Initial Hellcat release

[1971demon]

I'm not sure of the date, but I remember seeing a Gas Monkey episode of the HC in a drag race with a vintage challenger...I had no idea this episode was to be the official release of the HC...(maybe it wasn't)..I had no idea FCA had something like this up their sleeve..it took a few days but I was at my local dealers door..and the info they had was sketchy..another couple of days past and I was able to place my order...many weeks after I was told they over sold and I wasn't getting my car. They told me I would get a voucher for a 2016...(never got the voucher). When the order banks opened up for 16..I was on it...changed dealers and got it in 9 wks if I recall....I'm just wondering how many members knew of the HC prior to its release...if so how...and what members had the earliest delivered 2015 HC's

 

[BULL]

I was oblivious, all of a sudden it was there, available.


I waited for the second model year, not only because I would have anyway, but with the ADM and the ordering delays that went along with '15, I had to.

 

[Paladin06]

I had heard rumors for over a year. I ordered mine the very day the book opened. I got the first year #834 and no ADM.

 

[DGatzby]

Ordered the ‘15 in the fall of ‘14, when we could. Escaped from VON hell in late January 2015. Car was delivered to a small dealer in Pella, IA on Friday March 13, 2015. Before noon on Saturday, we drove a rental down (one way MSP to DSM), and I had my new Hellcat. Wow, what a great experience and memory. It was a rare 1/1 (and continues to be very rare) Jazz Blue with the Sepia leather interior. My buddy who bought it, loves it and it continues to rein superior at acceleration runs in southern NM. Ha, sometimes very close to Mexico from what I understand.

Let’s post some pictures of the original releases!

 

[MikeD1]

Ordered the ‘15 in the fall of ‘14, when we could. Escaped from VON hell in late January 2015. Car was delivered to a small dealer in Pella, IA on Friday March 13, 2015. Before noon on Saturday, we drove a rental down (one way MSP to DSM), and I had my new Hellcat. Wow, what a great experience and memory. It was a rare 1/1 (and continues to be very rare) Jazz Blue with the Sepia leather interior. My buddy who bought it, loves it and it continues to rein superior at acceleration runs in southern NM. Ha, sometimes very close to Mexico from what I understand.

Let’s post some pictures of the original releases!

View attachment 36057

A local Dentist who's a car nut bought one just like that, it was the 1st Hellcat I actually saw/heard in person.

 

[Paladin06]

I had heard rumors for over a year. I ordered to very day the book opened. I got the first year #834 and no ADM.

Ordered in Aug 2014. Second one sold at my dealership. Built Nov 2014. Sat waiting for the black hood treat until Jan 2015. I grew tired of the wait and told them to ship my car without the black hood. It was delivered on 26 Jan 2015. I drove her home on 27 Jan 2015.




Six years and 15K later, still the most fun I have ever had with my clothes on.

 

[Old Mopar Guy]

I had heard about them early on but knew the ADM would be too painful. So I waited a few years, always looking for the right car. This is what I came up with. I knew I wanted an M6 in either sublime, pcp, or B5. When the original owner of my ‘15 trailered it home from upstate NY:

And the return trip to NY in June of 2018 when I flew out to Indy to pick it up with only 650 miles:

Added a pic of us flying over Indianapolis Speedway:

 

[MikeD1]

I knew about & followed them as soon as word leaked out Dodge was going to release a 700hp+ monster

When ordering started, it was INSANE in FL with dealers demanding $10k deposits and ADM of $20 - $30k common.
Cars that were actually on the lots were nuts as well, with dealers trying to get buyers into bidding wars
I was not about to do either.

Searching outside FL was not any easier and I had numerous cars snatched out from under me, it became the great unicorn hunt !
Final straw was the one I thought I had at a TX dealer who was pimping his inventory on the old site, only to get a call from the sales jerk telling me they would not sell to an out-of-state buyer. That car was snapped up by one of these speculator jerks that was running around snapping Hellcats up, trying to flip them. He already had 3 when he snagged 'my' car & tried to rub my face in it to boot.

