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There’s no doubt that the 2018 Dodge Demon was the largest and most anticipated reveal at this year’s New York Auto Show. Pushing 840-horsepower on 100 octane, we won’t lie– its pretty impressive. But us LS and LT fans weren’t worried though– even before the reveal, we knew the Fireball Camaro [2] and Hennessey’s new Exorcist [3] would both give it a run for its money.
As if these two Camaros weren’t crazy enough already, another high-horsepower USDM muscle car was announced in New York: the 2017 Trans Am 455 Super Duty, limited to only 50 production cars.
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Ultimately, the exterior is still styled after the ’70s Trans Am, but whereas previous models were based on the fifth-gen Camaro, the new 455 Super Duty is the very first built around the sixth-gen chassis.
The exterior is most noticeably marked with a huge “screaming chicken” hood decal, but also features carbon fiber body panels, a redesigned modern front fascia, a side ground effects package, fancy tail lights, and a few other sporty exterior bits.
The unique modern/vintage feel continues on the interior with a Trans Am Super Duty shifter handle, painted door panels, and custom leather seating with embroidered floor mats, “SD” embroidered on the seat backs, and “455” embroidered on the headrests.
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All models come with 1-inch lowering springs, larger anti-roll bars, and three-piece Crawler Race Wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
Buyers have the option to upgrade from painted factory calipers to a Brembo package, which includes cross drilled rotors (15×1.3 front, 15×1.1 rear) and six piston calipers in the front, with 4 piston in the rear.
[6]Wheels: 20×10 front & 20×11 rear, Tires: 285/35 front & 305/35 rear
“The new model is a complete redesign that features sleek body lines with masculine proportions and traditional retro styling,” said Tod Warmack, co-founder of Trans Am. “We are also offering optional glass T-tops this year, but perhaps the most notable element of this historical accomplishment is that we now join the ranks of an exclusive few who offer a 1,000 horsepower performance package in a production vehicle.”
Yes, that means this thing is pushing 160 horsepower and 276 lb-ft of torque more than the Dodge Demon on race gas, and 192/329 more than the Demon on 91.
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Its 1,000 horsepower and 1,046 lb-ft of torque comes from a supercharged 455ci 7.4-liter version of the LT1 V8, developed by Trans Am, Magnuson, and a premier NASCAR engine builder.
The Magnuson TVS2300 supercharger is pushing half a pound less boost than the new Demon– 14 pounds. The short “modification” list ends with a cold air intake, ceramic coated headers, and a 3-inch exhaust.
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