There is a particular kind of American car that does not apologize for itself. It does not whisper, it does not sip fuel, and it does not pretend to be something sensible for the school run. The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye and the 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 are two of the last cars built in that spirit, and both arrived just as their nameplates were closing the book on the gasoline V8 era. The Challenger ended production after 2023, and the Camaro finished its sixth generation in January 2024. If you have ever wanted a supercharged V8 coupe with a warranty-era build date, this pairing is the argument you will have in your garage for the next twenty years.
The short version: the Dodge is the blunt instrument, a 797-horsepower drag-strip bully that turns every stoplight into a launch-control event. The Chevrolet is the scalpel, a 650-horsepower coupe that will happily do the same drag run and then embarrass far more expensive cars on a road course. If straight-line shock value is all you want, buy the Dodge. If you want the car you can drive hard in every direction, the Chevrolet wins. Here is how they really compare.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why it wins |
|---|---|---|
| Raw power | Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye | 797 hp and 707 lb-ft dwarf the Camaro's 650 hp |
| Straight-line drama | Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye | 3.4-second 0-60 run and a 203 mph top speed |
| Handling and track pace | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | Lighter, sharper, and built around Magnetic Ride Control |
| Gearbox choice | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | A proper six-speed manual is standard; the Dodge is automatic-only in Redeye form |
| Daily usability | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | Smaller footprint, better visibility trade-offs, and a more composed ride |
| Fuel economy | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | 14 mpg city and 20 mpg highway beat the Dodge's 13/22 rating in town |
| Value at original MSRP | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | Started around $72,100 versus roughly $79,000 for the Redeye |
| Collector story | Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye | The final-year, 797-hp send-off for the Challenger nameplate |
| Best for most buyers | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | The complete performance car, not just a fast one |
At a Glance
| Spec | 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye | 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 6.2L supercharged HEMI V8 (high-output) | 6.2L supercharged LT4 V8 |
| Power | 797 hp at 6,300 rpm | 650 hp at 6,400 rpm |
| Torque | 707 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm | 650 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm |
| Transmission | 8-speed TorqueFlite automatic | 6-speed manual standard; 10-speed automatic available |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive | Rear-wheel drive |
| 0-60 mph | 3.4 seconds | 3.5 seconds (automatic); 3.7 seconds (manual) |
| Top speed | 203 mph | 198 mph |
| Fuel economy (EPA) | 13 mpg city / 22 mpg highway | 14 mpg city / 20 mpg highway |
| Curb weight | About 4,481 lbs (Widebody) | About 3,907 lbs |
| Trunk / cargo | About 16.2 cu ft | 9.1 cu ft |
| Starting price (original MSRP) | About $79,000 plus destination | $72,100 plus destination |
Design & Exterior
The Challenger is a big coupe wearing its heritage on its sleeve: a long hood, a wide, upright stance, and a silhouette that has barely changed in fifteen years because Dodge knew better than to fix it. The Redeye adds a power-bulge hood with dual air extractors, wider fenders on Widebody cars, and 20-inch wheels wrapped in 305-section rear rubber. It is not subtle, and that is the point.
The Camaro takes the opposite route. It is lower, tighter, and visibly more athletic, with a sculpted hood, a large grille, and a functional airflow extractor. The ZL1 adds a larger front splitter, wider fenders, and a rear spoiler that is there for downforce rather than decoration. Where the Challenger fills a parking space like a full-size sedan with two doors, the Camaro tucks in like a sports car — a size difference you feel in curb weight and in traffic on I-71.
Neither car is trying to be elegant in the European sense. The Dodge sells presence; the Chevrolet sells purpose. Buyers who want to be noticed from three lanes away will gravitate to the Challenger. Buyers who want a car that looks fast because it is fast will prefer the Camaro.
