Dodge’s New “Last Call” Car: Will It Feature A HELLEPHANT Blower?

Dodge released a teaser video for their upcoming 2023 “Last Call” special edition model yesterday, which hints at a powerful drag racing-oriented Challenger. The video, titled “Scream @ 215 mph,” shows a handheld anemometer reading 1,582, indicating that the new “Goblin” model could have an air-flow rate of 1,582 cubic feet per minute (CFM). This is significantly more than the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, which had an air-flow rate of 1,150 CFM.

After some digging, it appears that the 2023 “Last Call” Challenger will feature the 6.2-liter HEMI® HELLCAT H.O. V8 with the HELLEPHANT’s updated 3.0-liter IHI blower on top. Direct Connection rolled out a new lineup of HELLEPHANT engines at the 2022 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, with one variant called the C170 featuring upgraded internals, an improved valvetrain, and an updated 3.0-liter IHI supercharger with a larger 105mm throttle body and a 3.02-inch pulley for increased boost running on E85 fuel.

It’s unclear what the other number in the equation from the teaser video, 105=[3.02×2.98], represents, but it’s possible that it could be hinting at a larger supercharger snout size. The updated supercharger could produce an additional 7.1 lbs of boost (hinting at the second teaser video’s clue) over the stock supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® HELLCAT H.O. V8, which already produces 14.6 psi with its 2.7-liter IHI unit. Using E85 fuel, the engine would require bigger fuel rails, injectors, and a fuel pump, as well as upgraded internals to handle the extra power.

The 215 mph hint in the title is likely a clever way to throw enthusiasts off, as the car will definitely not run the 1/4-mile at that speed and still be street legal with a factory warranty. It’s possible that it has to do with the supercharger’s maximum boost level or how fast it spins.

Dodge may be aiming to break into the 8-second territory with this new model, as the NHRA has changed its rulebook to allow 2014 and newer vehicles to not be required to have an 8.5 certified cage until they break 9.0-seconds and/or 150 mph. The original Demon was certified for 9.65-seconds @ 140 mph, and Dodge may be targeting an 8.99-second time for the “Last Call” Challenger to gain the same track credit as the Demon in 2018.

Of course to run those times the car will have to be making some serious horsepower. We broke the news last fall that according to one of our sources, Dodge was targeting a 909 horsepower number for this car. Our same source is now saying that on E85 we could be seeing upwards of 1000 horsepower from the last call model. Either way, all the details will be known soon. 

It’s rumored that Demon owners may have the first chance to purchase the new model, as Dodge has done with the Viper program in the past. Regardless, the “Last Call” Challenger is shaping up to be an impressive addition to Dodge’s modern muscle car lineup.