JAMES MAY HATES THE DODGE CHARGER HELLCAT

Drivetribe has a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat as a long-term loaner car that’s been making the rounds throughout their offices, and it’s already passed through honorary American Richard Hammond, who was obviously smitten with the beast. Now it’s the turn of another Grand Tour presenter to review of one of the most powerful sedans in the world, and that presenter is James May. We don’t expect Captain Slow to say very nice things about it. And he didn’t.

James starts off by calling the car “ridiculous”, it’s big and wide, which doesn’t usually work too well in the UK, as the roads are sized more fittingly for horse and carriage than 707 horses at once. James then goes on to plug his gin, while also calling the Charger a dog. Of course, we know that the Hellcat is definitely not a dog, and can accelerate from 0-60 in just 3.7 seconds.

The Dodge Charger Hellcat is sort of like an American version of the BMW M5, which Drivetribe also has in its stable. James May loves the M5, but it appears that pouring barbecue sauce on it doesn’t make it taste any better. Nevermind that the Hellcat is some $30,000 more attainable than the cliched German.

The hate really starts to flow as James starts to inspect the interior, which in his words is made up of old milk jugs and “dead cow’s ass”, and does nothing to impress the long-haired, cranky journalist. He even goes as far so say that the interior “is not polite”, which perhaps might be a contentious gripe about a car with over 700 horsepower that only costs over 60,000 pounds in the UK.

There is a bit of reprieve in the strife when the hood of the Dodge Charger Hellcat is opened and James is awestruck at the massive supercharged V8, but it doesn’t last long, as some of the quality of the under-hood ancillaries come into question. Hemi orange paint on the valve covers gives James a final bit of joy, but overall he doesn’t seem extremely impressed. But that’s okay. James May doesn’t have to get it. Because so many others actually do.