Interior, Comfort & Technology
Open the Challenger's door and you step into the roomiest cabin of this pair, and it is not close. A six-foot adult can sit in the back without negotiating with the front passenger, the trunk swallows weekend luggage, and the driving position is upright and commanding. The trade-off is age: the dashboard and switchgear date from an earlier era of Chrysler interiors. Redeye materials — leather and Alcantara touches, Hellcat badging — are a step up from a base Challenger, but nobody will mistake this cabin for a luxury car. It is comfortable, spacious, and a little old-school, much like the car itself.
The Camaro's cabin is the opposite bargain. Up front it is a proper driver's cockpit: a low seating position, supportive Recaro performance seats, and a head-up display that keeps your eyes forward as the speedometer climbs. Its technology is more modern in daily use, with an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless charging, and the Performance Data Recorder for logging laps and acceleration runs. The catch is the back seat — best treated as luggage space with seatbelts — and outward visibility, famously tight through small windows and thick pillars. For a two-person car it is a fine place to spend hours. For a family car it is not.
Both cars offer Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a usable infotainment system, but the Camaro's tech feels a generation fresher while the Challenger's Uconnect system is simpler to use with gloves on in February. Hauling friends to a cars-and-coffee meet? Take the Dodge. Living in the driver's seat? Take the Chevrolet.
Performance & Driving Feel
This is where the numbers stop telling the whole story. The Dodge's high-output supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI, with a larger 2.7-liter supercharger borrowed from the original Demon's playbook, makes 797 horsepower and 707 lb-ft. The SRT Power Chiller — which uses the air-conditioning system to cool the intake charge — and an after-run chiller are genuine engineering, not garnish. Foot to the floor, the Redeye hits 60 mph in about 3.4 seconds and keeps pulling to 203 mph. At a drag strip, with launch control and line lock, it is a deeply unserious amount of car for public roads, and that is exactly why people love it.
The Camaro answers with less power and more precision. Its supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V8 makes 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft, sent through a six-speed manual with active rev matching or a ten-speed automatic. The automatic is quicker to 60 mph (3.5 seconds versus 3.7 for the manual), but the manual is the one enthusiasts will hunt for on the used market. More important is the chassis: Magnetic Ride Control adjusts the dampers in milliseconds, the electronic limited-slip differential puts power down cleanly out of corners, and Brembo brakes inspire confidence lap after lap. The Camaro weighs roughly 550 pounds less than the Widebody Challenger, and you feel it the first time you turn the wheel.
Drive them back to back and the verdict writes itself. The Challenger is thrilling in a straight line and a handful when the road bends — big, heavy, happiest pointed forward. The Camaro is thrilling everywhere: it launches hard, turns in crisply, and communicates through the steering wheel in a way the Dodge never tries to. The Dodge wins the drag race. The Chevrolet wins the drive.
Fuel Economy & Daily Costs
Nobody buys either of these cars for fuel economy, but the difference still matters when premium fuel is the only thing on the menu. The Challenger Redeye is rated at 13 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway, while the Camaro ZL1 is rated at 14 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. In real Ohio driving — short trips, cold starts, and the occasional enthusiastic on-ramp — both will drink more than those figures suggest, and the Dodge's larger appetite in town is the one you will notice at the pump. Both require premium unleaded, both have sizeable fuel tanks for a coupe, and neither should be your only car if your commute is long.
Beyond fuel, tires are wide, sticky, and short-lived on both cars, brake hardware is expensive, and insurance for a 650- or 797-horsepower coupe will not be cheap for younger drivers. Ohio winters demand a second set of wheels and tires or a second car entirely — neither car is a snow car on summer tires. Budget for those realities and both are reliable, well-understood machines with huge aftermarket support.
Safety & Driver Assistance
Neither car is a safety-tech showcase, and buyers cross-shopping them against a modern SUV should know that going in. The Camaro comes with the more complete standard package for 2024, including forward collision alert, lane change alert with side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, and a rear camera mirror, plus a head-up display that helps keep attention forward. The Challenger offers blind-spot monitoring with rear cross path detection, a rearview camera, and available adaptive cruise control, but its driver-assistance suite is narrower, and its thick pillars and high beltline make visibility a bigger job for the driver. Both cars rely heavily on big brakes, stability control, and strong structures rather than semi-autonomous gadgetry, which suits their character but means the driver is doing more of the work.
