It was a balmy Friday night, the kind that makes Detroit’s Woodward Avenue come alive, and I was right in the thick of it behind the wheel of the brand-new 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost. As the traffic signal shifted to green, I gently pressed the accelerator, easing the car forward before gradually demanding more power. The symphony of the roaring exhaust combined with the unmistakable whine of the supercharger instantly grabbed the attention of onlookers gathered in the parking lots lining Woodward Ave. All 807 horsepower surged, pushing the Pirelli all-season tires to their traction limits. This wasn’t just any Challenger; this was a Hellcat Srt in disguise.
Just as quickly as the supercharger had spooled up, I released the throttle, shifted gears, and allowed the supercharged Challenger to coast. On this particular Friday, the local police presence was considerable, and I was keen to remain within the speed limits. Approaching the next red light, I slowed to a stop and noticed a police cruiser pull off the main road into a dimly lit parking area, extinguishing its lights and almost vanishing into the shadows. Moments later, a Ford Mustang GT, boasting a noticeably loud exhaust, pulled up beside me at the intersection. The passenger leaned out and shouted, “Your Scat Pack sounds pretty mean – wanna race?” I nodded towards the police car lurking ahead, and the Mustang occupants responded with a thumbs-up. When the light turned green, we all proceeded cautiously on our way.
As the evening unfolded, cruising along Woodward Avenue, I received several more impromptu race invitations. Interestingly, when I’m driving my personal Challenger SRT Hellcat, such challenges from typical pony cars are much less frequent. However, when a second person mistook the Black Ghost for a Scat Pack, despite its intimidating presence, it sparked a thought. The rear stripe on the Black Ghost is traditionally exclusive to the Challenger R/T Scat Pack, and there are no prominent SRT or Hellcat badges on the rear or sides – only the classic Challenger script logo. The sole SRT Hellcat emblem is discreetly positioned on the grille, rendered in black, making it practically invisible at night with the headlights illuminated.
The reason behind these mistaken identities and the unexpected race challenges became clear: onlookers were perceiving the Black Ghost as an R/T Scat Pack Widebody. In a brilliant homage to a legendary Detroit street racer from the 1970s, Dodge engineers had masterfully crafted the unthinkable – an SRT Hellcat Redeye sleeper. This is where the true genius of the Black Ghost lies; it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a high-performance Hellcat SRT that flies under the radar.
In reality, seasoned car enthusiasts who hear the supercharger’s distinct whine will quickly recognize that this Challenger is far from a standard Scat Pack. The moment the Black Ghost clears its throat, most automotive aficionados will discern from the exhaust note alone that a naturally aspirated engine is not at play. However, for drivers seeking the raw, exhilarating power of a supercharged HEMI® engine, yet preferring to downplay the fact, this Dodge Challenger presents a level of subtlety unmatched by its more overtly aggressive Mopar® stablemates.
In essence, the Black Ghost is an 807-horsepower muscle car capable of being mistaken for a 485-horsepower counterpart. This makes it the ultimate choice for those who prefer to maintain a low profile while possessing unparalleled performance – a true sleeper Hellcat SRT.
The Black Ghost Package: A Nod to Automotive History with Hellcat SRT Power
For those unfamiliar with the 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost package, its inspiration originates from the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE driven by Godfrey Qualls, a Detroit street racing icon, decorated veteran, and Detroit police officer. Qualls’ Challenger was famously black, accented with a white tail stripe and a distinctive black vinyl gator-skin-style roof. This iconic aesthetic is faithfully recreated in the modern Last Call special edition, featuring the white stripe borrowed from Scat Pack models and the unique gator-skin roof treatment.
