NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick is now the proud owner of the first-ever production 2015 Dodge Challender SRT Hellcat thanks to a winning bid of US$825,000 at the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Collector-Car Auction last weekend.
All proceeds from the sale went to 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 matched the auction price for the Challenger, bringing the grand total raised to $1.65 million.
Hendrick was not actually present at the auction, but his employee Dale Ledbetter was there to bid on behalf of his boss to purchase the 707-horsepower Hellcat
The one-of-a-kind special edition is the only Challenger painted in 'Stryker Red' - a colour usually exclusive to the Viper sportscar line. The car also includes special Hellcat badging on the instrument panel and supercharger and specific VIN documentation and a special SRT Hellcat lithograph and unique “birth certificate” for VIN0001 among other unique goodies.
“The VIN0001 muscle car was not only one of the hottest cars that rolled through the Barrett-Jackson auction lanes, it is also the ultimate collectible 2015 Dodge Challenger as Dodge is ensuring there will never be another one like it,” said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO of Dodge, in a statement.
Each of the Detroit 'Big Three' automakers - Chrysler, Chevrolet and Ford- donated a muscle car to be sold for charity on Super Saturday at the Barrett-Jackson auction.
The first to cross the block was a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, VIN No. 003 which raised $147,500 for the YMCA of Southern Nevada. Next up, was the last of 1,964 Limited Edition 2015 Mustangs which sold for $170,000 to benefit the Get Your Heart Racing Foundation.
Then, the Challenger Hellcat SRT upped the ante.