Both he & the dealer got kicked off the site & not too long after karma caught up to him & he was killed in a crash. Can't say I shed any tears over that.
His relatives actually had the nads to contact forum members who had shown an interest in that car to ask if we wanted to buy it (at a flipper price).
I told them to FO !

Gave up on the HC at that point (they were issuing the vouchers) and began the ill fated Roush Mustang saga. After almost a year of that hot mess (and a 100% Ford buyback), I tripped on the '16 I still own 'accidentally' marked down $5,500 (2 days before my Ford check was to arrive). Dealer in Vero Beach agreed to honor the price but only for 3 days & I put down a large deposit that day (a Monday). Collected & cashed my check on Tuesday, walked across the street & did a 2 day, 1 way rental and picked up my Cat Wednesday

 

[B5Cat16]

I was at Chryslers at Carlisle in July 2014. An announcement was made to be at the grandstands at 2pm because Steve Magnante had something to share. He announced Dodge would be coming out with a 707HP Supercharged Challenger for a base price of $60k. I thought "Holy shit $60k?" Who has $60k to spend? Not me.

And yet somehow there was one in my driveway 4 years later. Whatta ya know about that?

 

[Magnified]

I was only mildly aware of the Hellcat before "release" and knew it would be nutso for the first year or two. In 2017 wife and I agreed it might be something to look at, and when the 0% leasing (to try and dump the 2016 glut of cars) came available, it was a no brainer. Only question was finding the right car. I won't go over that freaking saga again. In the end, a 8 week old 2017 was selected 400 miles away. Considered going cross country to get it with a SOF friend of mine but in the end had it trailered to me instead.

 

[Heminized]

I knew about it, but honestly I was torn to get a Hellcat or a Saleen 570x (Which honestly was the first Hellcat.) I think Dodge just stole the idea from poor ol' Steve.

After seeing the inflating prices of the Hellcat and the still even more expensive costs of the 570x, I decided to wait.

As @Old Mopar Guy did, I just waited a bit and bought a 2015 with 700 miles on it in 2016. Was the exact set up I would have ordered anyway and got it for 56k out the door.

Had to take all the plastic off the interior, yellow splitters, green stickers off the rims...Even had to tear the protective plastic off the Uconnect. Might as well been a brand new Cat.

Flew to Missouri and Drove it back to Georgia all in one day. One of the best days of my life and saw one of the most remarkable sunsets ever in the mountains of Tennessee.

Just thinking about still makes me a little misty eyed.

 

[Octanewide]

Didn't some guys who ordered 15's get screwed over when they over sold the 15 model year then gave them vouchers for a 16 but the price increase was more than the vouchers value?

 

[McLovin]

First one ordered at my local dealer. No ADM. The dude never told his wife. Finally fessed up 2 days before delivery. Wife told him 'me or the car'.

So he had to go back to the dealer with his tail between his legs (apparently there was plenty of room down there) and tell them he wouldn't take the car.

The dealer panics, wondering how they were going to sell a $70,000 Challenger in Syracuse in he middle of winter in 5 days. (Back then, if you didn't actually sell the car within 5 days, Dodge would hold your allotment for the next month - trying to minimize the gouging). So they posted it on-line, and within 10 minutes, got a call from Long Island. Deposit placed and offer of 5 grand above sticker.

ADM from that point forward. Mine was the first one sold at sticker down there. That was in August of 2015.

 

[Magnified]

I knew about it, but honestly I was torn to get a Hellcat or a Saleen 570x (Which honestly was the first Hellcat.) I think Dodge just stole the idea from poor ol' Steve.

After seeing the inflating prices of the Hellcat and the still even more expensive costs of the 570x, I decided to wait.

As @Old Mopar Guy did, I just waited a bit and bought a 2015 with 700 miles on it in 2016. Was the exact set up I would have ordered anyway and got it for 56k out the door.

Had to take all the plastic off the interior, yellow splitters, green stickers off the rims...Even had to tear the protective plastic off the Uconnect. Might as well been a brand new Cat.

Flew to Missouri and Drove it back to Georgia all in one day. One of the best days of my life and saw one of the most remarkable sunsets ever in the mountains of Tennessee.

Just thinking about still makes me a little misty eyed.

