When Dodge introduced the Challenger SRT Demon in 2017, it did so with the caveat that the Demon would be produced in very limited numbers. Dodge announced that only 3,300 units would be made, and while the significance of the number 3,300 remains unclear, it’s become a moot point already. Once Dodge finishes building all 3,300 units, it would stop production of the Challenger SRT Demon. In the immortal words of Porky Pig, That’s all, folks!.
Then something funny, if not completely expected, happened.
But there was only one problem. Dodge has no plans to build more Challenger SRT Demons, even if the demand for it continues to trend north.
It’s not that Dodge doesn’t want to build it; give company execs some truth serum and they’ll probably say that they’d like to build more given how much of a cash cow it became for the automaker. The decision to keep the Demon in its cage has more to do with keeping the mystique and the sense of exclusivity attached to the 3,300 units that are scattered all over the world. Coming from someone who collects designer toys as a hobby, the moment a limited serialized item gets reproduced, the value of the original “first edition” pieces drops. That’s just how it goes. It doesn’t matter if it’s toys, basketball cards, or cars. More supply equates to less exclusive appeal.
That’s why the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is staying retired. FCA’s head of passenger cars, Tim Kuniskis, alluded to that, too, when he told Muscle Cars Trucks about the possibility of building more Demon’s in the future. The man shot those possibilities down without hesitation. “The Demon isn’t coming back,” he said. “You know what would happen, if those 3,300 people who paid a lot of money for a serialized car, do you know what they would do to me if we brought it back?”
That’s arguably the most important attribute of the Challenger SRT Demon. Put the power and performance numbers on the side for a second. The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is so in demand because not everyone who wanted one got the chance to actually buy one. That’s why prices for used models still command six-figure amounts. You can go to some of the most reputable used car websites on the Internet and you’ll see a lot of second-hand Challenger SRT Demons on the market, priced anywhere from $100,000 to $150,000 depending on the condition of the model. The prices second-hand models go for are right around the same prices that brand-new Challenger SRT Demons sold for in the last two years. Yep, the SRT Demon was, and remains, immune from the trend of depreciation of car values the moment these cars leave the dealership.
And people keep hoping, asking, and wishing for Dodge to build more Challenger SRT Demons? What for?
These buyers would have to pay more than they probably want, but that’s the price that needs to be paid, literally and figuratively, to secure a unit of the Challenger SRT Demon.
If you want one bad enough, I’d say go ahead and take that leap. It’s unlikely that prices of the Challenger SRT Demon will go down anytime soon, and by the time that they do — that’s not even a foregone conclusion — most of the models that will be available have more than likely gone through the wringer already. Pay the premium now and enjoy the car while it still has fresh legs.
Remember, the Challenger SRT Demon isn’t just a fancy name on a fancy muscle car. It’s also powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine that produces a whopping 840 horsepower and 770 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful factory-built eight-cylinder engine in the auto industry. It’s also tricked out with an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends all that power to the two rear wheels, enabling the Demon to unleash holy hell with a sprint-to-60-mph time of just 2.3 seconds to go with a quarter-mile blitzkrieg of just 9.65 seconds at 140 mph. That’s the kind of car you’re getting, folks. There’s a reason the Challenger SRT Demon was actually banned from drag strips by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). It’s that fast.
It’s hard to think of another $100,000-or-so purchase that’s more worth it than a Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, even if it comes from the used-car market. As much as I want to see Dodge re-start production of the muscle car, it’s not going to happen. I’ve come to terms with it, and so should all of you.
Further Reading
Read our full review on the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.
Read our full review on the 2018 Dodge Challenger.
Source: Muscle Cars and Trucks