Pikes Peak Dodge Will Climb to the Heavens with the 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Concept

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is not just an event; it's a festival. Sounds clichéd, but it's true. It has been the second-longest running race in the States in terms of racing tradition, the 2019 Edition being the 97th Pikes Peak Climb. It is not just about speed here, but it's about the physical and mental endurance a driver goes through to complete the climb. Nevertheless, it attracts a lot of attention every year and this year is no exception. Arguably, the most exciting thing about this year's Pikes Peak Hill Climb is Dodge's entry to the summit. If you are a Dodge fan, you might have guessed it already. The automaker is bringing its latest creation - the 2020 Dodge Charger Hellcat Widebody.

This Charger Will Break All Hell Loose

Dodge recently unveiled the Charger Hellcat Widebody at the SpringFest 14 in April 2019. But this model is going to be even more special. Perhaps, the most kickass version of the Charger seen to date. The Charger Hellcat Widebody is painted in red, black, gray, and white SRT livery. The Charger Hellcat Widebody will have more power, thicker tires, and a lot more braking ability. The reins of the piloting this beast have been given to Randy Pobst, a professional racing driver. The climb is not an easy one by any means and Dodge has been prepping its car for the same. The 6.2-liter, supercharged V-8 mill was reworked on, a roll cage was added, and the car was sent on a diet as well so it would be more agile to take up the 156 turns to reach the summit.

As of now, we just know that the Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Concept is going to be more powerful.Dodge has used Bilstein shock absorbers and production SRT suspension tuning to counter the conditions. As for the bodily appearance, the widebody treatment adds about 3.5-inches to the Charger’s body width, enables 20-inch by 11-inch wheels and wide, competition-spec tires.

Dodge has used six-piston Brembo brake calipers for the front wheels and four-piston Brembo calipers for the rear. Since the car needs to be a production-spec example, it carries an air conditioning compressor, similar to the production car.

Is It A Friend, or a 'Challenger'?

The car will be competing Wesley Motorsports' Challenger Hellcat Redeye Widebody in the exhibition class of the climb. Dodge says they have been working on sending the Hellcat 14,115 feet above sea level for three to four months now. Talking about their histories, this will the fourth time Randy Pobst will be climbing up the summit, while Welsey will be marking its third entry. Wesley tested the roads earlier with a Challenger Hellcat Redeye Widebody and a Viper ACR.

The climb starts at an elevation of 9,390-feet above sea level and ends at 14,115-feet above. Since the air gets thinner with every turn, it's not just the driver who feels exhausted; but also the car. Things were even more challenging until the last decade when the 'road' was just dirt. Later on, a tarmac road was made but this made things even more complicated. Cars now don't just need to be durable, strong, and safe; they also need to be fast.

What They Had To Say

Randy Pobst is a big name, and this is what he had to say, " I’m thrilled to run Pikes Peak in a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody concept race car. The driving challenge is like no other on Earth. This specially prepared Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody concept has the three ‘must haves’ for this hill climb: lots of horsepower and torque to hit 120 mph plus on the sweepers; great handling with the wider wheels and tires, because there is absolutely no room for mistakes on a mountain road; and the superb brakes to haul that puppy down for 20-mph hairpin turns”.

The Badass Charger

Speaking of the production-spec 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody, it is powered by a 6.2-liter, supercharged V-8 engine that churns out 707 horses and 650 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the wheel via an eight-speed automatic gearbox which helps the car speed up to 196 mph before it loses it breath, thus making it the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world. 0-60 mph figure, you ask? 3.6 seconds.

It doesn't matter whether you're a Led Zeppelin fan or an AC/DC fan, because this is climb is a duet track - it's Highway to Heaven! What are you looking forward to in this event? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.