Why did the owner leave all that on the car? Was he trying to make a profit off "time capsule" vehicle or something? Sounds like you got a smoking deal.

 

[Heminized]

Why did the owner leave all that on the car? Was he trying to make a profit off "time capsule" vehicle or something? Sounds like you got a smoking deal.

My understanding is there was a lot of misinformation and speculation the Hellcat was going to be limited and possibly a one year car. So yes I think there were some peeps who thought they could flip a profit.

The trunk had all dudes original paperwork, including the sales invoice. Needless to say he took a huge loss. Over 20k. I guess some peeps just have money to burn. *shrugs*

 

[Hayabusa]

Had an SRT8 Challenger. Enjoyed it but was seduced to the dark side and traded it...got a '14 GT500. Was so sad that Dodge hadn't stepped up with something more.

Knew of the Hellcat early on as my buddies and my dealer (who I've done a ton of business with) were all over the news. I don't do ADM, period, and they were marked up crazy, it was a real frenzy. I wanted Sublime really badly. My dealer called me and said he had one inbound, the buyer backed out...Phantom Black with monkeys. June 13, 2015 is hit the lot. I was in heaven and we split the difference between invoice and MSRP...discounted!!! A Sublime was delivered the same day and about 9 months later I bumped into the young lady whose car rode the trailer with mine. Cool conversation.

Traded it for a '16 Granite Crystal, satin hood, monkeys in the deep cold of Dec. 2016. Same dealer, deep discount.

Today, Sublime Redeye WB. Landed it in Jan 2020, deep discount. Came full circle, could not be happier. I Love This Car!

 

[Catless]

Ordered first day the ordering was open. About July 2015 dealer called and said if you will switch to M6 they will build it and deliver quickly but A8 may not happen until next model year. I declined. Built August 10th and delivered Oct 10. About a 397 day wait.

 

[1971demon]

Didn't some guys who ordered 15's get screwed over when they over sold the 15 model year then gave them vouchers for a 16 but the price increase was more than the vouchers value?

Uhhh that would be me....I was one of those...

 

[06SRT10NR]

Waited from the first announcement in spring '14, through the usual well-known west coast and south florida stealerships attempts to convince the world Tim K was lying and production would be very limited, repeating their lies via any media outlets they could, in hope enough fools would believe the lie and empty their wallets... order placed first week order banks were open, at MSRP [unfortunately, but no ADM], with a corporate rep present telling the local GM to put all orders in the system, with or without a valid allocation, and mentioning M6 cars would be built fairly quickly, A8's slower due to limited transmission availability. Build started before Christmas break, but held up [was told the seats were taken to replace poor quality leather for a car further up the line]. Build finished after the break, and delivered in Jan '15, with a few free oil changes and a bag of SRT swag thrown in [and a few mysterious markings in out of the way places]. No cat heads on the key fobs [common for 1st allocation round orders], even with the delayed build completion [another cat delivered later the same week, built entirely in Jan '15, came with the newer cat head fobs]

edit: forgot to mention the periodic single-malt fueled question posted for RS, who always seemed to reply with interesting news

 

[DGatzby]

Waited from the first announcement in spring '14, through the usual well-known west coast and south florida stealerships attempts to convince the world Tim K was lying and production would be very limited, repeating their lies via any media outlets they could, in hope enough fools would believe the lie and empty their wallets... order placed first week order banks were open, at MSRP [unfortunately, but no ADM], with a corporate rep present telling the local GM to put all orders in the system, with or without a valid allocation, and mentioning M6 cars would be built fairly quickly, A8's slower due to limited transmission availability. Build started before Christmas break, but held up [was told the seats were taken to replace poor quality leather for a car further up the line]. Build finished after the break, and delivered in Jan '15, with a few free oil changes and a bag of SRT swag thrown in [and a few mysterious markings in out of the way places]. No cat heads on the key fobs [common for 1st allocation round orders], even with the delayed build completion [another cat delivered later the same week, built entirely in Jan '15, came with the newer cat head fobs]

edit: forgot to mention the periodic single-malt fueled question posted for RS, who always seemed to reply with interesting news

RS! RS was the man. Anyone know who he really was?