2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: Halo Car Comes Standard With TransBrake
With only two more weeks to go until the unveiling of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, anticipation is at its finest, especially with the American automaker teasing that the upcoming muscle car will deliver performance that will be one for the history books.
In the latest teaser titled "Lock and Load," Dodge reveals that the Challenger SRT Demon will be equipped with the highest level of dedicated drag car technology that is usually only seen in aftermarket or track-focused vehicles.
The upcoming performance halo car will be the first production vehicle to come standard with TransBrake, a mechanism that locks the output shaft of the automatic transmission to keep the car stationary until launch. This translates to quicker power delivery and higher engine launch torque potential — never before attained by street legal production cars.
In traditional setups, drivers usually utilize foot-brake launches, wherein they would have to step on both the brake and accelerator pedals to increase speed and keep the vehicle stationary.
But with the Dodge Demon's TransBrake, drivers can easily use their finger to trigger the launch of the muscle car, translating to a 30 percent reaction time advantage compared with foot-brake launches.
Furthermore, the TransBrake also works with Torque Reserve to enable brake-free launches up to 2,350 revolutions per minute (RPM) with a 105 percent increase in launch boost pressures and a 120 percent increase in engine launch torque. The TransBrake also comes with a driveline preload process that limits potential damage to the car's components.
More specific details and official performance numbers will be revealed when the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon makes its official debut on Tuesday, April 11, at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS). The high-powered muscle car will also be featured in the new car-centric film "The Fate of the Furious," arriving in theaters on Friday, April 14.