To further enhance the classic appeal, the contemporary Black Ghost incorporates a chrome fuel door, Challenger script logos adorning the grille, fenders, and rear spoiler, and the timeless DODGE chrome lettering across the upper fascia, just ahead of the hood’s leading edge – mirroring the brand badging of the 1970s models. The exterior package is completed with black Mopar hood pins and “Warp Speed” satin carbon wheels, which present as a bright silver hue in contrast to the darker wheel finishes prevalent on many contemporary Dodge models. While my personal preference often leans towards darker wheels and minimized chrome on modern muscle cars, the Black Ghost package is undeniably striking, exuding classic muscle car charm.
Stepping inside, the 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost cabin features carbon fiber trim accents, a luxurious black suede headliner, premium black Alcantara/Laguna Leather seats, an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, and a unique Black Ghost badge prominently displayed on the passenger side dashboard. Of course, it also includes the advanced 8.4-inch Uconnect® infotainment system, offering seamless control over SRT Drive Modes and the SRT Performance Pages application, putting the Hellcat SRT experience at your fingertips.
Unleashed Performance: Hellcat SRT Power on the Streets
Beneath the surface, the 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost is fundamentally based on the SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak. This means it’s powered by the formidable supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® engine, force-fed by a 2.7-liter IHI supercharger. This powerhouse delivers a staggering 807 horsepower and 707 lb-ft of torque. That immense power is channeled to the rear wheels through a rapid-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission and performance-oriented 3.09 gear ratio (in place of the standard 2.62), transforming this car into an absolute beast in terms of low-end acceleration. This is pure, unadulterated Hellcat SRT performance.
Officially, the Redeye Widebody Jailbreak boasts 0-60 mph acceleration times in the 3.4-second range under ideal conditions. However, even with less-than-perfect “street” tires on typical road surfaces, this supercharged Challenger effortlessly achieves 0-60 sprints in a mere 3.6 seconds. These times were consistently recorded across various street surfaces simply by coming to a standstill and launching – no tire-warming burnouts or special surface preparations needed. For perspective, on the same roads, my personal 2017 Challenger SRT Hellcat on factory Pirelli tires is approximately 0.3-0.4 seconds slower. Yet, the true advantage of the Redeye models, like the Black Ghost, over the original SRT Hellcat lies in their superior mid-range power.
Even with an optimal launch in the 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost, the available 807 horsepower can only be partially utilized initially, explaining the relatively small margin of improvement in 0-60 times compared to a standard SRT Hellcat with 100 less horsepower. However, once the Black Ghost is in motion, it can truly unleash its full potential, and that’s where it begins to significantly outpace my 2017 SRT Hellcat. The mid-range acceleration is genuinely remarkable, surpassing most street-legal vehicles. This is where the Redeye-powered cars, like this Hellcat SRT Black Ghost, truly distinguish themselves. For instance, when cruising at 60 mph on the highway in the Black Ghost, flooring the accelerator propels the car into triple-digit speeds with astonishing rapidity, outperforming almost every other car sold in the US – with the exception of European exotics costing several times more than any Dodge vehicle.
Adding to its performance prowess, the Challenger Black Ghost is equipped with adaptive, adjustable Bilstein dampers and massive six-piston Brembo brakes. This combination ensures that this 807-horsepower muscle car handles with far greater agility than a typical quarter-mile drag racer. Drivers can select the Street suspension setting for a smoother ride or engage Track mode for enhanced cornering performance, with Sport mode offering an excellent balance of handling and ride comfort. For many, including myself, the Track setting remains comfortably compliant for daily driving, even on Michigan’s less-than-perfect roads. For those prioritizing maximum smoothness, the softer settings still provide impressive cornering capabilities with minimal body roll. Should you enter a turn with excessive speed, the Brembo brakes swiftly bring the Challenger back to manageable velocities.
With only 300 examples of the 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost special edition produced, acquiring one is undoubtedly a challenge. However, for those fortunate enough to own one, they possess a stunning muscle car that seamlessly blends classic design inspiration with cutting-edge modern performance, embodied by the Hellcat SRT engine, in a way that few other vehicles on the market can match.
