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Dodge to kill off Hellcats after 2023, replaced by EV's

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Old Nov 24, 2021 | 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by AMIRZA786
I don't think Dodge/FCA are abandoning the Charger/Challenger for the sake of jumping into EV'S. Looking at sales figures over the years, they have been trending downwards. Especially the Hellcat and Demon.
Please do explain how Demon sales have been "trending downward". They made 3,000 in as a limited edition in a single model year--which means FCA (they weren't yet Stellantis) hasn't sold any since the run ended in early 2018. The very cheapest used one listed nationwide is 50% more than its original sticker. Most are double, and some are almost triple the original MSRP.
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Old Nov 24, 2021 | 08:22 PM
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Originally Posted by AMIRZA786
Driving several V8'S including the SRT, Mustang GT etc that obnoxious sound gets pretty old in daily driving...IMHO of course. At my age and stage of life the quieter, the better. Although I will be sad to see that monstrous V8 go away
I loved my Durango SRT and that V8 sound never got old to me, especially upon start up. Of course everyone is different.
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Old Nov 24, 2021 | 10:44 PM
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Originally Posted by geko29
Please do explain how Demon sales have been "trending downward". They made 3,000 in as a limited edition in a single model year--which means FCA (they weren't yet Stellantis) hasn't sold any since the run ended in early 2018. The very cheapest used one listed nationwide is 50% more than its original sticker. Most are double, and some are almost triple the original MSRP.
​​​​​​That was a mistake on my part, apologies. The numbers I was referring to are for US sales of the Challenger platform:


I don't know how accurate these numbers are. Let's assume they are not, If the Hellcat is a cash cow, then my question is why kill it off? I don't know any Challenger/Charger owners, but I would assume ending the platform in favor of going EV would **** many of them off
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Old Nov 24, 2021 | 10:50 PM
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Originally Posted by patgilm
I loved my Durango SRT and that V8 sound never got old to me, especially upon start up. Of course everyone is different.
Actually I liked the SRT (I rented one in 2018 when I was in Texas) it was pretty quiet unless I mashed on it, which I admit I did more than I should have. Also very comfortable car, the power came in handy on those fast moving access roads I had to get on leaving the hotel. Only had it for 4 days. One thing I didn't like... the tank was almost empty day 3...
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Old Nov 25, 2021 | 08:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Felix
Could be around your area/location. Up here just 'bout every 5/6 household has a LX,LC/LA as well as all the Hemi powered vehicle's...
I was referring in general % of overall car sales.
Getting rid of them will not help environment- they sell in 1yr what F150 sells in a month.
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Old Nov 25, 2021 | 08:15 AM
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Originally Posted by AMIRZA786
​​​​I don't know how accurate these numbers are. Let's assume they are not, If the Hellcat is a cash cow, then my question is why kill it off? I don't know any Challenger/Charger owners, but I would assume ending the platform in favor of going EV would **** many of them off
Stellantis running the show from Europe.
50-60k cars annually is nothing for a huge conglomerate like that. The corporate suits could care less about heritage or customer base, they think they know better then some dumb Americans. How else can you explain this idiotic decision to replace V8 muscle cars with EV. At least they realize how outrageous this decision is or at least the Dodge brand people do:

Last edited by RNM GS3; Nov 25, 2021 at 08:19 AM.
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Old Nov 25, 2021 | 08:54 AM
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Originally Posted by AMIRZA786
If the Hellcat is a cash cow, then my question is why kill it off? I don't know any Challenger/Charger owners, but I would assume ending the platform in favor of going EV would **** many of them off
The CEO has been very public in saying that while they can currently pay stiff penalties and still produce the Hellcat Challenger/Charger, the rules tighten up in 2 years and that won't be an option anymore. They already had to halt production of the Hellcat Durango after just one year because it's no longer legal after MY2021. They originally planned to produce it for just 6 months (2,000 units), but demand was so strong they cranked out an extra 1,000 units in June, the last month of production.

The only Hellcat product that doesn't currently have a hard end date due to emissions/fuel efficiency rules is the Ram TRX.
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Old Nov 25, 2021 | 09:51 AM
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Originally Posted by geko29
The CEO has been very public in saying that while they can currently pay stiff penalties and still produce the Hellcat Challenger/Charger, the rules tighten up in 2 years and that won't be an option anymore. They already had to halt production of the Hellcat Durango after just one year because it's no longer legal after MY2021. They originally planned to produce it for just 6 months (2,000 units), but demand was so strong they cranked out an extra 1,000 units in June, the last month of production.

The only Hellcat product that doesn't currently have a hard end date due to emissions/fuel efficiency rules is the Ram TRX.
Poor excuse from CEO - they should have been planning for this for years and look to increase efficiency of the Hemi. The new emission regs weren’t a surprise.

