What was your reaction the first time behind the wheel of a Hellcat??

[EricG]

My Challenger is an M6, love it. But A8 has its charms too.

Like letting you look at the M6 cars in the rear view mirror

 

[YMMV]

First thought, wow this boat hauls ass. Next thought, wow there will be a lot of butt hurt going on after I mod this thing.

 

[Detroit Muscle]

Shock and awe

 

[Hemiride]

It doesn't have as much headroom as my old challenger srt
Then it has a lot less squeaks and rattles than the old car.
I can't wait for the first 500 miles to get racked up lol

 

[Skrelnik]

Rental in Vegas while on a family vacation. We were like we need this car, BUT, it needs a manual transmission. We waited and found the right one, but that was one fun ride in Vegas.

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

First time driving was after the paperwork was signed and it was mine. Was the first new car I ever bought for myself. My wife has always been spoiled. It was snowing the day I brought it home, didn’t romp on it too much until later that night when I picked up my brother and let him take it for a spin. Was too cold out to race our friends C7 Z06... but what an experience. The bark, the burble, the whine, the tire spin, the view looking out over the hood... I fall back in love with the car every time I get in it... 40,000 miles later.

 

[Sinister_cat]

I came from a 220rwhp hayabusa so I wasn't impressed with the speed (a bike will do that)... but I enjoyed all of the options and features that I'm still finding out the car has.

With the addition of the little one, the bike had to go and the 4 doors on the charger made it ok with the wife.

 

[NYCSRTATE]

HOLY SH*T!!!!!

 

[DGatzby]

It was my '15. I remember hearing the damn rear end whine right out of the box. Went a few blocks before getting onto an interstate type highway. My salesman who never rode in one, let alone run it was shotgun. It was in Track Mode and we were going 90 with about five miles on the new car and was not even close to trying to go 90 before we punched it down to street mode, and I got a handle on speed, in the new hot rod. Then I can take credit for it registering 1.1g on my first exit ramp! I said to him, well the suspension sure don't need a break-in, let's get this over with! After that it enjoyed a rather aggressive break-in I would say. That car is mean. It got a relatively good dyno, always did well on the course and lives happily in a much warmer place now. The Redeye received a much more "recommended" break-in. I knew it was bad to the bone, no demo was required.

 

[Kat von Himmel]

Once the motor hits its stride, the front end gets noticeably lighter, such as I have only experienced due to aero effects before, but on this car, it's the power and torque that is making it try to do a low-level wheelie. Quite exhilarating.

 

[coolblue]

Drove my first Hellcat (a used RE) about a month or so ago. Salesmen was never in one and the car was in eco mode although he said red key was on. I took it on service road and hammered it. My supercharged 6.1 would've kicked it's ass. Total disappointment. BUT the car handled and stopped exceptionally well and I knew it had way more in it. Found same car down south (NEW) 10K cheaper than even any used one on Long Island. Took it out on red key and wow...yeah it's got some power. Broke'm loose at @60MPH with tranny in sport mode and not a lot of effort. Brakes are as impressive as motor to me. My biggest problem is figuring out all the features. I bought the car and had it shipped to me, so absolutely ZERO tutorial on all the features and how to access them.
Any tips where I can find vids on the tutorial or secret procedures to open things up (like hold paddles, open door, click your heels 3X's and this will happen)?

 

[FatCat]

First one I even sat in is the one I own.....18 widebody A8. Didn't test drive it.....paid for it and started the 400 mile trip home. Got on the interstate and hammered her.....OEM tires broke loose and started to fish tale on me. Couldn't believe that Detroit could turn out a car that scared the sh-t out of me!!! By the time I got home it took a week to wipe the smile of my face!!

 

[72 440 Barracuda]

Couldn't believe that Detroit could turn out a car that scared the sh-t out of me!!! By the time I got home it took a week to wipe the smile of my face!!

Exactly - I am constantly impressed with the car and what it can do, but I am comparing it to older muscle cars I own.

 

[Matt someone with an SRT]

I was in utter disbelief that I was in this car at my age. It was surreal because I had been after it since late 2014 when it was announced. After I bought it, I just sat still in the car, took a deep breath, and then pushed the ignition with the biggest smile on my face.

It didn't feel real until I drove it off the lot, alone without a salesman in the back seat. I gunned it for the first time onto an on ramp and nearly pissed myself. This thing is insane, and I have a 2 hour drive home in it!

Love this car, it's my dream car and definitely lives up to its reputation. I just wish the mustang's and Prius' would stop wanting to race on the freeway.

