IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Dodge charges into its next 100 years by focusing on its performance roots
June 13, 2016
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
The Dodge family of cars.
With 100 years of history to build on, as well as the innovative spirit of its founders, the Dodge brothers, Dodge is taking the best of its innumerable successes over the years – the technological advancements of the ’30s and ’40s, design evolution of the ’50s, the racing heritage of the ’60s, the horsepower of the ’70s, the efficiency of the ’80s and the unbelievable styling of the ’90s – as it paves the road to its future.
ACRs, Hellcats, Scat Packs, R/Ts, GTs, Blacktop Packages and Super Track Paks fill the Dodge and SRT lineups for 2016. Now fully consolidated with its SRT high-performance brand, Dodge is charging into its next century focused squarely on performance.
Barrett-Jackson fans first got a glimpse of the goodies Dodge had to offer back in 2012, at the Orange County Auction, when the automaker brought a first-production, all-new 2013 SRT Viper to the block for charity (the Austin Hatcher Foundation). It wowed the crowd with its sleek styling, not to mention its 640hp V10 engine kicking out 600 ft/lbs of torque.
This stunning VIN #001 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat brought down the house at the 2014 Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Auction, when it sold for $825,000 to benefit Opportunity Village.
At the 2014 Las Vegas Auction, a brand-spanking-new VIN #001 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat roared onto the stage, bringing the house – and the gavel – down when it sold for $825,000, 100 percent of which went to Opportunity Village Foundation. Clad in stunning Viper-exclusive Stryker Red paint, the Hellcat – with its powerful 6.2-liter HEMI V8 – was the talk of the auction.
Beginning with the 2015 Scottsdale Auction, Barrett-Jackson had all the “Big Three” automakers on board for the first time as Dodge joined the team as a valued sponsor. Dodge came out swinging for the fences, bringing their brand-new Viper for heart-stopping hot laps and taking passengers on a thrilling drag race in two Hellcats. The automaker has been a popular attraction at with their “Thrill Rides” at every auction since, providing a unique way for prospective customers to experience their latest models.
The consolidated Dodge and SRT brands offer a complete lineup of performance vehicles that stand out within their own segments. Dodge is the “mainstream performance” brand within the FCA US LLC showroom. SRT is positioned as the “ultimate performance” halo of the Dodge brand, together creating a complete and balanced performance brand with one vision and one voice. And the message is being received.
“Dodge strives to turn everyday vehicles into personal statements. Our vehicles are modern performance cars that deliver that visceral feel that reminds buyers why they fell in love with driving them in the first place,” said Tim Kuniskis, president and CEO – Dodge and SRT brands, FCA US LLC. “At an average age of 44 years old, the Dodge brand customer is now the youngest in the entire industry, and we can tell by the continuous drop in the average age of our customers that our message is resonating in the marketplace.”
The Charger, the Viper and the Challenger – Dodge’s top performance vehicles.
From muscle cars to compact cars, minivans, crossovers and full-size SUVs, the Dodge brand’s full lineup of 2016 models deliver best-in-class horsepower, class-exclusive technology, unmatched capability and a slew of cool features, such as LED headlamps, Dodge signature racetrack taillamps, dual exhaust, 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment centers and 7-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) customizable gauge clusters, to name a few.
For the 2016 model year, Dodge is back with its ultimate performance halo car in the form of a new 2016 Dodge Viper ACR, the fastest street-legal Viper track car ever. It joins the recently repositioned Viper, which can now be customized in more than 50 million ways through the new Viper “1 of 1” customization program. The new 2016 Dodge Viper ACR joins the 2016 Charger and Challenger, including the wildly successful Hellcat models, Dart, Durango, Grand Caravan and Journey, including the popular Crossroad and new Crossroad Plus model.
At Barrett-Jackson’s Inaugural Northeast Auction in June, Dodge will once again be joining fellow automakers Ford and Chevrolet for the popular Ride ’N Drives and Thrill Rides – be sure to stop by, check out the latest models and go for the ride of your life!
To get an idea of what Dodge Performance has to offer, take a look at this exciting Dodge Predators video: