With just exhaust mods and a tune, this Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG packs enough power to beat up a Hellcat Challenger in a half-mile roll race.
The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is one of the quickest stock cars in the U.S. market, but as this video from Index Strategy Advisors shows, simple mods and a good tune can turn a 2013 AMG SL63 into a cat killer. This video was first shared to the forum by forum member jmcd33 and it showcases his tuned Benz outrunning the supercharged muscle car in a half-mile roll race.
The Competitors
The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG comes from the factory with a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 with 557 horsepower and 664-lb-ft of torque. The Hellcat Challenger comes with 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque courtesy of a supercharged 6.2L V8. The Dodge is a few hundred pounds heavier than the Benz and the SL has a bit more torque, but there is a big gap in horsepower.
Of course, that is only when we are talking factory-stock vehicles and this Mercedes is not stock. With the addition of cat-less downpipes, an engine tune and a few other small upgrade, this SL63 made 806 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels. We don’t have a horsepower number, but if the Hellcat is stock–the Benz has a gigantic torque advantage.
The Race
After a short introduction where the driver of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG talks a bit about the car, he heads up to the starting line for the half-mile battle. At first, he doesn’t know what he will run, but it turns out to be a silver Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
We don’t see the start of the race, but this is a Shift Sector event, so they likely rolled to the starting line at 40 miles per hour (or so) and hammered the throttle. When the video first picks up the race, the Challenger has a bit of a lead, but the smaller, torquier AMG quickly runs the Dodge down to take the win.
On the top end, the SL63 hit 148.76 while the Challenger only got to 146.77 and for this Mercedes-Benz to easily beat such a well-known American muscle car in a straight line is an impressive feat.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
