What Does The 170 Mean On A Dodge Demon?

When Dodge unleashed its Challenger SRT Demon in 2018, the National Hot Rod Association promptly banned it from drag racing in the Street Legal category. At the time, NHRA rules dictated that cars in the category couldn't complete the standing quarter mile in under 10 seconds without a roll cage and the driver possessing a special competition license, and the Demon roared through the quarter in 9.65 seconds.

Outcry from performance-car owners who didn't want to desecrate their beloved automobiles with unsightly, expensive roll cages led the NHRA to change the rules in 2022. The new rules let cars from 2014 to the current model year run into the nine-second range without cages.

Even under the new rulebook, though, Dodge's 1,025-horsepower 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170 faces a similar ban from NHRA-sanctioned events with its 8.91-second quarter-mile capability. What's even more incredible than the Demon 170's quick elapsed time and 151 mph across the finish line is that it runs, quite well, on E85 gasoline available at gas pumps across the nation.

The 2023 Challenger SRT Demon's E85 compatibility is so great, Dodge gave it a nod by adding "170" to its name and badging. What does the number 170 have to do with E85, you ask? Drinking-alcohol products are rated by their "proof," essentially double the percentage of alcohol present. That makes E85 gasoline, containing 85% ethanol, 170 proof.

Make no mistake, the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170, destined to be a HEMI-powered classic, was specifically designed for drag racing. Its list of standard features includes nearly as many deletions as it does additions. Even most of the added features are designed for track use, such as the Mickey Thompson drag radials, drag-race tuned suspension, and a transmission brake. Things you won't get with the standard Demon 170 include passenger or rear seats, trunk carpet, and sound insulation.

The Challenger SRT Demon 170 is street legal in the sense that it comes with everything required to operate on public roadways. However, the automaker requires new owners to sign a waiver prior to delivery. The waiver acknowledges "the unique characteristics of the Demon 170 as a purpose-built, street legal production drag car," and places the risks associated with operating a sub-9-second car on the street upon the driver.

People who choose to drive the Demon 170 on public roadways will likely have little concern for fuel economy. However, its fuel consumption may not be as bad as you'd think. While the supercharged 6.2-liter Hellephant C170 that powers the Challenger SRT Demon 170 can pump up to 164 gallons of fuel per hour (more than the low-flow shower heads in most homes) into its cylinders at full throttle, it's estimated to get a relatively respectable 21 mpg on the highway.