Dodge to sell off first Challenger SRT Hellcat for charity

Sun, 27 Jul 2014

Want to get your hands on a new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, and can't wait to be the first to get one? Las Vegas will be the place to be on September 27. That's where Barrett-Jackson will auction off the very first example. And you'd better bring your checkbook, because the bidding is sure to be fierce with all the proceeds going to charity.

The supercharged Challenger with VIN 0001 has been hand-painted in Stryker Red (usually reserved for the Viper) and features special badging, documentation and accompanying memorabilia – not to mention, of course, that 707-horsepower, 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8. The car will be on display this weekend as well at Barrett-Jackson's Hot August Nights auction in Reno.

Not only is Dodge donating the vehicle, but Barrett-Jackson is waiving all its consignment fees and commissions so that 100 percent of the winning bid – which is sure to be mega – will go directly towards Opportunity Village, a non-profit that works to serve the needs of the mentally handicapped and their families. Check out the press release below for all the details.

ONE-OF-A-KIND 2015 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT HELLCAT VIN0001 TO BE AUCTIONED AT BARRETT-JACKSON LAS VEGAS

- Dodge to auction first production 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, the fastest and most powerful muscle car ever, during Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas with all proceeds benefitting Opportunity Village
- Iconic one-of-one Challenger SRT Hellcat features Viper-exclusive Stryker Red paint, special Hellcat badging, specific VIN0001 documentation build package and additional one-of-a-kind memorabilia
- Barrett-Jackson waves all bidding and consignment fees; 100 percent of sale price goes to charity
Prototype 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat on display July 31-Aug.2 at Barrett-Jackson's second annual Hot August Nights Auction in Reno, Nev.

July 25, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Dodge announced today that it will auction the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat VIN0001, the most powerful and fastest muscle car ever built, during the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas 2014 auction, which will be held Sept. 25-27 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Proceeds from the auction on Sept. 27, will benefit the not-for-profit Opportunity Village organization of Las Vegas.

The one-of-one special-edition 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, with a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI® V-8 engine and 0001 vehicle identification number (VIN), has an NHRA-certified quarter-mile time of 10.8 seconds at 126 mph, 707 horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque on tap right from the assembly line. Adding to the exclusivity, the donated muscle car will be the only Dodge Challenger to ever have a Viper-exclusive Stryker Red exterior - hand-painted at the Dodge Viper paint facility - and it will include special Hellcat badging, specific VIN documentation and one-of-a-kind memorabilia.

"The 2015 Challenger Hellcat is already guaranteed to be one of the hottest cars that will roll through the Barrett-Jackson auction lanes in decades to come," said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO, Dodge and SRT Brands, Chrysler Group LLC. "The VIN 0001 being auctioned this year is the ultimate one-of-one collectible 2015 Dodge Challenger, as Dodge is ensuring there will never be another one like it."

The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat VIN0001 has a class-exclusive TorqueFlite 8-speed paddle shift automatic transmission with RPM matching downshifts, 15.4-inch Brembo front disc brakes with two-piece rotors and six-piston calipers, the largest brakes ever offered by Chrysler Group, and 20-by-9.5-inch wheels of lightweight matte black forged aluminum. It will have newly designed interior trimmed in premium Black Laguna leather on performance-oriented seats, a modern dash layout providing all of the technology features one would expect and an authentic forged-aluminum supercharger plenum cover under the hood.

The auction package includes a HEMI painted presentation box with a VIN0001 electronic vehicle build book and video documentary, still shots, vehicle footage, an authentic Challenger SRT Hellcat embossed Laguna Leather iPad sleeve, a signed SRT Hellcat lithograph and unique "birth certificate" for VIN0001. Additional information on the vehicle is available on the news feed page of www.driveSRT.com.

Barrett-Jackson is waiving all bidding and consignment fees, so 100 percent of the sale price will be donated to Opportunity Village, a not-for-profit organization that serves people with significant intellectual disabilities in the Las Vegas area. A prototype 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat will be on display at the Dodge booth located in Hall 3 during the second annual Hot August Nights Auction presented by Barrett-Jackson from July 31 to Aug. 2 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

"With 707 horsepower, the 2015 Dodge Hellcat is more than just the most powerful muscle car built by an American manufacturer," said Craig Jackson,Chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. "It's also going to be the means to help countless people with severe intellectual and related disabilities reach their potential. We're honored that Dodge chose our 2014 Las Vegas auction to sell Hellcat VIN001 to support Opportunity Village. Not only will the wonderful people at this organization benefit from the sale of this muscle car, but the winning bidder will own a truly amazing piece of American automotive history."

"We are so unbelievably thankful for the support of Dodge and Barrett-Jackson," said Linda Smith, Associate Executive Director, Opportunity Village. "We are touched by their amazing generosity and support of our mission here to support individuals with disabilities by giving them the chance to lead independent and fulfilling lives."

About the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company
Barrett-Jackson, The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions™, was founded in Scottsdale, Ariz., in 1971. Its internationally renowned auctions are hosted in Scottsdale; Palm Beach, Fla.; Reno/Tahoe, Nev., and Las Vegas. The events feature hundreds of the world's most sought-after, unique and valuable vehicles where they cross the block in front of a global audience. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, and complete event information visit www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694. Barrett-Jackson can be found on Facebook or followed on Twitter @Barrett_Jackson.

About Opportunity Village
Opportunity Village (www.opportunityvillage.org) is a not-for-profit organization that serves people within our community with significant intellectual disabilities, to improve their lives and the lives of their families. Opportunity Village was founded in 1954 by seven families who were determined to give their children with disabilities the best lives possible. Now, 60 years later, Opportunity Village is one of the most recognized and respected organizations of its type in the United States. Nevada's largest employer of people with disabilities, Opportunity Village serves nearly 3,000 individuals annually, providing vocational training, employment, habilitation and social recreation programs and services that make their lives more purposeful and interesting.

About Dodge
The Dodge brand is tearing into its centennial year as America's mainstream performance brand, celebrating its 100th anniversary on July 1, 2014. With the purification of the brand and consolidation with SRT, Dodge is getting back to its performance roots with every single model it offers. The consolidated Dodge and SRT brands will offer a complete lineup of performance vehicles that stand out within their own segments. Dodge will be the "mainstream performance" brand within the Chrysler showroom. SRT will be positioned as the "ultimate performance" halo of the Dodge brand, together creating a complete and balanced performance brand with one vision and one voice.

From muscle cars to compact cars, minivans, crossovers and full-size SUVs, the Dodge brand's full lineup of 2015 models deliver best-in-class horsepower, class-exclusive technology, unmatched capability and a slew of cool features, such as LED headlamps, Dodge signature racetrack tail lamps, dual exhaust, 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment centers and 7-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) customizable gauge clusters, to name a few. For the 2015 model year, customers will be able to drive the new 2015 Dodge Charger and Challenger, as well as the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. The Dodge brand lineup also includes the 2015 Dodge Dart, Durango, Grand Caravan and Journey, including the new Crossroad model, and Dodge Viper SRT.

By Noah Joseph