The Dodge Challenger Hellcat is ridiculously awesome, and yet, like many cool cars, it’s not something anyone actually needs. But somehow, as excessive and over the top as the Hellcat is, the 840-hp Challenger Demon somehow makes it look tame in comparison. After all, how many other cars accelerate so hard, their front wheels lift off the ground? If you have one on your personal wish list, we totally get it. But if you’re planning to wait until 2019 to buy yours, don’t.
Allpar reports that recently, Dodge dealers have been spreading the rumor that Demon production will continue through 2019. Especially considering that strong demand caused Ford to double production of the new GT, it’s easy to see why people would believe Dodge plans to do the same thing. But Dodge has said from the beginning that it only intended to build the Demon for a single year regardless of demand.
In fact, when Allpar interviewed Tim Kuniskis, Dodge’s top guy at the time, he finished the conversation by saying the Demon would be “2018 only, one-and-done. The people who sit back and wait for next year are going to miss out.” It really doesn’t get more clear than that. Allpar also points out that every Demon buyer receives a letter that includes the line, “congratulations on being one of only 3,300 passionate performance enthusiasts to own a piece of automotive history.” If Dodge had plans to continue Demon production after 2018, it wouldn’t make sense to word the letter that way.
Of course, now that Kuniskis has moved from Dodge to Maserati and Alfa Romeo, there’s a chance that Dodge’s new boss, Steve Beahm, might decide he likes the idea of a 2019 Demon. But even if that were the case, doing so could potentially open Dodge up to a lawsuit from angry owners who believed the Demon wouldn’t be built past 2018. Because of that, we can’t see Beahm reversing Kuniskis’ decision.
So if you plan to buy a Demon, don’t wait too long to make your move. Despite what the rumors may say, once all 3,300 have been sold, that will be it. Your only option at that point will be to buy used.
Source: Allpar