Published crash-test coverage is thinner for low-volume performance coupes than for mainstream models. The honest advice for both: trust the brakes, tires, and stability systems, keep driver aids on for street driving, and save fully-off heroics for a closed course.
Pricing, Trims & Value
When new, the Camaro ZL1 coupe started at $72,100 plus destination, with the convertible at $78,100, and the ten-speed automatic added roughly $1,600. The Challenger Redeye started around $79,000 plus destination in standard form, while the Jailbreak editions — which unlocked a long list of colors, stripes, wheels, and interior options — pushed well past $100,000 when fully optioned. That pricing gap is the first thing to understand about this comparison: the Chevrolet was the cheaper car when new, and it remains the cheaper car to buy on the used market in most cases, because Dodge built the Redeye as a final-year halo car and priced the Jailbreak versions accordingly.
On today's market, that dynamic has flipped in an interesting way. Both cars are out of production and both attract collectors, but the Redeye's final-year status and 797-horsepower headline give it the stronger collector story, especially for Widebody and Jailbreak cars in desirable colors with low miles. The Camaro's story is quieter: a track-capable, manual-transmission V8 coupe for less money, with the 2024 Collector's Edition cars (just 350 ZL1 coupes in Panther Black Matte) as the special editions to watch. As an investment, the Dodge has the louder narrative. As a car, the Chevrolet gives you more performance per dollar.
One more reality for Ohio buyers: do not pay a premium for a story you cannot verify. Get a pre-purchase inspection from a shop that knows supercharged V8s, check for accident history and modifications, and remember that a heavily modified car is worth less to the next buyer. A stock, documented, well-maintained example of either car is the one that holds its value.
Features & Technology Highlights
The Challenger Redeye's headline features are all about straight-line speed: the SRT Power Chiller, launch control, line lock, SRT drive modes, and adaptive damping on Widebody cars. The Camaro's are about speed in every direction: Magnetic Ride Control, Performance Traction Management, the Performance Data Recorder, a head-up display, and dual-mode exhaust. The Challenger offers an 8.4-inch Uconnect display and an available 18-speaker Harman Kardon setup; the Camaro answers with Bose audio, heated and ventilated Recaro seats, and wireless charging. Only the Camaro's technology makes you faster around a corner.
Pros and Cons
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye — Pros
- 797 horsepower and 707 lb-ft: the most power in this comparison by a wide margin
- Genuinely usable rear seats and a large trunk for a muscle coupe
- Final-year 2023 car with a strong collector story, especially Widebody and Jailbreak versions
- Drag-strip hardware (launch control, line lock, Power Chiller) that actually works
- Huge presence and a design that has aged into an icon
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye — Cons
- Heavy and happiest in a straight line; handling lags the Camaro badly
- Automatic-only in Redeye form — no manual gearbox option
- Thirsty in town at 13 mpg city, with big tire and brake bills
- Older cabin design and narrower driver-assistance suite
- Original Jailbreak pricing pushed well past $100,000 when optioned
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 — Pros
- The complete performance car: fast in a straight line and genuinely quick on a track
- Six-speed manual available alongside the ten-speed automatic
- Lighter by roughly 550 pounds, with Magnetic Ride Control and an electronic limited-slip differential
- Cheaper when new ($72,100) and usually cheaper to buy today
- Performance Data Recorder, head-up display, and a more modern tech package
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 — Cons
- Back seat is token-only and outward visibility is tight
- Less power and less straight-line drama than the Redeye
- Trunk is just 9.1 cubic feet — pack light
- Out of production, so clean, unmodified 2024 examples are getting harder to find
- Summer tires and stiff suspension make it a poor Ohio winter car without a second setup
Who Should Buy Which?
