Final Demon & Viper Sell for $1 Million

Proceeds from this Barrett-Jackson lot benefited United Way Worldwide and the American Heart Association.

This past weekend, the last 2017 Dodge Viper and the last 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon were sold to the highest bidder at the Barrett-Jackson 2018 Northeast Auction in Uncasville, Connecticut. When the final gavel sounded after some fast-paced bidding, the combination of 1,485 Mopar horsepower raised a million dollars for the United Way. The video above, posted to the YouTuber Jordan Burns, shows the footage of the bidding war over the last Viper and Demon.

Also, while this wasn’t included in the initial information from FCA, the Barrett-Jackson team added a 10 percent buyer’s premium on top of the closing price, with that additional $100,000 going to the American Heart Association.

‘Ultimate Last Chance’

The odds are good that if you are a fan of the Dodge brand, you are familiar with FCA’s “Ultimate Last Chance” campaign, but if you are not – here is a quick recap.

A few weeks back, the final 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon rolled off of the assembly line in Brampton, Ontario, Canada in Pitch Black. That car, serial number 3,314, wasn’t destined for a particular buyer or dealership. Instead, it was sent off to be handpainted Viper Red and paired with the final 2017 Dodge Viper to create the ultimate auction charity lot, with the proceeds earmarked for the United Way.

In addition to the uniquely-painted 2018 Demon and the matching 2017 Viper – both of which are the last of their kind – Dodge put together a unique owner’s package will information on both vehicles, iPads loaded with images of the production process and other unique, branded items to go with the two cars.

Big Number

Many people throughout the Mopar world expected that an auction lot consisting of two very unique, very powerful Dodge vehicles would raise millions of dollars for the charity. While they did bring in big money, the Ultimate Last Chance fell short of the community’s expectations.

Mind you, a $1.1 million is certainly nothing to scoff at and we are sure that the United Way and the American Heart Association will make great use of that money, but many people in the Mopar community expected this package to land in the $2-3 million range. The first Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat sold at auction a few years back for $1.65 million, so the very last example of a more-powerful Challenger coupled with the very last Viper ever seemed like the kind of pairing to bring in a multimillion dollar price, but when the gavel sounded, the winning bidder got a great deal at $1.1 million.

In speaking with some industry experts who prefer to remain unnamed, they believe that the location of the auction played a big role in the lower-than-expected closing price. The common belief is that if the final Viper and final Demon had been auctioned off at one of the higher-profile Barrett-Jackson auctions – such as Scottsdale – we would have seen the price rise into the $2 to $3 million range, but the Connecticut crowd just didn’t pack the big money bidders that we see at other events.

Photos: Dodge via Twitter

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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