Watch Dodge Prove the Charger Hellcat Can Exceed 200 MPH!

We live in amazing times. You can, right now, go to a dealership and put a deposit down on a four-door family sedan that will go faster than 200 miles-per-hour and cost less than $65,000. Sure, it has a Dodge badge on it and not a Porsche crest, but the Charger SRT Hellcat is a top-notch sports sedan with a nice interior, excellent infotainment, and 707 horsepower. That last bit is key.

But you’re probably thinking, “Yeah, it really won’t do 200 mph.” Manufacturers often claim lofty top speed numbers with no real way to test it. In 2013, Ford said that the 662 hp Shelby GT500 would max out at 202 mph. They claim they hit that speed at the Nardo test facility in Italy. When Motor Trend attempted to duplicate it, they couldn’t break 200 mph.

There’s a little place in Ohio called the Transportation Research Center that has a 7.5 mile test oval. Dodge brought a Hellcat there to prove their top speed claims are legit. They recorded the speed on both sides of the oval and averaged them together to get a top speed of 204.55 miles-per-hour.

So why an average of the two top speeds? Wind. Since wind can have an affect on speed, either positive or negative, it is important to run the car both against and with the wind. The average of the two should be a realistic top speed.

Check out the video and let us know what you think on the forums!