Hellcat Challenger SRT Vs. Camaro ZL1 Vs. Shelby GT500: Which Is The Baddest One Of All?

If you don't already know, the 707 horsepower 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is the latest and meanest face-melting muscle car from Mopar. Dodge unveiled the beast just days ahead of the 4th of July, which is timely, as there is nothing more patriotic than a big boy V8. In fact, the supercharged 6.2 liter Hellcat engine is the most powerful production power unit Dodge ever produced. That's right, the Hellcat Challenger is more powerful than the SRT Viper.

The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat may be the king of its domain, but so is the mighty Shelby GT500 and Camaro ZL1. There is nearly 2,000 horsepower between this trio of fire-breathers. No doubt, a brutal battle royale is inevitable, but which American V8 will come out on top?

By the numbers, the 2015 Hellcat Challenger SRT is by far the most powerful of the three cars. The supercharged 5.8 liter Shelby GT500 engine produces 662 horsepower and 631 lb.-ft. of torque, while the Camaro ZL1 makes do with 580 horsepower and 556 lb.-ft. of torque. The Shelby GT500 is no slouch, but it is still 50 horsepower down on power compared to the insane Hellcat.

However, a package is more than the sum of its parts. While the Mustang GT500 is down on power, its curb weight tips the scales at 3,845 pounds, a whopping 600 pounds less than the hefty Hellcat. The Camaro ZL1 is comparable with the GT500 at just 3,860 pounds when paired with the manual transmission (4120 pounds with an automatic). The GT500 is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds and reach a cosmic top speed of 202 mph. Given the weight advantage of the Shelby and slightly smaller frontal area, we highly doubt the Hellcat Challenger SRT will surpass the Shelby despite the horsepower advantage.

While the Camaro ZL1 may rank as the least powerful car of the trio with only 580 horsepower and 556 lb.-ft. of torque, the ZL1 is by far the most technically sophisticated. Handling-wise, the Hellcat Challenger will struggle to keep its giant mass in check. As for the GT500, its otherwise balanced package is tainted by a crude solid rear axle setup. The Camaro ZL1 is the handling Goldilocks, thanks to state-of-the-art components including Magnetic Ride Control and Performance Traction Management system.

The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 begins at $55,355 and the 2014 Shelby GT500 retails from $55,110. However, the Shelby is expected to discontinued as the 2015 Mustang starts coming off the assembly line this fall. We expect the 2015 Hellcat Challenger SRT to be priced competitively in the $55,000 range when it arrives in showrooms later this year.