2023 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody Shakedown First Test: Big Hemi Energy

In racing terms, you shake down a car before you compete in it to see if it needs further mechanical adjustments. In the context of the 2023 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody Shakedown, it means something else—it's a reference to the so-called Shaker package it comes with, itself an equipment group with throwback roots connecting to the 1970s original.

The 2023 Dodge Challenger Shakedown is the first of seven Last Call models tapped to close out Dodge's Hemi V-8 era. It's based on a custom 1971 SEMA Show car introduced in 2016 with a crate engine and original Shaker hood and intake. Dodge will make only 1,000 examples of the 2023 version, split evenly between the R/T Scat Pack narrow-body and widebody variants.

We took to shaking down the Shakedown in widebody spec to measure its performance. Is it as "loud, obnoxious, uncouth, politically incorrect, antisocial, and marvelous" as the Charger featuring a similar treatment? Let's find out.

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How Quick Is the Challenger Shakedown?

With heat cycled into its wide rear 305/35R20 all-season Pirelli tires, the quickest launches break the wheels loose a little (by design) before the Challenger Shakedown grips and takes off. The Shakedown is quicker off the line than the new 2024 Ford Mustang GT, but that coupe comes with a significantly smaller engine—displacing just 5.0 liters—and the one we tested had a manual transmission. The 400-plus-pounds lighter Ford eventually catches up to the Dodge, too, and the auto-transmission new Mustang Dark Horse is even quicker.

Our Challenger test car sliced 0.3 second off the Mustang's 4.3-second 0-60-mph launch. But as the cars reach the quarter mile, times even out, and the Ford is traveling 2.6 mph faster. Not that this configuration of the Challenger is moving backward—with an older version of this powertrain, the 2015 Challenger R/T 6.4 is 0.2 second slower to 60 mph and 0.1 second slower in the quarter mile.

The Challenger Shakedown's propulsion comes from the 2023 Challenger R/T Scat Pack's "392" 6.4-liter naturally aspirated Hemi V-8 that produces up to 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. It's Dodge's largest-displacement engine in the 2023 Challenger lineup by 200cc. Supercharged models—all equipped with 6.2-liter V-8s—offer greater output through boost and are quicker. Still, a 12-second quarter mile sans boost or nitrous is nothing to sneeze at.

Our test car sends its power to the rear tires—the only way the Challenger R/T Scat Pack comes—through an available eight-speed automatic transmission (with small finger-sized paddle shifters) instead of its standard six-speed manual. A limited-slip differential is included with this gearbox when it's linked to the 392. This Challenger Scat Pack Widebody Shakedown model also features the lineup's Competition Suspension package that adds stiffer springs, larger anti-roll bars, and a programmable adaptive suspension, as well as the Dynamics package, which comes with upgraded brakes.

Driving the 2023 Dodge Challenger Shakedown is intoxicating. Mash the throttle and it does proper muscle car things—the engine roars to life, the rear loads up, and before you know it, you're blasting past most traffic. There are crazier cars, even crazier Challengers, but we like what the Shakedown does with sub-500 hp. It's loud and rowdy and a little old-school.

How's It Handle?

Muscle cars aren't generally known for at-limit handling, and the Shakedown doesn't flip that script. Compared to those Mustangs, this Challenger is heavier and has 9 more inches of wheelbase. Getting the car to rotate in our racetrack-in-a-bottle figure-eight test was a challenge, especially with its body motions, but once it settles into a line, it holds on well. Here again, the 2024 Mustang GT is probably one of the Shakedown's closest rivals, and as before the Ford is quicker.

The Challenger Shakedown's transmission programming also had issues with the figure-eight. It never quite synced up to the exercise, shifting too soon in some instances and not at all in others. Switching to manual mode with the paddle shifters yielded only slightly better results, on occasion needing two taps to trigger a shift.

It's no surprise this beast is most in its element hauling ass in a straight line. Around town at measured speeds, the Shakedown's ride is comfortable and more than tolerable. The steering wheel is also nicely weighted and communicative. You can totally daily drive this car, provided you're OK with its godawful fuel economy.

