Cruising down Woodward Avenue on a balmy Friday night in Detroit, the new 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost felt right at home. As the traffic light shifted to green, a gentle press on the throttle awakened the beast within. It wasn’t long before the symphony of the roaring exhaust and the unmistakable whine of the supercharger turned heads along the iconic Woodward strip. All 807 horsepower strained against the Pirelli three-season tires, hinting at the raw power lurking beneath the surface of this muscle car legend.
alt: 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost accelerating on Woodward Avenue, showcasing its powerful presence as a Hellcat Srt variant.
Moments later, restraint took over as the supercharged Challenger was allowed to coast. The evening air was thick with police presence, a common sight on Woodward, and discretion seemed wise. Pulling up to the next red light, a silent police cruiser materialized from a side street, melting into the shadows of a nearby parking lot. Suddenly, the rumble of a Ford Mustang GT filled the air, drawing up beside the Black Ghost. “Your Scat Pack sounds pretty good – wanna race?” the passenger yelled, challenging the Challenger. A subtle gesture towards the lurking police officer was enough. Respectful thumbs up exchanged, both cars eased away as the light turned green, the unspoken power of the Hellcat SRT remaining just beneath the surface.
alt: Side view of a dark Dodge Challenger Black Ghost at a red light on Woodward Avenue, highlighting its stealthy design and potential for surprising onlookers unfamiliar with the Hellcat SRT lineage.
As the night unfolded, more challenges came, a testament to Woodward’s street racing culture. Yet, something was different this time. Driving my own Challenger SRT® Hellcat usually attracts less attention from the typical “pony cars.” But twice that evening, the Black Ghost was mistaken for a Scat Pack by drivers of naturally aspirated Fords. The reason became clear: the Black Ghost’s rear stripe, traditionally a Scat Pack signature, combined with the absence of prominent SRT or Hellcat badges on the sides and rear, created an illusion. Only the blacked-out SRT Hellcat logo on the grille hinted at its true nature, easily missed in the night’s dim lighting.
alt: Close-up of the rear of the Dodge Challenger Black Ghost showing the Scat Pack-style stripe and subtle badging, emphasizing its design that can mislead onlookers about its Hellcat SRT Redeye power.
This deliberate visual ambiguity was the genius of Dodge’s tribute to the original Detroit street racer from the 1970s. They had masterfully crafted an SRT Hellcat Redeye “sleeper,” a car that could convincingly masquerade as a less potent model. The Black Ghost is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a high-performance Hellcat SRT designed to surprise.
alt: Front three-quarter view of the Dodge Challenger Black Ghost showcasing its aggressive stance and subtle Hellcat SRT grille badge, hinting at the immense power hidden within its classic muscle car silhouette.
Of course, for those with a trained ear, the supercharger whine is a dead giveaway – this isn’t just a Scat Pack. The moment the Black Ghost clears its throat, most car enthusiasts will recognize the unmistakable sound of forced induction. However, for drivers seeking the raw thrill of a supercharged HEMI® engine without shouting about it to the world, this Dodge Challenger offers a level of subtlety unmatched by its more overtly aggressive Mopar® siblings. It’s an 807-horsepower muscle car disguised as a 485-horsepower machine, a perfect choice for those who prefer to keep their power advantage discreet. This is the essence of the Hellcat SRT Black Ghost – potent performance delivered with a touch of stealth.
The Black Ghost Package: A Nod to Automotive History, Elevated by Hellcat SRT Power
The 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost package pays homage to the legendary 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE driven by Godfrey Qualls, a Detroit street racing icon, decorated veteran, and police officer. Qualls’ original Challenger was famous for its black paint, white tail stripe, and distinctive black vinyl gator-grain roof. The modern Black Ghost meticulously recreates these iconic elements, incorporating the white stripe reminiscent of Scat Pack models and the unique gator-grain roof treatment. Further enhancing the classic aesthetic are period-correct chrome details: a chrome fuel door, Challenger script logos adorning the grille, fenders, and rear spoiler, and the classic DODGE chrome lettering proudly positioned on the upper fascia, mirroring the badging of the 1970s models. The exterior package is completed with black Mopar hood pins and “Warp Speed” satin carbon wheels, which, while named “carbon,” present a bright silver finish, a departure from the darker wheel trends prevalent in many modern Dodge models. While contemporary muscle car aesthetics often lean towards darker wheels and minimized chrome, the Black Ghost package achieves a stunning beauty rooted in classic appeal, seamlessly blending vintage style with the underlying Hellcat SRT aggression.
