One Dealer Has Placed A $250K Markup On A Demon 170

The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is, thus far, the greatest internal combustion engine (ICE) muscle car the planet has ever seen. With its 1,025 horsepower and 945 lb.-ft. production HEMI® engine, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 reaches 60 mph in a blazing 1.66 seconds and features the highest G-force acceleration of any production car at 2.004 Gs. The Demon 170 can also reach 900 horsepower and 810 lb.-ft. of torque on E10 fuel.

A Dodge special-edition vehicle like none other, the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is the quickest vehicle ever produced in the brand’s 100-plus-year history. The Challenger SRT Demon 170 is the first factory production car to run the quarter-mile under nine seconds with an NHRA-certified 8.91-second ET @ 151.17 mph. 

This past weekend, we saw two of the first Demon 170s to cross the Mecum auction block in Las Vegas. A Pitch Black-colored one with 13 documented miles and featuring the Premium Group fetched $225,000 before fees. That’s a hefty increase over the car’s Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $118,951. A TorRed-colored Demon 170 crossed the block a day later, equipped nearly the same, except for additional Demonic Red seat belts and a Satin Black hood decal. That car took in $210,000 before fees despite having an MSRP of $121,341.

But since the pandemic, we have seen several specialty vehicles get huge markups once they hit dealer showrooms. Despite Dodge trying to “enforce” this with strict ordering guidelines, some people have decided to back out of their cars, having the dealer hold them in their inventories and mark them up for those who couldn’t secure an allocation.

Automotive publication TheDrive brought one B5 Blue-colored Demon 170 to our attention this past weekend. Located at DARCARS Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Silver Spring in Maryland, this dealer has put a massive upcharge on this car, which could leave a person to think that the Pitch Black-colored car at Mecum went for a steal.

Looking at the car’s window sticker online, we see that it is, in fact, more optioned than both the Mecum cars. It is equipped with the Premium Group featuring Black Alcantara/Laguna seats, boasting premium features such as ventilated front seats, suede door trim panels, a suede headliner, and advanced technological amenities. There is also the addition of a Power Sunroof, which adds $9,995 to the car’s price tag, Demonic Red seat belts, an 8.4-inch Uconnect 4C system with NAV, as well as the 170 Satin Black Hood/Roof/Decklid Graphic that adds $3,695. Nevertheless, the car has an MSRP of $133,131.

However, TheDrive pointed out that while the car doesn’t have a price on the dealer’s website, someone who was there at the dealer took a picture of the dealer-installed options sticker on the car, showing the following:

• DARCARS Assurance – $2,495
  • $2,500 Collision Credit
  • $2,500 Stolen Vehicle Credit
  • $2,500 Diminished Value Protection
  • TradeVantage Registration
  • Cabin Sanitation Service
  • Antimicrobial Surface Shield
  • Windshield Protection
  • Windshield Replacement Credit
  • Nitrogen-Filled Tires
  • Nitrogen Valve caps
  • Clear Door Edge Guards
  • Clear Door Cup Guards
• Dealer Processing Charge – $500
• Wheel Locks – $195
• Adjusted Market Price – $250,000

This puts the added content at $253,190 over the sticker, for $386,321. Since the posting of the picture on Reddit, it has been deleted. However, we took a screenshot, which you can see above.

Now consider that the first Demon 170 to cross the auction block was for charity earlier this year at Barrett-Jackson. That car was purchased for $400,000, donated back, and auctioned again for $300,000, bringing the total to $700,000.

We also consider that there are a few listings currently on eBay at the moment as well, most hovering around the $215,000 to $250,000 mark, depending on options. But it shows that Dodge’s plan to keep the cars in the hands of those enthusiasts who could get allocations didn’t work. During the process, we saw dealers continue to bend the rules to get around Dodge’s enforcement of allocations. Some dealers even offered to sell the car at MSRP but require the person to purchase another vehicle simultaneously over that vehicle’s MSRP.

Other manufacturers like Ford and General Motors (GM) have pressured their dealers to stop marking up vehicles and penalized customers looking to buy and flip their specialty vehicles after delivery. We saw 2024 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 owners sign agreements that if they sell or transfer ownership of the car within six months of taking delivery, they will be ineligible to make future vehicle reservations or place a sold order with a dealer for future high-demand vehicles. Ford CEO Jim Farley has openly criticized its dealer body, suggesting that Ford could look into fixed pricing. “We have very good knowledge of who they are, and their future allocation of product will be directly impacted,” Farley said to Fox Business earlier this year.

Nevertheless, the $386,321 asking price for this Demon 170 has it priced higher than a Ferrari Roma, Lamborghini Huracan Evo, Maserati MC20 Cielo, McLaren Artura, and even Ferrari F8 Tributo. Nevertheless, we always try to tell people to research before spending on a significant investment and to shop around.