Why the 2023 Dodge Demon is a Big Deal

News

By RC Staff

22 March 2023

Dodge shocked the world Monday night when they announced the Dodge Demon will be returning, and soon. As a final hurrah for the Challenger and the Hemi V8 in general, a little under 3,000 Dodge Demon 170s will be hitting the streets by the end of the year. The 2023 Dodge Demon represents a remarkable opportunity for Mopar collectors, enthusiasts, and resellers.

The 2023 Dodge Challenger Demon

The first and last time we saw the Dodge Demon was in 2018, as an ultra-upgraded form of the Challenger. 3,300 of these were pumped out during that run, with an MSRP of ~$85,000.

Notably, Dodge also incentivized dealers to stick to the MSRP, and not gouge prices. Dealers who didn’t mark up the cars received priority allocations, while those who got greedy were sent to the back of the line.

Now the Demon is back. It was widely believed that the 3,300 cars produced in 2018 were the last we’d see of the car, but Dodge has turned that idea on its head. The new production run of the 2023 Dodge Demon will serve as a final send-off to the Challenger, but also the V8 engine as well.

After 2023, future performance vehicles from Dodge will feature a fully electric powerplant, and the primal roar of a V8 will be smothered out by an electric whine. Considering all that, you can understand why the 1,000+ horsepower Demon is attractive to buyers mourning the Hemi.

How much does the 2023 Dodge Demon cost?

The 2018 production run had an entry price of $85,000, but with dealer options and markups typically ran for $100,000+. That’s nothing compared to the aftermarket for Demons though, with secondhand sales regularly broaching $150,000.

The 2023 Dodge Demon costs $96,666. Number of the beast aside, the markup is reflected in the additional performance of the 2023 model. Dodge claims an increase of nearly 200 horsepower over the previous production run, and says that every part of the engine other than the camshaft received an upgrade.

It also seems like dealers are being more aggressive with their markups for the 2023 Demons. RC Elite members reported that many of the dealers they contacted were wanted $50,000 or more on top of MSRP. Some have even asked for $100,000. Finding a dealer willing to forgo this premium is proving difficult.

How many 2023 Dodge Demons were made?

Dodge did not release an exact number on how many Demons will be sold. They did say that 3,300 will be produced at most, with an intended split of 3,000 for domestic sales and 300 abroad.

RC Elite community members had access to specific sales information. It shows that 2,806 Dodge Demons will be available through dealerships, as well as which dealerships to contact for an allocation.

Finding a Dodge Challenger Demon for sale

With such intense demand, getting an allocation for a 2023 Dodge Demon is difficult. Dodge is once again encouraging dealers to cool it with the markups, and will ship orders at MSRP first. If a dealer does choose to stick to the MSRP, they will have tons of potential buyers to choose from, and having a connection at a dealership will be your best chance.

That said, many dealers are marking their cars up significantly. Members of the RC Elite community have reported a wide range of dealer markups, from $50,000 to nearly $100,000. Yes, some dealers are asking $200,000 for a 2023 Dodge Demon

Dodge also notes that owners of an original 2018 Demon will have the opportunity to match the production number of a new 2023 model if they secure an allocation. This would seem to imply that previous Demon owners are being given priority.

Having a connection with a dealership is the best way to obtain an allocation. Whether you’re buddy-buddy with the manager or have spent big money there previously, dealers recognize the value of the 2023 Dodge Demon, and can afford to be picky. In most cases, that just means selling to the highest bidder, but some dealers may prefer to reward friends or loyal customers.

Will the 2023 Dodge Demon resell?

Considering all these factors, it’s likely that if you find a 2023 Dodge Demon for sale, it will be expensive.

Previously, the 2018 Demons commanded a healthy aftermarket of $140,000-$160,000, averaging around $40,000 of pure profit after fees, taxes, and dealer costs. The 2023 Demon retails for $10,000 more, and comes with a slew of upgrades, so it will likely resell for an even higher price.

Additionally, the 2018 Demon was popular even before the death knell for V8s was ringing. Now that Dodge has unequivocally confirmed that 2023 will be the last year not only for the Demon, but V8s at large, imagine what that will do for the aftermarket of these cars. It’s possible we will see initial sales at the $200,000 mark.

Underneath the hype around these cars is the unfortunate reality of dealership markups. With such intense demand, it seems dealers will be unable to help themselves, and are asking for tens of thousands of dollars in markups for a 2023 Demon. While this flies in the face of what Dodge is asking, it seems the potential for immediate profit outweighs manufacturer imperatives.

People who called in to dealers early found that prices were much more reasonable. They still expected to pay around $20,000-$30,000 extra in dealer’s fees, but that would still translate to serious profits after they took delivery. As the hours ticked on however, it seems like dealers began to raise their prices. Some RC Elite members who had discussed a price close to MSRP suddenly found themselves on the phone with the same dealer now asking for $50,000 or even $100,000 extra.

As it stands, your best chance of getting a Demon for anywhere close to MSRP was to call in early. Buyers who locked in allocations ahead of the pack were able to avoid the creeping markups that came later in the today. Now the only thing to do is wait until the real sales begin on March 27.