“The king of today’s muscle cars->ke507.” That’s what Carlos Lago says about the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat in MotorTrend’s latest episode of Ignition. The crowning comes after much flogging, something the Hellcat is surely used to by now.

A trip to the dyno revealed the Challenger’s supercharged, 6.2-liter, V-8 HEMI puts down 671 horsepower at the rear wheels -- well within the expected range for parasitic driveline loss. Torque was equally impressive, putting down 606 pound-feet at the wheels.

Of course raw numbers don’t tell the whole story. For that, a trip down a desert road is needed. The Hellcat makes a surprising boulevard cruiser, just like its less-powerful Challenger stablemates. Lago notes the redesigned interior and Uconnect infotainment system make long drives a pleasant experience.

What’s more, the Hellcat’s hellacious 707 horses are well integrated into the car. It doesn’t overwhelm the car at slow speed when just cruising around town, implies Lago. “The car is inching towards being a GT car,” he says.

Handling the abuse the track and drag strip dish out is a big aspect of the Hellcat’s personality. That’s why it’s got some serious intercoolers knocking engine temperatures down. Massive Brembo brakes with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers out back help bring things to a stop.

No matter what you think about the Challenger Hellcat, you’ve got to admit it exudes more presence and intimidation than just about anything on the roads today.

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