Would You Pay $350,000 for a Dodge Demon 170?
2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 article highlights:
- Like many sought-after cars, the Dodge’s new Challenger SRT Demon 170 is already experiencing bloated dealership markups and price gouging.
- Although the new Dodge halo car and final “Last Call” model starts at $100,361, some dealers have already tried to institute as much as a $250,000 markup.
- Dodge is trying to stop the markup madness with dealership preferences, offering allocations to sellers who agree to list the vehicles for close to MSRP instead of price gouging.
How much is a Dodge Demon 170?
Dodge unveiled the SRT Demon 170 with an MSRP of around $100,361. The automaker says production will begin in July 2023. Furthermore, Dodge might produce 3,000 units for the American market and 300 for the Canadian.
At that price point, the new 170 model is a superlative-grabbing exercise in unnecessary Mopar over-the-top-ism. However, it’s also the fastest muscle car ever and a bona fide performance bargain. Still, fans who thought they could snag one for a fair amount might be out of luck.
How much are dealerships charging for the new Dodge halo car?
Many dealerships are piling on huge markups, some as much as $250,000. In those cases, potential owners might be paying as much as $350,000 for Dodge’s new halo car.
It’s a shame, too; muscle cars aren’t exotic trophies for the obscenely wealthy. Instead, cars like the new Dodge Demon 170 are supposed to put sports car-annihilating straight-line performance and boulevard heroics in the hands of the public for a fraction of a new Ferrari’s ask. Alas, like the C8 Chevrolet Corvette, the Dodge model is experiencing shameful dealership markups.
What is Dodge doing to stop dealership gouging for the Demon 170?
Dodge is aware of the slimy practices and is employing dealer preferences to mitigate the greed. For instance, a Dodge spokesperson says, “If the buyer paid MSRP or under, the buyer’s car gets priority scheduling.” This follows the ordering process that the automaker observes; an acknowledgment form adds transparency and could highlight gouging by indicating the sale price, per MotorTrend.
The practice seems to be effective, at least on paper. Dodge’s spokesperson said that “out of the 1,000 order documents Dodge received on March 27, 630 of them—63 percent—came back notarized by the buyer and seller that the car was sold at MSRP.” However, CarBuzz says that some dealerships can sidestep the preventative measures by purchasing the vehicles and re-listing them with massive markups.
Is the Dodge Demon still available?
The first Challenger-platform Dodge SRT Demon came and went; its 3,300 models sold in its one year of production, 2018. However, Dodge is taking orders for the new Demon 170, although we expect the hellacious halo car to go as quickly as it blasts down the strip.
What do you make of the dealership markups and price gouging? Tell us in the comments below!
