Mopar enthusiasts who wanted to buy or at least order a new 707-hp Dodge Challenger Hellcat or Dodge Charger Hellcat, your options would be limited and expensive. There’s basically none available at Chrysler’s original $58,295 sticker price, so if you’re willing to pay the dealer markup, you might find one starting around $70,000, with used ones going for a little (but not much) less. Earlier this year, a bone-stock 2015 Challenger Hellcat sold at auction for $110,000!
Today, Dodge revealed several moves aimed at satisfying Hellcat demand, including more than doubling production for 2016. But as part of that process, some 900 customers who thought they were getting a Hellcat this year will have to wait a little longer for the 2016 model year — and miss out on that first-model-year pride.
Dodge executives announced today the company had scheduled the last runs of 2015 models at the Canadian plant that builds the two models. It will re-open the order books for dealers in August and again in February, with new rules that specify exactly how many Hellcats a dealer can order in 2016. Those dealers that did the best job of moving Hellcats will get more; those who bought a few and slapped $20,000 markups on the sticker hoping for a sale will get penalized.
By doubling production to roughly 8,000 Hellcats, Dodge aims to knock down some of those vigs that individual dealers had demanded. Dodge spokesman Dan Reid said the factory will cancel some 900 orders that had been sold but not built for 2015, offering those customers vouchers good for 2015 pricing on 2016 models, which will get an unspecified price hike. The 2016s will hit dealers late this year.
From what’s been said so far, the changes should make 2016 Hellcats a little easier to find — but by canceling the 2015 orders it had, and building something less than 4,000 copies, those first-year models may find a permanent seat at collector auctions soon
Charity Raffle For 805 Horsepower Dodge Challenger
Last year, when Dodge announced the new Dodge Challenger Hellcat that pumped out 707 Horsepower, Mopar enthusiasts ordered everyone that the Fiat / Chrysler Auto group could produce in within hours of the order banks opening. So many enthusiasts wanted to order them, that a new production run was added to keep up with demand.
The Dodge Challenger Hellcat and Charger Hellcat twins have since proved to be wildly popular. So popular, in fact, that Dodge is more than doubling production to meet all the demand for 2016 models. But that still isn’t enough, so to get the jump on 2016 production, 2015 production is ending. Meaning if you ordered a 2015 car, you’re effectively not going to get it and you probably need to check to see if you have to place your order again.
Well there is another way to get a 2015 Challenger and this one makes a lot more ponies - how about 805 of them - and you could own this amazing car for only $3 if you get lucky! ( Oh you also win a matching black limited production 1970 440 R/T Challenger as part of the prize package - 1 of 100 made)
The 2015 Dodge Challenger has been dubbed "The Hellcat X" (after the XF6F world war II fighter plane - see the video) - this one of a king Challenger Hellcat is twin charged with turbocharger and a supercharger, and because of this the numbers now reach 805-horsepower - and there’s only one of them in the world.
To add to its exclusivity, you can’t even buy the car - in fact - the only way you can own it is by entering the Dream Giveaway charity raffle and winning it. Click Here To Enter To Win
The lucky winner of these special Mopar's will also find himself or herself the recipient of $40,000 to help compensate for taxes, All monies from the raffle will be used to support various charities.
2016 Shelby GT350 Offer Heads Up Display Shift Light
It seems that the Ford media machine likes to keep us up to speed almost on a weekly basis these days about new "trick" features being offered on the new 2016 Ford Shelby GT350.
Last week it was the GT350R lightweight carbon fiber wheels (see our Carbon Fiber Wheel story here)and before that it was all about the new powerful 5.2L engine with the flat plane crank.
Now Ford are teasing us with an interior feature that will be standard on the Shelby GT350 and the GT350R. It offers race inspired technology with a fully Customizable Shift Light Indicator to Help Drivers Optimize Track Time.
