Dodge Challenger SRT Demon Uses A/C to Cool Its Jets
CARS.COM — The latest tidbit in Dodge’s ongoing tease for the coming 2018 Challenger SRT Demon spotlights how it will use its air conditioning to cool engine intake air. The full reveal of the drag-race-optimized Demon version of the Challenger SRT Hellcat is set for an event ahead of the 2017 New York International Auto Show in April.
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Cooler air is denser and makes for more power than hot air. But it’s not easy to achieve with the Demon’s supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 throwing off heat. Other cars have used intercoolers to help cut temperatures. Dodge says the Demon will be the first production car equipped from the factory with a liquid-to-air charge air-cooler system.
In short, when the car is in Drag Mode, it diverts the air-conditioning system to chill the engine’s charge air-cooling system rather than cooling you off. And Dodge says the technology results in a 45-degree reduction in intake air temperature. It did not say what that will translate to in power boost.
The Demon also already features an air-intake system that includes what Dodge claims is the largest-ever factory hood scoop, a sealed air box and ducting, and a pair of air-catcher headlights.
We’ll have full details of the Demon debut here, so check back.
Dodge’s countdown to the reveal is here. Check out the latest Demon video tease — “No Ice” – below.
