The first and last 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat was sold to NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick for a staggering $825,000 at an auction last week.
A bidder at the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Collector-Car Auction found it worth the grand payout for the unique ownership of the singular Dodge. Last week, NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick became the owner of the only 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat with a winning bid of $825,000. The first production of the Challenger is unique in many ways, as there will never be another one like it.
The auctioned vehicle featured serial number VIN #0001 with a Stryker Red" exterior, usually exclusive to the Viper sportscar line, along with special Hellcat badging and an iPad with a documentary of the step-by-step building of the car among other unique goodies, Motor Authority reported.
"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," Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO, Dodge and SRT Brands, Chrysler Group LLC, said in a press statement in July. "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 is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine capable of drawing 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. It features "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," Dodge added.
The money raised from the Challenger Hellcat will benefit Opportunity Village, a not-for-profit organization serving people with significant intellectual disabilities in the Las Vegas area. The Engelstad Family Foundation of Las Vegas doubled the total funds to $1.65 million by matching the auction price for the Challenger.
Hendrick, who is also the owner of Hendrick Motorsports and several Chrysler dealerships, was not actually present at the auction but his employee Dale Ledbetter won the bid on his behalf, according to media reports.
In addition to the Dodge Challenger, Ford and Chrysler sold individual cars at the Barrett-Jackson auction last Saturday. The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro VIN #003 raised $147,500 for the YMCA of Southern Nevada and the last of 1,964 Limited Edition 2015 Ford Mustangs won a bid of $170,000, which benefitted the Get Your Heart Racing Foundation.
