The 4 Fastest Dodge Cars in the World

March 3rd, 2016 by
A car’s top speed is rarely something we get to test out in our daily lives. Nevertheless, owning a blazing-fast sports car is a classic childhood and adolescent dream, and for a few lucky car owners, it’s an adulthood reality. Even though we may not be able to properly put a Dodge Viper or Challenger through its paces barring a trip to the local race track (or an off-the-record visit to a quiet abandoned highway), we still appreciate all the effort the engineers put in to making the fastest, boldest cars of any decade.

1968 Dodge Charger R/T Hemi

The Charger was really the muscle car to beat back in the 1960s. This powerful vehicle hid a 7.0L V8 monster under the hood, which could produce 425 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque. Furthermore, only a limited number of Charger Hemis with the extra-powerful engine were ever produced. The ’68 Charger R/T Hemi could manage a 0-60 in 5.4 seconds, making it a real contender even by modern standards. Its theoretical top speed topped out at 140 miles per hour (mostly thanks to the limits of its four-speed transmission).

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi

The Dodge Challenger was a late addition to the pony car division, and it was one of the many casualties of the mid-’70s oil crisis. Until then, though, the Challenger lived up to its name as a contender against the kings of the pony car — the Mustang and the Camaro. Fitted with the same powerful engine as its colleague the Charger, the ’70 Challenger R/T Hemi with the right setup could clock an even sharper 0-60 in 5.1 seconds or deliver a top speed of 144 mph. It was also only produced in limited quantities.

1992 Dodge Viper RT/10

While muscle cars are nice, supercars may be even better. Dodge first unleashed the Viper on the world in 1992. Its practically nonchalant smooth curves made it an instant beauty queen. At the same time, its complete lack of frills or optional safety features made it a real rush to drive. The Viper borrowed its 8.0L V10 engine from the company’s truck division, which explained its 400 horsepower and 462 pound-feet of torque. Although it had less power on paper than Dodge’s older muscle cars, the Viper could manage a 0-60 in 4.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 165 mph.

2016 Dodge Viper SRT GT

Classics are nice, but there’s something to be said for modern technology. This third-generation Viper runs on an 8.4L V10, which can pull a full 645 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque out of thin air and use it to deliver a 0-60 time in 3.3 seconds as well as reach a staggering estimated top speed of 196 mph.

Dodge has always been a brand that likes to dabble in different markets, whether that market is muscle cars and sports cars or minivans and trucks. But while the brand may not identify with downscale sedans or high luxury, its history proves that it has the chops to dominate whenever it shows up.

 

Image via Pixabay

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