The Hellcat Redeye and new Super Stock aren't the only Challengers for those seeking serious performance cred. In fact, if you’re really serious about hitting the strip, you should look no further than the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak specials, a new version of which was unveiled on Wednesday.
Offered via Mopar, the Challenger Drag Paks are dedicated, turnkey drag racers designed for National Hot Rod Association and National Muscle Car Association classes. This means they get a full roll cage fabricated to NHRA and NMCA specifications, along with other mandated safety gear.
The latest 2021 Challenger Drag Pak, according to Dodge, is the quickest yet, at least when it's powered by the 5.8-liter supercharged V-8 on offer. How quick? We're talking a quarter-mile ET in the seven seconds.
Dodge hasn't said how much horsepower makes the feat possible, but we know the engine, which is approved for NHRA FSS and NMCA classes, is aided by a newly developed 3.0-liter Whipple twin-screw supercharger, upgraded internals, a new accessory drive, and a new aluminum ice tank to keep the intercooler extra cool.
2021 Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak
Also under the hood is a small nod to the 1970-1974 ‘Cuda and Challenger models, with a special red and chrome tag on the radiator support. It features the silhouette of the Challenger, along with key info such as the vehicle code, axle ratio and engine designation. A badge on the dash also highlights the model.
The other big change for the 2021 model is a new suspension setup. It incorporates a new four-link rear setup that helps the car launch harder and stay planted throughout the run, i.e. reducing wheelspin. You'll find longer control arms, a wishbone link for lateral control (replacing a Panhard bar in prior models), plus a thicker anti-roll bar (250% stiffer than prior models).
2021 Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak
Up front, a unique Mopar K-member underpins the front suspension, and new on the 2021 model is an adjustable Drag Pak-specific tuned Bilstein coil-over shock at each corner. The shocks, which feature 10 settings, improve weight transfer and help soak up track bumps and undulations at high speeds.
The wheels are 15x10-inch at the rear and 17x4.5-inch at the front, and come wrapped in Mickey Thompson tires. Stopping power comes from Strange Engineering Pro Series II racing brakes.
2021 Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak
Inside is a new roll cage that's NHRA-certified to 7.5 seconds in the quarter-mile. The dash is also unique to the car and includes a carbon-fiber bezel with three primary gauges (rpm, brake pressure and oil pressure). In addition, a Holley EFI digital instrument cluster with a 7.0-inch, low-glare, full-color touchscreen display (for changing vehicle settings) sits where the Challenger's infotainment screen is normally located.
Just 50 build slots are available for 2021 and pricing starts at $143,485. There's no destination charge as buyers will need to arrange their own transport. The vehicles need to be picked up from Watson Engineering in Brownstown, Michigan, where production is scheduled to start in early 2021.
