2008 Dodge Challenger Not Sold Out, Yet
He who hesitates may have to wait a few years to get a 2008 Dodge Challenger, the hands-down hit of the Chicago Auto Show.
Fran Klegon, vice president of product development for Chrysler, said 4,300 Dodge Challengers have been sold and dealers have placed orders for 10,000 more.
That for a car of which only 6,400 will be produced the first year.
“Production is sold out, but sales aren’t sold out,” Klegon said. “While every one we can build is spoken for, not every one of those has a customer name on the order. Many of those 10,000 ordered by dealers are for display, so I don’t want to discourage anyone from buying one. It’s not a sales sell-out yet.”
Those low numbers suggest premium prices and markups over list. As evidence that consumers better be prepared to pay a ransom to get a Challenger, the press kit handed out to media at the Chicago Auto Show immediately found its way onto eBay, posted by an enterprising scribe asking $400 for the materials.
The first 2008 Challengers will be high-performance SRT8 versions offering a 425-hp, 6.1-liter Hemi V-8. The 2009s will add a regular version with a 380-hp, 5.7-liter V-8 with multiple cylinder management, meaning four cylinders can shut off to conserve fuel.
Klegon said the New York auto show next month will spotlight other Challenger versions coming for 2009, including a 5.7-liter Hemi model.
More info and photos on the 2008 Dodge Challenger (Cars.com)
More Dodge Challenger News (KickingTires)