It Includes:
• Shelby GT350® Mustang features Performance Shift Light Indicator display with Track, Tach and Drag mode
• Performance Shift Light Indicator provides the benefits of a shift light while allowing drivers to keep their eyes on the track at all times
• Heads-up shift light was developed by reimagining existing hardware and is standard on all-new Shelby GT350 and Shelby® GT350R
Official Ford Press release below:
DEARBORN, Mich., July 23, 2015 – When driving the high-revving, 526-horsepower Shelby GT350® Mustang, drivers would do best to keep eyes on the road.
So that's where Ford put the Performance Shift Light Indicator.
For decades, race drivers have used shift lights that signal the perfect engine speed for the shift point for maximum acceleration and lower lap times during the intensity of on-track driving.
Shift lights allow drivers to concentrate on the road in front of them rather than watching a tachometer. However, most shift lights either obscure the forward field of view or are located low in the instrument cluster where the driver must look down to see it.
The Performance Shift Light Indicator is a heads-up display located in front of the driver. It can be controlled through the driver information center in the gauge cluster, and customers can set shift points, light intensity, select from three different modes, or turn the feature off entirely.
In Tach mode, the amber LEDs light up sequentially from left to right as engine revs build to provide an easily viewable tachometer. Track mode is quite different – when engine revs build, LEDs light up from the outside ends to the center until the shift point is reached, then the whole LED bar flashes.
The third option is Drag mode. Much like Track mode, the customer sets the shift point, but in this configuration the entire LED light bar stays dark, then flashes repeatedly when the engine reaches the preset rpm threshold. "Given the conditions of a drag race, we found drivers wanted maximum simplicity in a performance shift light," said Mike Makled, electrical engineer for Shelby programs.
Innovation through lateral thinking
Makled is a self-described at-home tinkerer. The 10-year veteran and third-generation Ford employee has been with Ford Performance since 2010. "I like taking things apart, modifying how they work and creating new things," he says. "It's a hobby."
Dreaming up innovative performance features is one of the fun parts of his job, and inspiration struck one day on the road. Makled was driving his Ford Taurus SHO when he came to a quick stop in traffic and the car's collision warning with brake support system flashed its red LED heads-up display. The system bounces upward projected light against the reflective inner surface of the windshield so the driver can see it as a warning of impending danger. This got him thinking.
"I thought, 'Wait a minute, why don't we use that technology for our shift light on the GT350?'" said Makled. "With a few tweaks, it could have a big effect on high-performance driving."
Over the course of three months, Makled worked with a supplier to build a new prototype with special circuitry, amber LEDs, and software he installed into his own car. When satisfied with the progress, he invited management into the driver's seat to see what he'd been working on – they loved it, calling it a "brilliant reimagining of existing technology."
After getting the green light, Makled handed the project over to then-Ford Corporate Graduate Zac Nelson for development and release. Nelson worked with OpenXC to quickly build a working prototype for driver testing and feedback. Makled and Nelson worked closely with the heads-up display supplier on the production-level software and display modes for the new Shelby GT350 and Shelby® GT350R.
The feature has been lauded by Ford testing personnel. "All of our drivers love this feature," boasts Makled. "They can't believe how much it reduces the distraction of having to look away to a tach or a shift light in the cluster."
"WOW, I am so excited to be chosen for this! I will give you a bit of background. I was bit by the Mustang bug the very first time I saw my neighbor's 1969 Aqua Blue Shelby and have bled FORD blue ever since, I purchased my first car, a 65 GT coupe as a freshman in high school."
Kevins owns a 2009 GT and it is his daily driver. It is stock for now except the wheels and a K&N air filter but he has been planning to start modding it once he's caught up on his other mustang projects. Kevin has been a Mustang guy since High School and even converted his brother to a Ford guy. Between them they currently own six Mustangs ranging from full restorations to an open track car!
Judging by the pictures Kevin provided of a couple of them, it's easy to see he's spent countless hours getting them just right - "WOW, I am so excited to be chosen for this! I will give you a bit of background. I was bit by the Mustang bug the very first time I saw my neighbor's 1969 Aqua Blue Shelby and have bled FORD blue ever since! I purchased my first car, a 65 GT coupe as a freshman in high school."
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900 Orders For 2015 Dodge Hellcat Cancelled
