Prediction: The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Will Cost at Least $65k

The Hellcat Hemi Challenger will pack 707 horsepower, making it the 6th most powerful car in the world while ranking a stunning third in the world in terms of torque rating. The Challenger will offer power comparable to million dollar supercars and because of that, we can expect a price that is just as shocking to some as the power ratings. Mind you, the Challenger Hellcat wont cost anywhere near a million dollars – or anywhere near as much as the other production models that offer around 700 horsepower – but it will still cost way more than any other non-Viper or non-Ram that the Dodge brand has ever sold.

How To Estimate the Challenger SRT Hellcat Price
When trying to figure out how much the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat might cost, we should look at the price of the most comparable cars sold in America today. In my opinion, that list of vehicles includes the current 2014 Dodge Challenger SRT 392, the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and the Dodge Viper – or SRT Viper if you somehow prefer that nomenclature. The pricing and power levels of those cars are listed below. Prices are based on the entry pricing of the model in question or estimated numbers in the event that pricing is not yet available.

2014 Dodge Challenger SRT 392 – 470hp, 470tq, $46,680
2014 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang – 662hp, 631tq, $55,110
2014 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 – 580hp, 556tq, $57,650
2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 – 505hp, 481tq, $75,000
2014 SRT Viper – 640hp, 600tq, $102,485
2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 – 650hp, 650tq, Estimated $125,000

First off, the current 2014 Dodge Challenger SRT 392 with 470 horsepower has a starting price of $46,680 and when you add the automatic transmission option that price climbs by another $1,200. Once you begin adding options the price of the SRT 392 Challenger can quickly get up to $55,000. I expect that the Challenger SRT Hellcat will come very well appointed so imagine a near-loaded current Challenger, except with a new transmission, unique body panels and a supercharged engine that delivers 707 horsepower and 650lb-ft of torque…and you have a car that could easily cost $10,000 more than the current SRT Challenger.

Dodge Challenger Gallery
The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
The 2015 Dodge Challenger SXT in the wild
Comparison gallery between the 2013 and 2015 Dodge Challenger
The 2015 Dodge Challenger 392 Hemi Scat Pack Shaker

$65,000 is a whole lot of money for a Dodge Challenger and it is much higher than some of the hopeful prices I’ve read from enthusiasts online who are expecting the Hellcat to start in the 50s. Also, while $65k is quite a bit more than the GT500 or ZL1, keep in mind that those prices are before any options have been added. SRT has a habit of making their cars loaded in standard form and a fully loaded GT500 starts closer to $70k while the loaded up ZL1 prices out around $68,000. When you consider the fact that the Hellcat Challenger will pack significantly more power than the other two supercharged high performance American muscle cars, a heavily equipped base price of $65,000 seems far more reasonable.

Also, we have to keep in mind that the Hellcat Challenger will offer a ton more power than the $75,000 Camaro Z/28 AND the $102,485 SRT Viper. The Hellcat won’t allow the Challenger to handle like the Z/28, but it will almost certainly outrun it in a straight line while still costing less at $65,000. The Viper pricing is also significant as while the Challenger Hellcat is almost certainly going to undercut the pricing of the V10 Viper – we can bet that the company won’t want to undercut it by too much. Should Chrysler focus closely on the Viper pricing, we could easily see the Hellcat model climb into the 70s, but my safe money is still in the mid to high 60s.

Chrysler Wont Sell a Ton of Hellcats for 65k
I know that in suggesting that the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat should cost around $65,000, many Mopar lovers out there are screaming that it is way too much money for a Challenger. They are also insisting that with a pricing like that, the company won’t sell very many of them and they’re right. However, Chrysler knows that they aren’t going to sell as many Hellcat models as they do SRT 392 models as not everyone is in the market for the world’s most powerful muscle car. The Chrysler Group knows that this will be a lower volume car, just like the Camaro ZL1 and the Ford GT500 Mustang.

A price of $65,000+ will run off many current SRT Challenger owners, but the company isn’t targeting the average Challenger buyer with the new Hellcat model. The Challenger SRT Hellcat is a muscle car only in name and shape – with power levels that put it among the most powerful and most expensive supercars in the world. The Challenger SRT Hellcat will be the muscle car for supercar buyers and the rest of us will just have to be happy with being able to afford the 470 horsepower Challenger that starts in the lower 40s.

Update: Here is your quick look at the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat launching on the drag strip