Hellcat orders suspended

[EZ 2B Green]

Automotive News

Dodge stops taking Hellcat orders to tackle big backlog
Nick Bunkley Twitter RSS feed
Automotive News | March 13, 2015 - 5:00 pm EST


Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has stopped taking orders for the Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcats so it can work through a lengthy backlog.

Order-taking is expected to resume in August, according to Allpar.com, which reported the news this morning.

FCA US confirmed the suspension but didn’t specify how long it would last.

“Due to unprecedented demand for the 2015 Dodge Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcats,” the company said in a statement, “we are temporarily restricting orders while we validate current orders that are in the system.”

Demand for the pair of 707-hp cars built in Brampton, Ontario, has wildly exceeded company projections, and their limited availability has frustrated dealers and would-be buyers.

Several weeks ago, FCA’s top U.S. spokesman, Gualberto Ranieri, criticized “a handful” of dealers for engaging in “unscrupulous” and potentially illegal behavior by taking orders they may be unable to fulfill.

• FROM OUR ARCHIVES: Hot Hellcat may burn dealers

Dodge dealers have delivered more than 2,200 Hellcats -- some at well above sticker price -- but Dodge brand head Tim Kuniskis told Automotive News last week that the company had received more than 9,000 orders. That’s double the annual sales for which FCA had planned. Dealers started taking orders in September.

Most of Dodge’s 2,300 U.S. dealers were told that they may get no more than one per month, yet some have taken orders for dozens, or even hundreds. Some have asked for nonrefundable deposits of up to $5,000.


Orders for the Dodge SRT Hellcat Charger and Challenger aren't expected to resume until August, Allpar.com said today. Fiat Chrysler would not say when it will begin taking orders again.

[Coloviper]

Wonder what a factory 950HP Blown Viper would do for demand?

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

Can anyone say "ADP" as never before? as in:

ADP

MARKET ADJUSTMENT

[BlknBlu]

V6 cars will be rarer than Hellcats.

Bruce

[outnumbered]

Exactly why I didn't get one. Extremely impressive car; absolutely no exclusivity.

[Vprbite]

Are they going to try and deliver all 9000 this year? Or just tell people they get what they get?

I can't belive people would throw down a non-refundable deposit to a dealer. I would think SRT will let the dealers hear about it for taking non-refundable deposits. Ripping people off is not good for the brand.

[MalingatorGTS]

There have been a few on ebay in the past few days and they all seem to be selling in to 70 to 80k range. I guess people will spend the extra not to wait and deal with some of the dealer BS trying to get one.

Sad to say in like 2 years the value will tank as they will be caught up and as stated prior there in no exclusivity to the car. Just wait and you will be buying them for what a normal SRT cost in a couple years.

[rw99]

Whoever buys one for exclusivity, or as an investment, is misguided.

On the other hand, I bought mine 'cause it's an effing awesome daily driver and fun car that complements the Viper. First car I've ever ordered... and I got in line way early, paid sticker. Glad I did.

[ACRucrazy]

You were spotted by my buddy on the 1st.

[ViperSmith]

Whoever buys one for exclusivity, or as an investment, is misguided.

On the other hand, I bought mine 'cause it's an effing awesome daily driver and fun car that complements the Viper. First car I've ever ordered... and I got in line way early, paid sticker. Glad I did.

usually not a graphics guy on cars but love it + the green

[Vprbite]

Do all HCats have the "Cat" graphic on the side and the "Mopar" hood or is that an option?

And yes it looks good in that green!

[Coloviper]

Looks good! Exclusivity, no! Investment, well in a number of years down the road, when V8+ is dead, I do think they will be very collectible Worldwide. With 707 hp, I predict the wrecked rate will be high on the Hellcats. Just too much power for most.

You pics screen for an option to have color matched calipers. Red calipers just don't due it.

[mjorgensen]

Whoever buys one for exclusivity, or as an investment, is misguided.

On the other hand, I bought mine 'cause it's an effing awesome daily driver and fun car that complements the Viper. First car I've ever ordered... and I got in line way early, paid sticker. Glad I did.

Where the hell is the "Like" button? :-)

[rw99]

You're all very kind, thanks for the complements. I know the graphics will be too much for some, but (for now, anyway) I really like how they turned out.

ACRucrazy, that was up at Thunderhill for ChumpCar!

