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First Drive: Dodge Charger Hellcat 4dr Auto

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First Drive: Dodge Charger Hellcat 4dr Auto | Top Gear

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First Drive: Dodge Charger Hellcat 4dr Auto

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Pat Devereux psyches up for a spin in the world’s fastest four-door saloon, the 707bhp Charger Hellcat

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First Drive: Dodge Charger Hellcat 4dr Auto

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First Drive: Dodge Charger Hellcat 4dr Auto

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What's this?The fastest four-door saloon you can buy

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otherwise known as the 2015 Dodge Charger Hellcat. With a top speed of 204mph and an NHRA-verified quarter mile time of 11 seconds dead

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there's nothing this side of a Hennessey VR1200 that will get you to where you want to go - and in trouble - faster. Or more cheaply.Despite boasting the same 707bhp supercharged V8 first seen in the two-door Challenger Hellcat

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and a completely new bodyshell - only the rear doors are carried over - you can buy an example of this insanity for just over $64k. That's $4k more than the hellacious Challenger

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but there has been some extra work here.Like what?The whole car has been tuned to be less savage and more civilized than the Challenger. The suspension is slightly softer

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the ride more compliant - thank thinner front and rear anti-roll bars for that. There is more sound insulation and the exhaust valves shut earlier to reduce noise at motorway speeds.But that's about it. It still comes with a red key for full power

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and a black one for days when 500bhp will do. We have no idea when those days are

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but there you go.What have they done to the design?The Charger has been trying to get its design mojo back for years. From being one of the most aggressive and fearsome-looking beasts when it was launched back in 1966

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it lost a lot of its '68 Bullitt bad boy appeal when it was relaunched in 2006 as a four door. The new Challenger

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restored some butch appeal to the brand when it re-emerged in 2008

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has been in its shadow.And now?The Challenger is still the true thug of the range

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but the new-look Charger at least looks like it belongs to the same gang now. By smoothing off some corners

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widening the grille and making the styling generally more slick

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the design team has made the Charger appear smaller

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tighter and more purposeful. The interior has also had a proper makeover

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which makes it now a heap better than before.How does it go?The Charger Hellcat is immediately quieter and less taxing to drive than the Challenger

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smoothing over road irregularities rather than reporting each one through the steering wheel and seat.But the good news is the Hellcat is ready and willing to get busy any time you want. Roll-on acceleration is extraordinary and will crush just about everything else on the road. Even with all the electric nannies switched on it will get diagonal - if you want to - out of every junction and roundabout. With them switched off

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you're truly on your own with the chassis and that engine.What about on track?If it sounds a bit odd to be powering a two-tonne car around a smallish racetrack

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it doesn't feel it from behind the wheel of the Hellcat Charger. There is definitely more body-roll than the Challenger and it feels several degrees more removed from the action

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despite sharing the hydraulic steering rack. But it's still plenty of fun

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with throttle steering and burnouts the order of the day. This Charger might lack the ultimate finesse of the German super-saloons

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but it costs 50 per cent less. So no complaints.Should I buy one?If you want a Hellcat and absolutely have to have four doors

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in terms of design and driving characteristics

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but if you need or want the rear access and have passengers who enjoy the feeling of taking off every time you bury the throttle

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this fits the bill rather nicely. It's the performance saloon bargain of the decade.

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What's this?

The fastest four-door saloon you can buy, otherwise known as the 2015 Dodge Charger Hellcat. With a top speed of 204mph and an NHRA-verified quarter mile time of 11 seconds dead, there's nothing this side of a Hennessey VR1200 that will get you to where you want to go - and in trouble - faster. Or more cheaply.

Despite boasting the same 707bhp supercharged V8 first seen in the two-door Challenger Hellcat, and a completely new bodyshell - only the rear doors are carried over - you can buy an example of this insanity for just over $64k. That's $4k more than the hellacious Challenger, but there has been some extra work here.

Like what?

The whole car has been tuned to be less savage and more civilized than the Challenger. The suspension is slightly softer, the ride more compliant - thank thinner front and rear anti-roll bars for that. There is more sound insulation and the exhaust valves shut earlier to reduce noise at motorway speeds.

But that's about it. It still comes with a red key for full power, and a black one for days when 500bhp will do. We have no idea when those days are, but there you go.

What have they done to the design?

The Charger has been trying to get its design mojo back for years. From being one of the most aggressive and fearsome-looking beasts when it was launched back in 1966, it lost a lot of its '68 Bullitt bad boy appeal when it was relaunched in 2006 as a four door. The new Challenger, which has always been a two-door, restored some butch appeal to the brand when it re-emerged in 2008, but ever since then the Charger, in design terms at least, has been in its shadow.

