Every time a new high-performance car hits the streets, it’s only a matter of time before it hits something else, too. And while it took a little longer than expected, it appears we have evidence of the first serious crash involving a 840-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, an inexperienced driver, and an unlucky row of parked cars.
This distressing image showing the inaugural smashed Demon popped up on Instagram last week, courtesy of @mopar_addicts. The entire front end is pushed in and crumpled, with the heaviest damage concentrated in the right corner. If you look closely, you can see the car’s innovative Power Chiller A/C-based engine cooling unit exposed on the driver’s side. Amazingly, the wheels don’t seem too far out of alignment—but it’s clear this will be a heart-stopping repair bill.
There’s not much information available about the accident itself, though a commenter on the original post claims that the Demon met its demise in La Jolla, California after the less-than-skilled driver crashed into three parked cars. We haven’t been able to confirm the story, but it seems like a fitting explanation. Even though the car probably wasn’t running in the full 840-horsepower drag strip configuration, 808 horses are still an absolute handful. Perhaps those drag racing lessons on offer from Dodge and Bob Bondurant might have come in handy?
That same commenter also notes that no one was injured in the accident, with the possible exception of the owner’s pride and ego. While we’ve been waiting for the first Dodge Challenger SRT Demon to pop up at a salvage auction, we’re guessing this particular model will get a new lease on life considering the still-insane markups being added to the price of new or hardly used examples.