I came from a Honda Accord...so yea there was a learning (driving) curve lol

Lol I had 2 Honda accords too. The first thing I thought when I was buying a new car was I want something that had a reliable transmission uhhhh huuummm not Honda! My short block of engine blew up twice. After realization of how I drive like an animal respectively.. I need a car with balls, brakes and real tires! Something that wasn’t an unstable tin can at 100 like the accord.. one nice day driving home from the shore a white 2016 Srt 392 Charger with blacked out windows was pulling down the on ramp.. at the time I didn’t even know what it was! But knew it was a Charger. The guy ripped it coming down the on ramp merging on while I was just next to/ behind him coming up on the highway in the right in my accord. That was the moment! At the time I had been thinking ehhh maybe I’ll buy an Infiniti Q50 or a Lexus RC .. once I heard and saw the SRT 392 Charger it was all over. Late 2016 I picked up my jazz blue 392. Kept her for 28000 miles. Of course after owning that car for a few months and being apart of the old hellcat.org I lusted for the Hellcat! All I could think was hellcat! For a time my dad called me Hellcat Matt with the 392 but then he was like nahhh! I can’t call you that anymore because it’s not a cat! I was like this is the last straw! Haha amongst other things! I really studied the Hellcats. Honesty I like the challenger but I was never really into The Whole look for my persona... something about the charger I just thought was totally badass.. it’s low key.. it’s stealthy.. fly’s Under the radar with super car like performance.. the hellcat presses all the buttons.. with a little DIY you can really tweak little customizations to make the Charger yours too! Which was all part of the fun for me. I love my hellcat and even though I took a 20k loss selling my 392. I love every second of the cat. When I’m not around my car I feel like I’m missing something. The power is great stress relief on those sunny nice early morning coffee runs. It’s why I get up in the morning on weekends with a smile.. and the lady at wawa would say ohhh are you working today! And I’d say nope! She be like ohh I’m surprised your not sleeping in... and what I don’t tell her is haha that’s because I’m up before the idiot motorists lady romping a 707 pony beast down every straight from here to home. You’d be up too! Haha if only you knew!

 

[Matt someone with an SRT]

Exactly - I am constantly impressed with the car and what it can do, but I am comparing it to older muscle cars I own.

I’m impressed what it does in below freezing temps. Freezing cold dense air, dry ground... go about 50 rollling into it and just mash it in all sport on a downhill slope that’s a long banker. You think this thing is insane on a straight. Wait to you do the downhill grade! reeeeeadiculous

 

[FatCat]

Exactly - I am constantly impressed with the car and what it can do, but I am comparing it to older muscle cars I own.

I owned a lot of the old muscle....but these things are CRAZY! Plus I get all the creature comforts that in my day could only be found in a Caddy.

 

[MaxCarnage]

First off I've enjoyed reading all your first time Hellcat stories thus far.

I started off with 4 bangers in my early 20s, and enjoyed racing them in mexico a lot, lol. I owned a few pretty quick ones like a 92 eagle talon awd turbo, and my 05' Neon-SRT4. The SRT4 was the first car I bought brand new at 23 and while the interior was plain as all hell the price point was cheap for a car that made 220whp. I was addicted to all things boosted after owning a turbo. When I sold it in 2011, she was making 450whp/350wtq on a big boy turbo. I really enjoyed the smooth shifting transmission that car had, never had to do much but put a better clutch in it, after the 2 step fried the first one with too much boost off the line. When 2011 hit, I decided I needed a break and sold it.

I saved my pennies here and there, deciding that I wanted a V8, just not sure what V8 I really wanted. So I slowly started to build a 1971 gen 1 challenger in 2013. After the Hellcat came out in 2015 I wanted one, and couldn't take it any longer in 2017 deciding to part out and sell my 71' Challenger.

I knew I wanted a 6 speed (or so I initially thought), and found a 15' with 928 miles on it at a dealer while my buddy was shopping for a Ram. When all the numbers worked out and I knew I could have it, that was it. The aggressive looks, growl, the power, and the supercharger whine. All intoxicating. Then, after owning it over the summer of 18' I was getting a bit annoyed with the long gearing the M6 has and the wheel hop (drag radials helped). I debated on going to an automatic for the first time ever. Not really wanting to just trade to the auto, I waited a bit. Once the announcement for the Redeye came out, I knew that was enough to push me to trade. I ordered the Redeye brand new, just the way I wanted it. The dealer hooked me up with a killer trade in (Almost what I paid for it in 17'). Once I got the Redeye on the road and I drove that awesome auto that is the ZF A8 I knew this was exactly what I wanted. I've had the Redeye coming on a year now, and no regrets. It has been by far the most fun I've ever had in a performance vehicle. Unless it's an old school pistol grip 4 speed manual, I will never buy a manual again in a modern car. Going from the M6 to the A8, was just insane. The fact that Dodge sells a car like a Hellcat to anyone is ludicrous! Love them for doing so, and I feel very blessed to have one in my garage.

 

[Hickster]

Ha Hell,,, look at tat idiot with Euo paddle snappers tat can't shift. Not a manly hand in the Cat. Wat's a sifting point??

 

[Hunter]

Drove my first Hellcat (a used RE) about a month or so ago. Salesmen was never in one and the car was in eco mode although he said red key was on. I took it on service road and hammered it. My supercharged 6.1 would've kicked it's ass. Total disappointment. BUT the car handled and stopped exceptionally well and I knew it had way more in it. Found same car down south (NEW) 10K cheaper than even any used one on Long Island. Took it out on red key and wow...yeah it's got some power. Broke'm loose at @60MPH with tranny in sport mode and not a lot of effort. Brakes are as impressive as motor to me. My biggest problem is figuring out all the features. I bought the car and had it shipped to me, so absolutely ZERO tutorial on all the features and how to access them.
Any tips where I can find vids on the tutorial or secret procedures to open things up (like hold paddles, open door, click your heels 3X's and this will happen)?

They DID show you the "Secret" handshake, right?

 

[Hunter]

Traded in my 16 Shaker Scat for my first HC.
So went from 485 to 707.
Bought it used, going upside down on my loan (14,000) trading the scat in.
Salesmen at dealership were not allowed to use red key, so my first, second, third, and forth test drives were with salesmen who wanted a ride.
First thing I learned; never, ever, go WOT while changing lanes.
On way home from dealership, wanted to pass a truck, changed lanes and went WOT at same time.
Dang thing started fishtailing.
The ear to ear grin appeared, and (in my second HC) is still there.