10 Coolest Stock Supercharged Cars For 2015

How do you make an already-big engine feel like an even bigger engine? Force-feed it air in the form of a supercharger. Stock supercharged cars do an end-run around displacement by using the engine's own torque to compress air and push it through the intake so that the denser oxygen ignites much more readily, producing the kind of sick power numbers that snap your neck back when you pin the throttle. It's probably no surprise, then, that each of the cars on our list of the 10 coolest stock supercharged cars prioritizes performance over everything else - with two notable exceptions that we'll get to in a moment.

Let's take a quick look at 10 of the coolest stock supercharged cars you can buy for 2015.

1. 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat made a lot of waves when it was announced last year, and with good reason: the 6.2-liter stock supercharged engine under its hood is the most powerful production V-8 on the planet. With 707 horses and 650 lb-ft of twist on tap, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat can rip to 60-mph in the four second range and obliterate the quarter mile in the low-11s, providing you can find a way to hook up its meaty rear tires. The SRT Hellcat comes with the choice of either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission, each of which features a launch control system.

2. 2015 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E

Volvo offers several different versions of its Drive-E setup, but the one we're interested in is the stock supercharged 2015 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E. The T6 Drive-E doesn't just supercharge the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine under its hood - it also turbocharges it, making it one of the most exotic drivetrains available right off of the showroom floor. This gives drivers 302 horsepower to play with, along with 295 lb-ft of torque, all of which is managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission. Volvo's supercharged/turbocharged arrangement is one of the few on this list that is designed to enhance fuel mileage while also boosting performance, making it an outlier on the supercharged car landscape.

3. 2015 Audi S4

The 2015 Audi S4, on the other hand, it all about the go and not so much about the green. The Audi S4 features a 3.0-liter V-6 that makes use of a supercharger to produce 333 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque, and not only is all-wheel drive standard with the sport sedan, but it the system also offers a torque-vectoring feature that can redistribute engine power between the rear wheels in addition to the front axles in an effort to improve handling on the fly. A six-speed manual transmission is standard with the Audi, but if you prefer to let the car shift itself a seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual gearbox is also available.

4. 2016 Cadillac CTS-V

The 2015 Cadillac CTS-V will go on sale later in 2015, and this stock supercharged car boasts a scary amount of power to go with its substantial luxury and cutting-edge style. The all-new Cadillac CTS-V borrows the supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 from the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, which means 640 horsepower and 630 lb-ft of torque - more than enough grunt to get the hefty sedan moving past 60-mph in a scant 3.7 seconds. You'll get 200 miles per hour out of the CTS-V, but what you won't find is a manual transmission: this lightning-fast sled comes exclusively with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

5. 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

Also a member of the auto-only club (and coincidentally also an eight-speed), the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is a full-size sedan that is actually quicker than the Cadillac. It's no surprise, of course; not when you've got the same 707 horsepower, 6.2-liter supercharged engine as the Challenger SRT Hellcat pulling duty between the front fenders. The Charger version of this uber-powerful beast has a few key differences, however, that move beyond the automatic-only options list, including a longer wheelbase and body that gives it enough combined mechanical and aerodynamic stability to reach a top speed of 204 miles per hour - a boost of five miles per hour over the Challenger.

Photo by Dodge

6. 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

The 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 has already been mentioned once on our list of the coolest stock supercharged cars, and that’s because of the mechanical link it shares with the Cadillac CTS-V. In the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, however, that same 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 has been tweaked to push out 650 ponies and 650 lb-ft of torque, which represents a small but appreciable bump over its four-door cousin. You also get the choice between either a seven-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission, and either way you'll end up with a scary quick ride: 0-60 in three seconds is par for the course for this supercar.

7. 2015 Jaguar F-Type

The 2015 Jaguar F-TYPE features not just one, but two supercharged engine choices, right from the showroom floor. The base Jaguar F-Type is motivated by a 3.0-liter V-6 that is supercharged to produce 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, while the F-Type S turns up the boost on the same motor to end up with 380 horses and 339 lb-ft of torque. Convertible and coupe versions of the F-Type both offer the same V-6 options, but the open-air Jaguar's S trim, with its 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 is good for 495 horsepower, while the coupe's R trim squeezes 550 horses out of the same unit. For 2015, an eight-speed automatic is the only transmission available with the car.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

8. 2015 Audi A6

The 2015 Audi A6 is a multi-faceted mid-size luxury car, and one of its many different trim levels just happens to make use of the same 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 that is found in the smaller Audi A4. Not so much a sport sedan as a comfort-oriented cruiser, the Audi A6 3.0T drops a few ponies from the S4's tune, bringing it down to 310 horsepower, but it still maintains a rating of 325 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is also present, only this version of quattro doesn't feature a refined torque-vectoring system, and an eight-speed automatic transmission handles the gear shifting duties.

9. 2015 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

The 2015 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 might not match the ferocity of its Hellcat competitor, but this is one stock supercharged car that isn't afraid to flex its muscle on a drag strip. Available in both coupe and convertible body styles, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is a real beast to corral down the quarter mile, as its 580 horsepower, supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 churns out 556 lb-ft of torque and sends it all to the rear wheels with little concern for words like 'traction' and 'grip.' A six-speed manual transmission is preferred for its available launch control system, but there's also a six-speed automatic for those more interested in cruising than carving corners. 60-mph arrives in 4.4 seconds behind the wheel of the Camaro ZL1.

10. 2015 Jaguar XJR

To tell you the truth, Jaguar offers a stock supercharged version of every one of its current crop of cars, but we decided to pick the F-Type and the 2015 Jaguar XJR to illustrate the two extreme ends of the brand's high performance spectrum. Whereas the F-Type is a small sports car, the Jaguar XJR is a full-size luxury sedan that features the same 550 horsepower, 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 found in the F-Type R Coupe. With 502 lb-ft of torque on tap, plus an eight-speed automatic transmission on hand, it's perhaps no surprise that this four-door cat can reach 60-mph in a scant 4.1 seconds - even in long-wheelbase trim.