Vprbite, both graphics are aftermarket. The big 'Cat on the side is copied from the car Dodge showed at last year's Woodward Dream Cruise, while the hood wrap is my own design.

[Leslie]

I thought they got recalled...?

[Late Apex]

EZ 2B I found this out today when I went to Mac Haik Dodge in Houston to look at two in the show room that are already sold. I was told the same thing as tons of orders on the table at the factory. VERY impressed with the Charger and Challenger H cats I sat in and looked over though. All in awesome black

[Smog Dog]

Great news about no new orders for the 2015 model year! I ordered a Torred Charger with the Black/Ruby Red interior in January. Now that orders are shut down, maybe we'll have it this summer....

Bill

[Vprbite]

You're all very kind, thanks for the complements. I know the graphics will be too much for some, but (for now, anyway) I really like how they turned out.

ACRucrazy, that was up at Thunderhill for ChumpCar!

Vprbite, both graphics are aftermarket. The big 'Cat on the side is copied from the car Dodge showed at last year's Woodward Dream Cruise, while the hood wrap is my own design.

Really? I gotta say they looked factory, or like a factory option. I think you did a great job designing them. I like em. Not too much at all in my opinion. I mean, not a 700hp beast of a machine.

[G37Sam]

Congrats on that beast! How does it compare to the Viper?

[rw99]

Congrats on that beast! How does it compare to the Viper?

Not to stray too far off-topic... oh, hell, we've already gone there.

It's very different than a Viper, as you'd expect. It sits "up"; I notice this even when compared to my previous '09 SRT8 Challenger. Granted, that one was lowered when I went with a Hotchkis TVS setup, but still -- the Hellcat Challenger feels bigger than my previous one.

I'm a big guy, 6'4 and 260. I basically wear my ACR, even with the 2" seat lowering kit. But this also means that the ACR feels much more connected to me, from sight lines to pedal placement to cornering behavior and feedback. The Hellcat insulates you (as do all of these big SRTs) from what's going on... but it sticks really well in the twisties, despite the 275s, and leaves you somewhat surprised at its grip. I'm very impressed by the 3-mode Bilsteins: the range in stiffness and behavior is truly significant and you really can feel the difference, even before you ask the car to turn.

The blower whine is just fantastic. Power is great, of course, and when it breaks loose with TC off it's still predictable and controllable. I like the exhaust note, too: this is the best SRT soundtrack to date, of any model.

I have the A8 trans, which is, I dunno, kinda unnecessary in my book. Only the top two gears are overdriven, so you're packing six gears in the space usually served by four (these days). So 6th is the new 4th, the 1:1 gear. But on the twisties, 3rd is kinda the new 2nd... leaving us with 4th and 5th fighting for some playing time? On a car with this much area under the torque curve, I don't think there's a strong (performance) argument for all the gear-changing... honestly, when you're driving it with the paddles, you gotta be ready to click the upshifts pretty quickly. But that's also part of the fun, and the shifts are quick and firm (both characteristics vary with the trans setting). Nice rev-matching in Track mode.

One area where the Gen V and the Hellcat are more similar is the interior and infotainment. And thank you, thank you, thank you Viper. The new dash covering material is a little weird; some sort of soft (multilayer?) textured plastic. It's fine, just different. Obviously, not leather nor laudable, but there's nothing "wrong" with it. Ergonomics are good. The mirror mount is a bit of a bummer, with no access door to easily plug in a hardwired radar detector. Of course the 8.4AN with NAV is quite nice, and most of the integration with devices is good. I say "most", because there's still a nagging inconsistency of UConnect to play well with even common apps: the UConnect via Mobile connection for Pandora streaming on my iPhone 6, for instance, does not always connect correctly. SRT Performance pages are appreciated, and the Hellcat gets an extra set of gauges for intercoolant temp, IACs, true wideband AFR, and boost. Very nice, very useful. And I like being able to select any of the gauges as my center gauge in the cluster display.

The car is a fantastic daily driver or long-cruiser, as even the basic seats (leather/alcantara) are excellent. One note: I think these actually sit a bit higher than the ones in my '09 SRT8. Tall guys, take note.

[slowhatch]

^great feedback, thanks.

[100]

Rich is always ahead of the curve.

Whoever buys one for exclusivity, or as an investment, is misguided.

On the other hand, I bought mine 'cause it's an effing awesome daily driver and fun car that complements the Viper. First car I've ever ordered... and I got in line way early, paid sticker. Glad I did.