Inside, the 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost cabin is a blend of luxury and performance cues. Carbon fiber trim accents the interior, complemented by a black suede headliner and premium black Alcantara/Laguna Leather seats. The Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel provides a tactile connection to the driving experience, and a unique Black Ghost badge on the passenger-side dashboard subtly reinforces the car’s special edition status. Naturally, the interior tech is thoroughly modern, featuring the 8.4-inch Uconnect® infotainment screen, granting access to SRT Drive Modes and the SRT Performance Pages application, allowing drivers to fine-tune the car’s performance parameters and monitor vital statistics, a hallmark of the sophisticated Hellcat SRT experience.
Unleashed Performance: The Hellcat SRT Redeye Roars to Life on the Street
alt: Interior view of the Dodge Challenger Black Ghost showcasing the Alcantara and Laguna leather seats, carbon fiber trim, and the Uconnect infotainment system, highlighting the blend of luxury and technology within this Hellcat SRT model.
Beneath the Black Ghost’s retro-inspired skin lies the heart of a true beast: the SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak powertrain. This means a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® engine, force-fed by a massive 2.7-liter IHI supercharger, delivering a staggering 807 horsepower and 707 lb-ft of torque. Power is channeled to the rear wheels through a lightning-fast 8-speed automatic transmission and performance-oriented 3.09 gears (a step up from the standard 2.62 ratio), resulting in explosive low-end acceleration that defines the Hellcat SRT experience.
alt: Engine bay close-up of the Dodge Challenger Black Ghost, highlighting the supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 engine, the source of its monstrous 807 horsepower Hellcat SRT performance.
Official figures for the Redeye Widebody Jailbreak cite 0-60 mph times in the 3.4-second range under ideal conditions. However, even on regular street surfaces with less-than-perfect tire conditions, the supercharged Challenger effortlessly achieves 0-60 mph sprints in a blistering 3.6 seconds. These times were consistently recorded on various street surfaces with simple stop-and-launch techniques, no tire-warming burnouts or track-style surface preparation needed. In direct comparison, my personal 2017 Challenger SRT Hellcat, running on stock Pirelli tires, lags behind by 3-4 tenths of a second in the 0-60 sprint. But the true performance gap between the Redeye and the original SRT Hellcat emerges in the mid-range acceleration.
alt: Rear-wheel burnout of the Dodge Challenger Black Ghost, demonstrating the raw power and traction challenges of an 807 horsepower Hellcat SRT in a street setting.
Even with an optimized launch in the 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost, the sheer abundance of 807 horsepower means only a fraction can be effectively utilized in those initial moments. This explains the seemingly small difference in 0-60 times compared to a standard SRT Hellcat with “only” 707 horsepower. However, once the Black Ghost is rolling, the full force of its power comes into play, and this is where it truly distances itself from my 2017 SRT Hellcat. The mid-range pull is simply phenomenal, eclipsing the performance of most street-legal cars. This is the domain where Redeye-powered machines flex their considerable muscle most emphatically. For instance, cruising at 60 mph on the highway and then flooring the accelerator in the Black Ghost results in an instantaneous surge into triple-digit speeds, a feat matched only by a handful of cars sold in the US – and most of those are European exotics costing multiples of any Dodge product. This mid-range dominance is a key characteristic of the Hellcat SRT Redeye’s performance prowess.
alt: Dodge Challenger Black Ghost cornering on a winding road, showcasing its surprisingly agile handling for a high-horsepower Hellcat SRT muscle car.
Adding to its dynamic capabilities, the Challenger Black Ghost is equipped with adaptive, adjustable Bilstein dampers and massive six-piston Brembo brakes. This combination endows this 807-horsepower muscle car with handling far exceeding expectations for a quarter-mile-focused machine. Drivers can select “Street” suspension mode for a smoother ride, or switch to “Track” mode for sharpened cornering performance. The “Sport” setting provides an ideal balance between handling and ride comfort. For many, including myself, the “Track” setting remains surprisingly comfortable for daily driving, even on less-than-perfect road surfaces. For those prioritizing maximum ride plushness, the softer settings still deliver impressive cornering capabilities with minimal body roll. And should you enter a turn with excessive speed, the Brembo brakes provide immense stopping power, rapidly bringing the Challenger back to a manageable pace. This sophisticated chassis technology ensures the Hellcat SRT Black Ghost is more than just a straight-line missile; it’s a surprisingly well-rounded performance machine.
With only 300 examples of the 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost special edition produced, it’s undeniably an exclusive package. For those fortunate enough to secure one, they possess a truly exceptional muscle car, one that masterfully blends classic design inspiration with the breathtaking modern performance of a Hellcat SRT Redeye – a combination rarely found in today’s automotive landscape. The Black Ghost is a testament to Dodge’s commitment to pushing boundaries and celebrating its heritage, delivering a truly special and highly desirable Hellcat SRT experience.
