2014 Dodge Avenger Sxt Sedan 4-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Dodge to sell off first Challenger SRT Hellcat for charity

Want to get your hands on a new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, and can't wait to be the first to get one? Las Vegas will be the place to be on September 27. That's where Barrett-Jackson will auction off the very first example. And you'd better bring your checkbook, because the bidding is sure to be fierce with all the proceeds going to charity.
The supercharged Challenger with VIN 0001 has been hand-painted in Stryker Red (usually reserved for the Viper) and features special badging, documentation and accompanying memorabilia - not to mention, of course, that 707-horsepower, 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8. The car will be on display this weekend as well at Barrett-Jackson's Hot August Nights auction in Reno.

2021 Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye starts at $80,000

This year the 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye becomes the most powerful factory Charger ever. And, big surprise, it's the most expensive Charger in the lineup, with a base price of $80,090 including the $1,495 destination charge. That's also a $2,000 premium over a Challenger Hellcat Redeye, so you're arguably paying $1,000 per extra door. But can you put a price on the satisfaction of sharing 797 horsepower with your friends? Pricing for the rest of the 2021 Charger lineup is out, too. Only three models see price increases: R/T, Scat Pack and Scat Pack Widebody. The R/T is up by $500, the Scat Pack by $600 and the Scat Pack Widebody by $100. These relatively unchanged prices reflect a lack of changes to Chargers. Besides the aforementioned new Hellcat Redeye, there are new 20-inch wheels available for all-wheel-drive Charger GT and SXT, and the regular Charger Hellcat gets 10 more ponies for 717 total. Otherwise the lineup carries over unchanged for the new model year. Dealers can start putting in orders for cars in September, and the first 2021 models should start arriving early next year. Related Video:    

Are supercars becoming less special?

There's little doubt that we are currently enjoying the golden age of automotive performance. Dozens of different models on sale today make over 500 horsepower, and seven boast output in excess of 700 hp. Not long ago, that kind of capability was exclusive to supercars – vehicles whose rarity, performance focus, and requisite expense made them aspirational objects of desire to us mortals. But more than that, supercars have historically offered a unique driving experience, one which was bespoke to a particular model and could not be replicated elsewhere. But in recent years, even the low-volume players have been forced to find the efficiencies and economies of scale that formerly hadn't been a concern for them, and in turn the concept of the supercar as a unique entity unto itself is fading fast. The blame doesn't fall on one particular manufacturer nor a specific production technique. Instead, it's a confluence of different factors that are chipping away at the distinction of these vehicles. It's not all bad news – Lamborghini's platform sharing with Audi for the Gallardo and the R8 yielded a raging bull that was more reliable and easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, and as a result it went on to become the best-selling Lambo in the company's history. But it also came at the cost of some of the Italian's exclusivity when eerily familiar sights and sounds suddenly became available wearing an Audi badge. Even low-volume players have been forced to find economies of scale. Much of this comes out of necessity, of course. Aston Martin's recent deal with Mercedes-AMG points toward German hardware going under the hood and into the cabin of the upcoming DB11, and it's safe to assume that this was not a decision made lightly by the Brits, as the brand has built a reputation for the bespoke craftsmanship of its vehicles. There's little doubt that the DB11 will be a fine automobile, but the move does jeopardize some of the characteristic "specialness" that Astons are known for. Yet the world is certainly better off with new Aston Martins spliced with DNA from Mercedes-AMG rather than no new Astons at all, and the costs of developing cutting-edge drivetrains and user interfaces is a burden that's becoming increasingly difficult for smaller manufacturers to bear. Even Ferrari is poised to make some dramatic changes in the way it designs cars.