets loud once you cut the mufflers.

[Pantherzl1]

Also I’m tired of 6 speed 1le folks saying hellcats are faster, drive the regular 10’speed zl1 and see the difference your self. Red eyes have trouble catching me past 140.

[JamesP]

Originally Posted by Alain

I own both.
They are totally different cars. Hard to compare them with each other, they are built with two different purposes in mind. I thought I was going to end up selling one of them at some point but after the first six months of owning both I realized they are two totally different machines.

They both bring their own version of fun in the street.

The Hellcat's raw power, and ability to go sideways at any moment brings it's own brand of fun. Myself and anyone who gets in the passenger seat (usually my girlfriend) giggle like school girls whenever I blip the throttle. The sounds it makes (blower whine and exhaust) makes the car incredibly fun to drive on the local streets.

The ZL1 1LE doesn't feel as raw as the Hellcat in the local streets. You have to get the Camaro up to speed and into some twisty back roads and it will deliver. But, it will deliver with a slightly different brand of fun than the Hellcat. It's not the giddy schoolgirl giggling the Hellcat brings. ZL1 1LE delivers more of an awe-inducing, serious brand of fun. Meaning, more like a "wow, I can't believe this car can do that", that will bring it's own giggling and fun.

In my opinion, on local town roads the Hellcat is more fun to drive. You don't need high speeds or a lot of room to get that thing to act stupid (in a good way). If you don't live anywhere near twisty back roads, the Hellcat is the beast for you.

On local town rods the Camaro always leaves me wanting more, it's too quiet and too refined. In order for the Camaro to come alive it needs to be at speeds on a twisty back road. In that scenario the Hellcat takes a lot of effort to drive hard which in turn detracts from the fun factor.

BUT, if you realize that the Hellcat is not supposed to be hugging tight corners and you are ok with that and drive it accordingly, the twisty back roads can be fun as well.

Luckily for me where I currently live (on the border of Northern NJ and Upstate NY) I have my pick of either local, main street type roads (tons of fun with the Hellcat) and twisty mountainous terrain (tons of fun with the Camaro).

I love both of them and I'm truly lucky to be able to have both. My mood for the day is the deciding factor for which car I drive.


By the way the 350R falls somewhere in between the two.

I have a 2019 ZLE and 2020 Trackhawk and I couldn't agree more with the fun factor of the Hellcat engine, especially in a Jeep with 4 wheel drive. Great write up.

[Sakudog]

Originally Posted by Pantherzl1

Also I’m tired of 6 speed 1le folks saying hellcats are faster, drive the regular 10’speed zl1 and see the difference your self. Red eyes have trouble catching me past 140.

Yes, this... my friends Purple Hellcat Widebody M6, referenced above, he's been racing since he was 16, like me and he can shift a manual with the best of them. When my car was bone stock, we ran from several different roll speeds and I pulled him every shift, every time, all the way to 170mph. It was always close, with my ZL1 1LE edging him out over the race, ending with about a 1/2 car between us if he hit all of his shifts.

Now the ZL1 1LE has a larger blower (2650R) and 700 rwhp so we don't even mess with it, last night we took out my FBO ATS-V and it pulled about 3-4+ cars on my ATS-V every roll race, but from a dig my ATS-V slaughtered that thing because Alpha chassis wants to HOOK!

[Alain]

Originally Posted by ZX-10R

Not really - every track (roadcourse) test I've ever seen it gets humiliated by multiple seconds - basically an eternity. Not that the ZL1 is light, but the chassis is light years ahead of that big boat. No comparison

Like Urban Legend mentioned, you totally missed my point. Like it or not dude, the Hellcat is a great American muscle car !!

Originally Posted by URBAN LEGEND

He implied straight line. Which is what Dodge said the car is for. Dodge said back then that if you’d want a track car they have the Viper ACR for you.

EXACTLY !!! I remember them making that statement About the Viper ACR in 2015.

Originally Posted by Joshinator99

Agreed. I don’t know anyone buying a Hellcat for road course work.

People are finally accepting this fact, that thing is not built for road course work. Dodge doesn’t care, they are actually smart enough to acknowledge it and put emphasis on What the car is good at......... muscle.

Originally Posted by Pantherzl1

The hellcat from factory sounds super muffled, it only gets loud once you cut the mufflers.

Opinions on the exhaust note are subjective just like when it comes to looks. They might have made some tweaks to the exhaust in the later years on the Hellcats and I missed it.

My 2016 is loud in all RPM ranges. At wide open throttle it sounds like the world is coming to an end.

Originally Posted by JamesP

I have a 2019 ZLE and 2020 Trackhawk and I couldn't agree more with the fun factor of the Hellcat engine, especially in a Jeep with 4 wheel drive. Great write up.

Dude, I wish you lived near me. I can only imagine what that Hellcat engine is like with 4 wheel drive !!! I would love a ride on one of those trackhawks !!

[ZRacerLE]

I'll put a vote in for the Hellcat being a really cool, fun car. Definitely admire those things. Not sure if it was stock, but one slightly walked away from my ZLE A10 after about 120mph. Good thing I couldn't care less about roll racing any more. I need to get a sticker that says "For laptimes only".