Just continued mismanagement and Dodge CEO has no say in what Stellantis wants anyway.
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Old Nov 26, 2021 | 07:25 AM
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Originally Posted by AMIRZA786
I don't think Dodge/FCA are abandoning the Charger/Challenger for the sake of jumping into EV'S. Looking at sales figures over the years, they have been trending downwards. Especially the Hellcat and Demon. The gravy train is basically drying up, the excitement is not what it was, especially with gas prices what they are
Look at how ancient those vehicles are though.

Originally Posted by mmarshall
Electric torque, though, is somewhat different from gas torque....substantially different curves. Depending on how they are tuned, large gas engines generally reach peak torque at a few thousand RPMs, with less torque at higher RPMs (where you typically reach your HP peak), and at lower RPMs. Electric motors, on the other hand, are much more linear in output......max torque is at very low RPM (hypothetically, on paper at least, at 0 RPM)...and, the faster they spin, the more torque they lose. That is why cars like the Tesla 3, with its one-speed transmission, will shove you in the back like a rocket from the moment you stab the throttle (assuming that the tires have adequate traction), and why the Hemi-Dodges will take a few seconds, depending on the transmission/final-drive gearing and if you have forced-induction / turbo-lag or not.
Have you ever driven an EV? What you describe is what is so fun about the way an EV accelerates. They feel like they could literally accelerate forever.

And its kind of universal in terms of electric vehicles too. I was just in Austin and we rode electric scooters and bikes around, I was really surprised that even an electric bike that goes 23 MPH has that same from 0 accelerate like a train feeling that is really fun.
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Old Nov 26, 2021 | 08:15 AM
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Originally Posted by SW17LS
Have you ever driven an EV? What you describe is what is so fun about the way an EV accelerates. They feel like they could literally accelerate forever.

And its kind of universal in terms of electric vehicles too. I was just in Austin and we rode electric scooters and bikes around, I was really surprised that even an electric bike that goes 23 MPH has that same from 0 accelerate like a train feeling that is really fun.
We have a bunch of Revel electric scooters in NYC, I was often riding until the company ripped me off, and I wouldn't say that they have strong torque. They max out at 28ish mph, at least with my 220lbs, and the acceleration is slow compared to even the least powerful gas powered motorcycles.

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Old Nov 26, 2021 | 08:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Och
We have a bunch of Revel electric scooters in NYC, I was often riding until the company ripped me off, and I wouldn't say that they have strong torque. They max out at 28ish mph, at least with my 220lbs, and the acceleration is slow compared to even the least powerful gas powered motorcycles.
Well, yeah lol.
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Old Nov 26, 2021 | 09:30 AM
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EV's are really being pushed. I do like hybrids but just can see getting a plug in.
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Old Nov 26, 2021 | 09:36 PM
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Originally Posted by SW17LS
Have you ever driven an EV? What you describe is what is so fun about the way an EV accelerates. They feel like they could literally accelerate forever.
Yes.....I did an MM-Review on the Tesla 3. Crazy torque, especially at low RPMs. I stated in the review that, IMO, it was not a car for aggressive, inexperienced, or inattentive drivers. The 3 could easily dust off the most powerful American muscle cars I grew up with in the 60s, and, if not super-careful with other traffic in the area, can get one into trouble very quickly.

And its kind of universal in terms of electric vehicles too. I was just in Austin and we rode electric scooters and bikes around, I was really surprised that even an electric bike that goes 23 MPH has that same from 0 accelerate like a train feeling that is really fun.
Not to get too far off-topic, but did you like Austin? I lived there a long time ago (did my sophomore year at McCallum High School)....although it was much smaller in those days, and, except for the UT tower and State Capitol, it didn't have the big skyline it has today. Very nice city...picturesque in the Western part of the city/suburbs, as you climb the Balcones Front into the Texas Hill Country.
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Old Nov 26, 2021 | 11:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Joeb427
EV's are really being pushed. I do like hybrids but just can see getting a plug in.
I'm opposite of you, I don't like hybrids. I drove the 2021 Sienna, and to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't trade it for my 2013 that has an aging high mileage 3.5L. It drives nice, but I hate the CVT, and it's buzzy sounding when going hard on it, and it's so disappointingly underpowered. About the only thing going for it is it's 36 MPG, but even that is not enough. I've repeated this many times, for me it can only be V6, V8, or EV
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Old Nov 27, 2021 | 08:21 AM
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Not to get too far off-topic, but did you like Austin? I lived there a long time ago (did my sophomore year at McCallum High School)....although it was much smaller in those days, and, except for the UT tower and State Capitol, it didn't have the big skyline it has today. Very nice city...picturesque in the Western part of the city/suburbs, as you climb the Balcones Front into the Texas Hill Country.
I love Austin, its the second time I've been there. Tons of great food, super walkable, lots of great music and venues and bars and such.
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