Dodge has revealed yet another feature fitted to the upcoming Challenger SRT Demon designed to get the car down the line quicker.
The latest is a transmission brake, a feature normally reserved to the aftermarket world. Its addition to the Demon makes the car the first transbrake-equipped production car in history.
Like the torque reserve feature announced a week ago, the transbrake, designed for automatic cars, allows you to dial up the revs while keeping the car as stationary as possible. The result is quicker power delivery and higher engine launch torque which in turn leads to explosive off-the-line acceleration.
The transbrake works by locking the output shaft of the automatic transmission to keep the vehicle stationary until launch. Typically on an automatic car, you’d do this by keeping one foot on the gas and the other on the brake, referred to as foot-brake launching.
Teaser for 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon debuting at 2017 New York auto show
In the Demon, with the transbrake active, you simply keep your foot on the gas (the revs are still limited to protect the drivetrain) and when the lights turn green launching the car is handled via the steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. According to Dodge, this method results in reaction times 30 percent quicker compared with foot-brake launching. Dodge says you’ll also see a 120 percent increase in engine launch torque using the transbrake.
And to make sure all of the engine torque gets to wheels as quickly as possible, activating the transbrake also initiates a drivetrain preload process. This ensures engine torque is applied through the entire drivetrain all the way to the rear wheels. The result is full engine torque delivery to the contact patch of the rear tires just 150 milliseconds after the driver hits the paddle shifters. Preloading the drivetrain also provides reduced component spike loads and thus less potential of component damage. The overall result is faster acceleration at launch, better 60-foot times and improved quarter-mile times.
And with the transbrake taking the pressure off the brakes to hold the car stationary, drivers won’t have to worry about the front brakes being overwhelmed. This is particularly useful if using the narrower front runners which have much lower grip than standard wheels. They’re included in the Demon’s crate of drag racing goodies.
There’s not long to go now until the reveal of the car on April 11, the eve of the 2017 New York auto show. To keep track of all the tidbits revealed so far, you’ll find our complete coverage on the Demon at this link. You can also visit the website www.ifyouknowyouknow.com to view a countdown to the remaining Demon videos as well as download some content. And for more coverage on the New York auto show, head to our dedicated hub.