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Brake Check

The upgraded brakes that come in the Dynamics package are the same big-rotor and Brembo-caliper combo that's standard on the Hellcat. With them, we brought the Shakedown to a stop from 60 mph in 102 feet. That's pretty good, but for reference, the 2024 Mustang GT is capable of 99 feet, the Dark Horse a remarkable 87 feet. Our Dodge did better than the lighter 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible 70th Anniversary Edition, which needed 113 feet, but other C8 Corvettes do it in less than 100 feet.

There's some travel to the brake pedal, and it felt a little soft, but we got used to it quickly. The system is strong, seemingly allowing us to brake deeper with each succeeding run.

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How Is the Shakedown as a Daily Driver?

Get used to filling up often. Fuel-economy ratings aren't as bad as with the six-speed manual, 14/23 mpg city/highway, and mirror what the 2024 Mustang GT automatic gets. But for the best Challenger efficiency, you'd have to skip the V-8 and go with a V-6, the best of which is rated at 19/30 mpg city/highway. And you can't get the Shaker mods with a six-cylinder.

From the outside, there is no bad angle from which to view this car. Ninety percent of that has to do with the factory widebody and dubs at each corner. It's all body lines, fender flares, and fat meats—almost like it's still in concept form. It looks great at stock ride height; it'll snap necks with a modest body drop. Our staff is split on the hood pins—some think they're cool, others think they're too much—but the shaker aesthetic works, right down to the engine shivers sent through the car.

Up front, seating is comfortable and supportive. In the back, we have no idea how three people are supposed to squeeze in, but the padding is equally satisfying. There is a ginormous C-pillar blind spot—but that's why cars have blind-spot monitoring, which our test car boasts thanks to the Plus equipment group. It works as advertised here. Looking out the windshield, the Challenger Shakedown's hood goes on forever. We needed to park the car a time or two before our depth perception caught on to how long the car's nose is.

The Dynamics package also includes a nifty flat-bottom, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and we love the retro white-faced gauges that are part of the Shaker package. We're less enthused about other interior details, like the half footrest Dodge gives drivers, and the standard driver's side window that doesn't roll up automatically, only down.

The Shaker package adds $2,595 to the car's bottom line, and besides the intake, hood, and old-timey gauges includes interior and exterior branding and a black fuel-fill door and trunklid spoiler. Contrast stitched upholstery, Nappa leather and Alcantara seats, ventilated front seating, driver's seat memory, ambient lighting in the inner doors, and premium floormats are included with the $3,485 Plus equipment group. Our 2023 Challenger Shakedown also features the $695 Technology group, with rain-sensing wipers, automatic high-beams, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control, as well as the $1,595 Carbon and Suede package, which brings carbon-fiber trim pieces and a Dinamica suede headliner into the cabin.

Finally, you can count on big domestics for tons of trunk space. This one has an impressive 16.2 cubic feet. That's almost as large as the 2023 Dodge Charger's 16.5 cubes and exceeds the 2024 Mustang's 13.3 cubic feet.

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What a Way to Go

The 2023 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat pack Widebody is priced from $55,855, and that includes the $1,000 gas-guzzler tax. With the Shakedown kit, which adds a 1.4-inch larger available 8.4-inch touchscreen, the Shaker, Plus, and Carbon and Suede Interior packages, as well as the Technology equipment group, the price climbs to $65,515. As tested here, with the optional eight-speed automatic and Harman Kardon 18-speaker audio, our test car's sticker reaches $68,800.

You can get other fast cars for that kind of money, but most of the stuff above we don't need. More than anything, we'll miss the glorious sound of the naturally aspirated Hemi V-8. Carmakers seem to be getting close with electrics and other drivetrains to emulating every other sensory aspect of the internal combustion high-performance experience—the look, the feel, the capability. But we doubt they'll ever satisfactorily replace the high-rev howl, or even the split-second rumble this Challenger Shakedown lets off every time you fire it up.

The 2023 Dodge Challenger Shakedown isn't a pure numbers car, but it's not supposed to be. It's an honest attempt to remind people about what this old-school technology was and can be. The Dodge coupe is super primal, never not exhilarating to drive or listen to or just look at. It's not as bonkers as the $100,000 Demon 170, but it is spicy enough that if it's your daily driver, you'll almost certainly love it every dang minute. It only takes minimal shakedown time to figure that out.