2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320: A Less Sinister, Less Expensive Demon
The Demon’s drag racing goodies are spreading to the rest of the Challenger lineup.
Year Make Model: 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320
Topline: Dodge adds another wild muscle car to the Challenger family with a drag-oriented beast that serves as a much more affordable alternative to the Demon.
What’s New: The R/T Scat Pack 1320 trim, which is named for the 1,320 feet in a quarter mile, is packing the 392 Hemi V8 which cranks out 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. The only available transmission is the TorqueFlight eight-speed automatic. What makes it a street-legal drag car is its SRT-tuned adaptive damping suspension with drag mode, line lock, TransBrake, torque reserve and extreme-duty 41-spline half shafts. The car comes standard with just a driver's seat, but you can get a passenger seat and back seat as individual $1 options. Standard tires are Nexen SUR4G Drag Spec 275/40R20 street-legal drag radial tired.
Quotable: “All it takes is an evening spent at a local drag strip to learn that the grassroots drag-racing community is large and extremely loyal to their cars,” says Fiat-Chrysler exec Steve Beahm. “We created the Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320 for the heart of the sport, the bracket racer who wants to drive to the track, suit up, go fast and go home with a big smile and maybe a trophy in the trunk with minimal prep and upkeep.”
What You Need to Know: So, the 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320 is targeted toward anyone who imagines themselves a grassroots drag racer. Dodge is presenting it as a blank canvas that people can make their own. Like all Dodge muscle cars, it’s intended to be used on both the street and the drag strip, giving it some measure of practicality. Starting at $45,980 with destination charges, it’s far more affordable than the Demon, the Hellcat, and even the SRT 392 variants of the Challenger. And with a quarter mile time of 11.7 seconds at 115 mph, Dodge claims you'll be getting the fastest naturally-aspirated, street-legal muscle car out there.
If you’re in the market for a production drag car, but don’t have the budget or the desire for something as crazy as the Demon, the Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320 will be a good fit. We wouldn’t call it subtle, but it is a bit toned down compared to the more insane and more expensive members of the ever-growing Challenger family. Dodge has made a recent habit out of mixing and matching parts from its bevy of Challenger trim packages to create new ones and keep the decade-old model fresh—but if the result is even more drag-oriented muscle cars like this, you won't hear us complaining.