Buy the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye if your perfect Saturday is a drag strip, a cars-and-coffee meet, or a long highway cruise where the car itself is the event. Buy it if you need rear seats that real adults can use, if you want the most horsepower your money can buy in this pairing, or if you are collecting the final chapter of the Challenger story and want the 797-horsepower version of it. You will forgive the weight, the fuel bills, and the older cabin every time you press the starter button, because nothing else at this price sounds or feels quite like it.
Buy the Camaro ZL1 if you want the car you will actually drive hard, often, and in more places than a straight line. Buy it if you want a manual gearbox, if you plan track days, or if you simply want the sharper, lighter, more complete sports coupe. It is the car for the buyer who reads lap times as well as quarter-mile slips, and it is the car most drivers will enjoy more over a year of ownership. Families who need rear-seat room should look elsewhere — or buy the Dodge — but two-person households with a second car for winter will find the Camaro hard to beat.
Final Verdict
Both of these cars deserve their place in muscle-car history, and both are better than the "last of the V8s" nostalgia suggests. The Challenger Redeye is the louder, bigger, more powerful statement: a 797-horsepower farewell to an era, with room for your friends and a drag strip in its DNA. The Camaro ZL1 is the better car. It does nearly everything the Dodge does in a straight line, then adds handling, a manual gearbox, and a chassis that rewards skill instead of just horsepower. Our pick for most buyers is the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 — the scalpel wins this fight, even if the hammer is more fun to show off.
If you are shopping for either car in Ohio, drive both before you decide, and drive them on the same day if you can. The numbers will tell you the Dodge is faster. The steering wheel will tell you the Chevrolet is the better car. Then tell us in the comments: are you Team Redeye or Team ZL1, and which one would you take home?
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is faster, the Challenger Hellcat Redeye or the Camaro ZL1? In a straight line, the Challenger Redeye is faster: it hits 60 mph in about 3.4 seconds and tops out at 203 mph, versus 3.5 seconds and 198 mph for the automatic Camaro ZL1. On a road course, the Camaro ZL1 is the quicker car thanks to its lighter weight, Magnetic Ride Control, and track-focused chassis.
How much horsepower does the 2023 Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye have? The Redeye's high-output supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 makes 797 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 707 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. That is 80 horsepower more than the standard 717-horsepower Hellcat of the same year.
Does the Camaro ZL1 come with a manual transmission? Yes. The 2024 Camaro ZL1 comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission with active rev matching, and a ten-speed paddle-shift automatic is available. The automatic is slightly quicker to 60 mph (3.5 seconds versus 3.7 for the manual), but the manual is the version collectors and enthusiasts tend to seek out.
How much did these cars cost when new? The 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 coupe started at $72,100 plus destination, with the convertible at $78,100. The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye started around $79,000 plus destination, while Jailbreak editions with extensive options pushed well past $100,000.
Are the Challenger Redeye and Camaro ZL1 good daily drivers? Both can be daily-driven, with caveats. The Challenger is the easier daily car thanks to its roomier cabin and larger trunk, while the Camaro is the more composed daily driver thanks to its Magnetic Ride Control. Both need premium fuel, both are thirsty, and neither is suitable for Ohio winters on summer tires — budget for a winter setup or a second car.
Which car will hold its value better? Both are out of production and both have collector appeal, but the Challenger Redeye has the stronger short-term collector story as the final-year, 797-horsepower Challenger, especially in Widebody and Jailbreak form. The Camaro ZL1's value case rests on its driving merit and the scarcity of clean, unmodified, manual-transmission 2024 examples, with Collector's Edition cars the most collectible of all.
Related reading: Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack vs Ford Mustang GT Premium, Ram 1500 RHO vs Ford F-150 Raptor, and Ford Maverick Tremor vs Subaru Outback Wilderness.
By Stefany Aurora / ABBOhio editorial