And now?

The Challenger is still the true thug of the range, but the new-look Charger at least looks like it belongs to the same gang now. By smoothing off some corners, widening the grille and making the styling generally more slick, the design team has made the Charger appear smaller, tighter and more purposeful. The interior has also had a proper makeover, which makes it now a heap better than before.

How does it go?

The Charger Hellcat is immediately quieter and less taxing to drive than the Challenger, smoothing over road irregularities rather than reporting each one through the steering wheel and seat.

But the good news is the Hellcat is ready and willing to get busy any time you want. Roll-on acceleration is extraordinary and will crush just about everything else on the road. Even with all the electric nannies switched on it will get diagonal - if you want to - out of every junction and roundabout. With them switched off, you're truly on your own with the chassis and that engine.

What about on track?

If it sounds a bit odd to be powering a two-tonne car around a smallish racetrack, it doesn't feel it from behind the wheel of the Hellcat Charger. There is definitely more body-roll than the Challenger and it feels several degrees more removed from the action, despite sharing the hydraulic steering rack. But it's still plenty of fun, with throttle steering and burnouts the order of the day. This Charger might lack the ultimate finesse of the German super-saloons, but it costs 50 per cent less. So no complaints.

Should I buy one?

If you want a Hellcat and absolutely have to have four doors, yes. Our pick is still the Challenger, in terms of design and driving characteristics, but if you need or want the rear access and have passengers who enjoy the feeling of taking off every time you bury the throttle, this fits the bill rather nicely. It's the performance saloon bargain of the decade.

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What's this?

The fastest four-door saloon you can buy, otherwise known as the 2015 Dodge Charger Hellcat. With a top speed of 204mph and an NHRA-verified quarter mile time of 11 seconds dead, there's nothing this side of a Hennessey VR1200 that will get you to where you want to go - and in trouble - faster. Or more cheaply.

Despite boasting the same 707bhp supercharged V8 first seen in the two-door Challenger Hellcat, and a completely new bodyshell - only the rear doors are carried over - you can buy an example of this insanity for just over $64k. That's $4k more than the hellacious Challenger, but there has been some extra work here.

Like what?

The whole car has been tuned to be less savage and more civilized than the Challenger. The suspension is slightly softer, the ride more compliant - thank thinner front and rear anti-roll bars for that. There is more sound insulation and the exhaust valves shut earlier to reduce noise at motorway speeds.

But that's about it. It still comes with a red key for full power, and a black one for days when 500bhp will do. We have no idea when those days are, but there you go.

What have they done to the design?

The Charger has been trying to get its design mojo back for years. From being one of the most aggressive and fearsome-looking beasts when it was launched back in 1966, it lost a lot of its '68 Bullitt bad boy appeal when it was relaunched in 2006 as a four door. The new Challenger, which has always been a two-door, restored some butch appeal to the brand when it re-emerged in 2008, but ever since then the Charger, in design terms at least, has been in its shadow.

And now?

The Challenger is still the true thug of the range, but the new-look Charger at least looks like it belongs to the same gang now. By smoothing off some corners, widening the grille and making the styling generally more slick, the design team has made the Charger appear smaller, tighter and more purposeful. The interior has also had a proper makeover, which makes it now a heap better than before.

How does it go?

The Charger Hellcat is immediately quieter and less taxing to drive than the Challenger, smoothing over road irregularities rather than reporting each one through the steering wheel and seat.

But the good news is the Hellcat is ready and willing to get busy any time you want. Roll-on acceleration is extraordinary and will crush just about everything else on the road. Even with all the electric nannies switched on it will get diagonal - if you want to - out of every junction and roundabout. With them switched off, you're truly on your own with the chassis and that engine.

What about on track?

If it sounds a bit odd to be powering a two-tonne car around a smallish racetrack, it doesn't feel it from behind the wheel of the Hellcat Charger. There is definitely more body-roll than the Challenger and it feels several degrees more removed from the action, despite sharing the hydraulic steering rack. But it's still plenty of fun, with throttle steering and burnouts the order of the day. This Charger might lack the ultimate finesse of the German super-saloons, but it costs 50 per cent less. So no complaints.

Should I buy one?

If you want a Hellcat and absolutely have to have four doors, yes. Our pick is still the Challenger, in terms of design and driving characteristics, but if you need or want the rear access and have passengers who enjoy the feeling of taking off every time you bury the throttle, this fits the bill rather nicely. It's the performance saloon bargain of the decade.

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Pat Devereux psyches up for a spin in the world’s fastest four-door saloon, the 707bhp Charger Hellcat