Dodge has stopped taking orders for the Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat so that it can honor existing orders for the muscle cars. According to reports, it appears that the automaker will resume taking orders in August. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles confirmed it has stopped taking orders, but didn’t say how long the situation will continue.
“Due to unprecedented demand for the 2015 Dodge Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcats, we are temporarily restricting orders while we validate current orders that are in the system,” FCA said in a statement.
Dodge has been overwhelmed with demand for its 707hp performance cars, which are built in Brampton, Ontario. The company’s projections have been massively exceeded by reality, and the models’ limited availability has frustrated both dealers and buyers.
FCA even accused some dealers of engaging in “unscrupulous” and potentially illegal behavior by taking orders they may not be able to fulfill. Althought most of Dodge’s 2,300 U.S. dealers were told that they may get no more than one per month, some have taken orders for dozens, or even hundreds of cars. Furthermore, some dealers have asked customers for nonrefundable deposits of up to $5,000.
So far, Dodge dealers have delivered more than 2,200 Hellcats, out of a total of more than 9,000 orders received by Dodge. That’s double the annual sales planned by FCA. Dealers started taking orders in September last year.
Story references: Autonews
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