Saleen Mustang 302 vs Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat | Ames, IA

When Ames residents think of muscle cars, they think of the Mustang. It is, in a word, iconic. When anyone who knows anything about cars sees one of these storied vehicles on the road or in a parking lot, many of them will stop and stare. Now, when one combines the sleek lines of a Mustang with the badging and performance upgrades made by Saleen? Nothing beats it. "It" is the Saleen Mustang 302.

Some vehicles do, however, try to compete. The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, like the Saleen Mustang 302, makes use of a supercharged V8 engine that gets more than 700 horsepower. The Charger, like the Mustang, is a well-known American muscle car. This article is going to compare and contrast the two to help sports vehicles enthusiasts settle the debate over which one is the superior vehicle.

Ames Ford Lincoln

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Saleen Mustang 302 White Label

Saleen Mustang 302 Yellow Label

Saleen Mustang 302 Black Label

Saleen Mustang 302s feature supercharged DOHC V8 engines. There are three different trims for Saleen Mustangs: the White Label, Yellow Label, and Black Label. All of these vehicles launch off the starting line, and handle like a dream - or a speedy animal. While most Marhsalltown drivers won't see a cheetah outside of a zoo, and will certainly never run as fast as one, they can experience the raw power and speed in a Saleen Mustang 302.

The Saleen Mustang 302 Black Label, which this article will use for comparison, outputs 800 horsepower and 630 lb.-ft. of torque and uses a six-speed manual transmission. Between the independent rear suspension, Saleen RaceCraft Specific Rate front and rear springs, and RaceCraft performance sway bars, this car can handle anything. Whether you want to drive it around town and turn heads everywhere you go or if you want to take it onto the track, this beast will perform.

The 2022 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat also uses a supercharged V8. Depending on the trim and tuning the Hellcat can output different horsepower numbers: the base model gets 717 ponies, while the Redeye gets 797. This jump does, of course, come at the cost of thousands of dollars. The Hellcat also isn't tuned for performance in the same way that the Saleen Mustang 302 is: reviewers note that the vehicle is difficult to control when one launches it off the starting line.

The performance parts and features listed above barely scratch the surface of what Saleen adds to the already-impressive Mustang with the 302 Black Label package. Some of the other upgrades include:

Saleen side skirts with integrated intakes
Saleen center taillight panel
High performance calibration
Front Air Vane with Static Brake Cooling
Saleen Supercharger with Low Pressure Drop Intercoolers

The Saleen Mustang 302 retains the beautiful aesthetics that have made the car so famous, but it pairs them with modern technology and features. The interior includes embroidered headrests, leather seats, Saleen floor mats, a Saleen steering wheel badge, and a serialized dash plaque. In short, Saleen has made the interior of the vehicle match the exterior: it is a performance vehicle, through and through. You'll look and feel the part when driving the renowned Saleen Mustang 302. The custom gauges in the dashboard will help you keep an eye on the vehicle's performance as you drive, too.

The 2022 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat also features leather seats. Other interior surfaces in the base model, however, have the unappealing look of cheap plastic. While the badges and center console are nice, one would expect that a car as famed as this would feature sleek interior looks all-around.

Both the 2022 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and 2022 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat are tremendously impressive vehicles. For most drivers, the handling differences between the two will hardly be noticeable. That said, the Shelby GT500 is the enthusiast's clear pick: it has a more refined suspension system, better handling, and a more pleasing interior.

Ames Ford Performance is Iowa's #1 performance dealer. Whether you're here in Ames or farther afield in Des Moines, Ames Ford Lincoln is your premier destination for Shelby, ROUSH, and other performance brands. We look forward to having you at our Ames, IA dealership soon.