Tale of the tape
The matchup
This matchup pits the supercharged brute force of the Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye against the last Aussie V8, the Holden Commodore SS. The Hellcat is a heavyweight in the muscle car world, while the Commodore embodies the spirit of Australian performance. Both cars are rear-wheel drive, but that's where the similarities end.
Off the line
The Hellcat's 0-100 km/h time of 3.5 seconds gives it a considerable edge off the line, thanks to its massive torque from the supercharged V8. Meanwhile, the Commodore takes a slower 4.9 seconds to reach the same speed, which could leave it playing catch-up right from the start. Expect the Hellcat to get a solid holeshot, leveraging its power to blast ahead.
The back half
In the back half of the strip, the Hellcat's power-to-weight ratio will come into play, allowing it to maintain a strong lead. With its aggressive gearing and quick shifts, it should continue to pull away from the Commodore, which will struggle to keep up with its lower power output. The quarter-mile time gap will likely widen as the race progresses.
The x-factor
Driver skill and track conditions could play a role, but the inherent performance advantage of the Hellcat is hard to ignore. Factors like heat soak or battery state will have minimal impact on the Hellcat's performance, while the Commodore's V8 may struggle for consistent power delivery under similar conditions.
Check out the embedded video to see how this intense drag race unfolds.
Questions from the fence line
Which is faster in a drag race?
The Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye is faster, with a quarter-mile time of 10.6 seconds compared to the Holden Commodore SS's 13.0 seconds.
What engine does the Charger Hellcat Redeye have?
It features a supercharged V8 engine producing 594 kW.
Is the Commodore SS still a good performance car?
While it lags behind in power, the Commodore SS offers a unique Australian V8 experience that many enthusiasts cherish.