When Dodge first unleashed the Challenger Redeye a few years ago, the world wondered whether the Charger would be allowed to take a bite out of the same forbidden fruit. The wait for it took longer than anticipated, but Dodge has now taken the wraps off of the 2021 Dodge Charger Redeye which aims to solidify its status in the muscle car wars.
The Redeye is also out to stake Dodge’s claim of building the fastest production sedan in the entire world thanks to its 6.2 liter supercharged Hellcat V8. Like the Challenger Redeye, the Charger version produces 797 horsepower and an equally stout 707 lb-ft of torque.
These figures still make it the most powerful sedan money can buy, but it’s not the fastest, with the Charger losing two mph to the Alpina B7 performance sedan. But with the sheer amount of insanity on board, as well as a 203 mph top speed. Dodge is pretty confident that little technicality will not be an issue. After all, the firm is quick to point out that it is still the fastest mass produced sedan that money can buy.
But enough posturing, let’s get to the real heart of the matter, and that’s the 6,2 liter supercharged Hellcat V8 lurking under the hood. Like the Challenger version, the engine borrows some of the Demon’s DNA. But it gets stronger pistons and connecting rods, updated valve train, changes to the fuel and lubrication system, as well as a larger 2.7 liter supercharger capable of delivering over 14.5 lbs of on demand boost. The Redeye also gets the Demon’s Power Chiller system which works with the built in Race Cool Down feature to help quickly reduce heat soak during passes at the local drag strip.
On that subject, the Redeye should have no problem slaying the quarter mile, with Dodge reps revealing that it can scorch the quarter mile sprint in 10.6 seconds at 129 mph. the 0 to 60 run is done in the low 3 second range, and buyers will be happy to hear that the Redeye holds a slight advantage over a standard issue Hellcat in an all out track battle. Dodge did not reveal what tires were used to achieve those numbers, but being a family sedan at heart, the Redeye does come equipped with standard 305/35ZR-20 Pirelli all-season rubber. A fortified eight speed automatic helps send power to the rear wheels, while high strength steel prop shafts and 41 spline half shafts offer increased torque capacity over a standard Hellcat model. The Redeye also comes with the usual assortment of SRT driving modes including the Performance Pages App.
At its core, the Redeye is a Dodge Charger, and as such, the core aspects of it styling DNA remain intact with the front and rear fascias being shared with other Chargers. However, the Redeye gets the Widebody package which adds 3.5 inches of width to the car, while an all new hood features functional hood scoops to help pull heat from the engine bay after hard driving. Other changes to the induction system help the engine breathe better, and at a glance, you would be forgiven if you mistake the Redeye for a lesser Hellcat model. However, things get a bit clearer when you look inside, with the Redeye getting a 220 mph speedometer as well as Redeye logos scattered about including on the splash screen, keyfob, and instrument badging. Unlike the Challenger, you cannot opt to have the rear seat removed, but look for that to not bother buyers too much since they want their track slaying sedan to still be able to haul the kids off to soccer and other family activities during the week.
Pricing for the 2021 Dodge Charger Redeye has not been released as of yet, but we suspect that it will be a $5,500 upgrade over the base $72,095 “base” Hellcat. That should translate to a figure that is around $80,000 when ordering for the Charger Redeye opens up this fall. Hopefully we will have official pricing by then, with the first units making their way to dealerships next spring.
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Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.