Zac Quinn 
The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 reveal was epic, something of theatrical proportions. The potent muscle car arrived at the Last Call Festival via Kaman K-MAX helicopter, then proceeded to race down the drag strip with flames in the background. So naturally, the most potent Dodge muscle car ever created has a ton of hype surrounding it, but people need to know how it handles before getting one to cruise around town. Jay Leno recently got to drive the Demon 170, as presented by the “First Drive” video on his YouTube channel.
Did Jay Leno Like The Dodge Challenger Demon 170?
Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis handed over the keys to the same Dodge Challenger Demon 170 that wowed the crowd in Las Vegas. As expected, the Dodge Demon 170 doesn’t disappoint with the power that rests just below the driver’s right foot, but as pointed out by Jay Leno, it handles like a dream without any tire rub. As seen at the very start of the video, just putting your foot down a small amount causes the front of the car to lurch upward, as if it’s getting ready to pop a wheelie, which we know it’s capable of achieving.
Kuniskis takes some time at the beginning of the video to talk about the newest creation from Dodge, giving us a closer look at what goes together to create this beast. When starting the build, Dodge set out to build upon the original Challenger SRT Demon, but as they worked, it turned out that everything needed to be redone. So this is essentially an entirely new car, minus the sheet metal that makes up the body. One factor that plays into the impressive speed that the Demon 170 has is what connected the vehicle to the ground. The wheels alone are close to thirty pounds lighter, but that alone doesn’t make a difference, as the weight is centered in the middle, while the more delicate part is the carbon fiber on the outside. This results in the tires spinning faster which helps give the car the record-breaking acceleration it has.
At around 17 minutes, after Kuniskis and Leno finish talking about what makes this car so impressive, they get inside the cabin to discuss the software, which can be accessed at the driver’s fingertips through the infotainment screen. At around 21 minutes, Jay Leno starts the car and leaves the garage to take the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 for a drive, giving us his opinion on how the car drives. Given his vast collection of vehicles, it’s safe to say he knows what he’s talking about regarding vehicle handling.
