Cringe in Agony as You Watch a Dodge Challenger Demon Burn to the Ground

One Dodge Challenger SRT Demon channeled its namesake this past Sunday, going up in flames in spectacular fashion until most of its front end was nothing but char. Despite what you might be assuming, this factory drag racer didn't burn up at the dragstrip or a racetrack but on the shoulder of a public highway. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported.

According to Autoevolution, the fire allegedly started after the Demon's eight-speed automatic transmission "grenaded" and began leaking fluid, which eventually made contact with the hot exhaust components. However, this remains hearsay and the official cause reportedly remains under investigation. For what it's worth, the report points to forum posts that say this particular car had recently been serviced.

In any case, here are some shots of the aftermath. 

While the front section of the car is positively charred, other sections look untouched. Also, we're not detectives but judging by the presence of the track-only front tires and a modified Z06 Corvette nearby, something tells us this Demon wasn't exactly in the middle of a relaxed, Sunday drive.

Packing a headline-friendly 840 horsepower, the Dodge Demon was built for one thing: dragstrip domination. Its 6.2-liter supercharged V-8, given enough room, will get the 'roided-up Challenger to a top speed of 168 miles per hour—or 203 if you opt for beefier tires and take off the electronic limiter. It'll do the ever-important quarter-mile sprint in under 10 seconds, 9.94 to be exact.

Given its extreme performance, we're not exactly surprised to see one go up in flames. Not that that makes it any less of a bummer, though, considering only 3,000 will be sold in the U.S.