Here's How Much Slower A Hellcat Is On Track Than A Mazda MX-5 RF
As is often the case with Motor Trend Head 2 Head battles, there’s one particular detail of this Mazda MX-5 RF vs Toyota 86 showdown that stands out. And that’s the moment Jonny Lieberman tries (and spectacularly fails) to beat both the lap times for those cars, in a 697bhp Dodge Charger Hellcat.
It has the power of two pairs of the cars he’s trying to beat, but the tail-happy Charger Hellcat is not a happy beast on a track. Granted, the Toyota/Mazda lap times were set by the extremely handy Randy Pobst, but that doesn’t make the gulf between them (we won’t spoil the result) any less hilarious.
Does this make me want a Hellcat any less? Nope.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
For the tight winding country roads I drive on living in Scotland I would take the MX5 every time (and do, I daily an NB). However if I ever move to the US with its wide open highways I can’t think of a better vehicle than a 2 ton 700hp muscle car :D.
Bet the Chevy SS could beat it.
To be fair, jonny isn’t as good of a driver as randy pobst so this isn’t really a fair comparison
Randy Pobst could probably beat his time in those teo if he drove the Hellcat. Then again, the Camaro Z28 is the better track muscle car.
I can’t stand driving these cars. No power = no fun. Small tires = no grip. C6 Z06 will spank the crap out of these cars on a normal sized track. They both are very ugly too. Body roll is of the devil. No thanks.
There is no way the 4300 lb Hellcat ever stood a chance here. Do a drag race…
When randy drove the SRT Hellcat, it went 1:26…
“Kid… you don’t understand driving.”
Bro… you don’t understand “86”.
Maybe get Randy Superhero to drive the Hellcat Charger and then tell us how many fractions of a second better it is.
I’ve always been a proponent of lighter and simpler is better, yadda yadda, and I’m a Mazda owner but c’mon. At least make it a real comparison. And if you really want to see it smoke the other two then drive it against the 2016 versions of these other two cars. Want to let me pick the track?
Where did they get 697bhp?? Dodge has been pretty proud bragging of their 707hp…