The Ultimate Challenge? Driving a Hellcat at Bathurst is TERRIFYING! ๐ฆ๐บ #RealRacing3 #hellcat
2Welcome, racing fans, to a very special showcase of raw power versus legendary tarmac.
In this video, weโre strapping into the cockpit of one of America's most ferocious modern muscle cars, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, and unleashing its full fury on one of the world's most revered and dangerous racing circuits.
Mount Panorama, Bathurst.
This isn't just a race.
it's a clash of titans, a battle of philosophies, and a true test of car control, all brought to life with stunning realism in Real Racing 3.
The Beast.
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
Before we dive into the lap, let's pay respect to our chosen weapon.
The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is not just a car.
it's a statement.
It's the culmination of decades of American muscle car heritage, distilled into a modern package that spits in the face of subtlety.
The 'SRT' stands for Street & Racing Technology, the high-performance division of Stellantis North America, and they truly earned their name with the Hellcat.
At its heart lies the engine that gives the car its demonic name.
a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8.
This is not a sophisticated, high-revving European engine.
This is a sledgehammer.
It produces a colossal 707 horsepower and a staggering 650 lb-ft of torque.
To put that into perspective, that's more power than many supercars from Italy and Germany.
The sound it makes is pure Americana.
a deep, guttural rumble at idle that erupts into a terrifying shriek from the supercharger under full throttle, a sound you'll hear in all its glory as we blast down Conrod Straight.
The design is unapologetically retro, a loving homage to the original Challenger from the 1970s, but with modern aerodynamic considerations.
The aggressive stance, the wide body, and the signature 'Air-Catcher' headlamps.
where the inner lamp is actually a hollow intake to feed cool air directly into the engine.
all scream performance.
But this immense power and size come with a challenge.
The Hellcat is heavy, and its natural habitat is the drag strip or the wide, sweeping roads of North America.
It was built for straight-line speed and glorious burnouts.
So, the question is, how does this beast, designed for brute force, handle a track that demands precision, agility, and immense bravery?
That's what we're here to find out.
In Real Racing 3, the developers at Firemonkeys Studios have done a remarkable job of capturing this essence.
You can feel the immense torque trying to break the rear tires loose on corner exit, you can feel the weight transfer under heavy braking, and you can hear that iconic supercharger whine.
The in-game model is a faithful digital recreation, from the glowing SRT logo in the grille to the detailed interior.
The Mountain.
Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst
Now for the arena.
Mount Panorama is more than just a racetrack.
it's a national icon in Australia, a place of pilgrimage for motorsport enthusiasts.
Located in Bathurst, New South Wales, it's a public road for most of the year, which means its surface is far from the billiard-table smooth perfection of a purpose-built F1 circuit.
It's bumpy, unforgiving, and lined with unforgiving concrete walls.
It is, without a doubt, one of the most challenging circuits on the planet.
The track is unique in its layout, a true circuit of two halves.
The lap begins with the relatively simple Pit Straight, leading into the deceptively fast Hell Corner.
Then, the climb begins.
Mountain Straight is a long, steep ascent where the Hellcat's V8 power can truly be unleashed.
But this is where the easy part ends.
You then arrive at The Cutting, a sharp, narrow, and incredibly steep left-hand corner carved into the side of the mountain.
It's a blind entry, and getting the line wrong here means a one-way ticket to the concrete wall.
This is where the Hellcat's weight and brute force become a liability.
You have to be patient, braking earlier than you think and gently feeding in the power on exit to avoid spinning the tires.
From there, you enter the most famous and demanding section of the track.
The run from Reid Park, through Sulman Park, and down to McPhillamy Park is a breathtaking rollercoaster of high-speed, flowing corners.
The walls are inches from the track, leaving zero room for error.
This section is all about rhythm and commitment.
In the game, you can feel the car go light over the crests, and you have to make tiny, precise steering inputs to keep the car on the razor's edge.
Then comes the descent.
You plunge down through The Esses and The Dipper, a series of incredibly steep, tight, and claustrophobic corners.
The car is thrown from one side to the other, the suspension is fully compressed, and the proximity of the walls is terrifyingly real.
This is where a nimble, agile car would excel.
For our Hellcat, it's like trying to thread a needle with a sledgehammer.