Only one will be victorious…
While the Dodge Durango Hellcat is a legitimately fast vehicle, having one race a Lamborghini Aventador seems like a bad idea. After all, the crossover is heavier, rides way taller, and isn’t a purpose-built speed machine like the Lambo. Yet that’s exactly what happened, only the Hellcat has been tuned to 1,000-horsepower so it just might stand a chance.
Watch a Durango Hellcat race a Jeep Trackhawk here.
We live in truly strange times when a soccer mom crossover can legitimately race an exotic Italian-German supercar. It wasn’t that long ago that merely suggesting such a race could be even remotely close would’ve made you a prime candidate for public ridicule if not institutionalization, yet here we are.
This race was demonstrated by Hennessey Performance using its HPE1000 upgrade package for the Durango. It takes the already crazy Hellcat and adds a long list of modifications, including a high-flow supercharger, high-flow fuel injectors, high-flow filtration, plus ECM and TC calibration.
Not only is that upgrade package good for 1,000-bhp, Hennessey says it also adds 948 lb.-ft. of torque. That’s impressive considering the Aventador is pushing 769-hp and 531 lb.-ft. of torque. Just keep in mind the Lamborghini is quite a bit lighter, about 2,000 lbs., so the Dodge has to be pushing plenty more power to even have a chance on paper, let alone in the real world.
Racing is a factor of so many variables that horsepower, torque, and curb weight only begin to give you an idea of how it will go. Gearing, aerodynamics, weight transfer, tire composition and construction, weather conditions, track surface, and so much more all play into it.
Then there’s a driver’s skill, one of the biggest factors. Some people think that played a big role in the outcome of this race, but we’ll let you watch and decide for yourself.
