Sergio Marchionnes custom Dodge Challenger SRT8 sells for $175k

This past weekend, Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne sent his personally owned 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 to Palm Beach Florida for the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction with the proceeds of the sale being earmarked for the United Way of Detroit.  In addition to being a special auction because this car was owned by one of the most powerful men in the modern auto industry, this Challenger SRT8 featured a host of changes that make this SRT8 unique from any other Challenger on the road.

The custom features of Sergio Marchionne’s 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 begin on the outside where the Pitch Black exterior paint has been accented with a set of hand painted Dark Charcoal stripes.  The 392 Hemi badges on the front fenders have been finished in a unique matte black and gloss black design while smoked taillights and matte black painted 20” SRT wheels finish the exterior customization efforts.  On the inside, Sergio’s Challenger SRT8 wears a set of custom black leather seats with embroidered SRT and 392 logos.

In terms of performance, the Mopar team modified Sergio Marchionne’s 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 with an adjustable coilover suspension setup and a high flow, high performance exhaust system – both of which are out of the Mopar catalog.  Just in case the buyer of this unique Challenger SRT8 wanted a whole lot more punch out of their new muscle car, the Mopar team threw in a new Gen III 426 HEMI V8 crate motor along with the installation kit required to fit that monster motor into the 2011 Challenger.

When the final gavel came down at the Palm Beach Barrett Jackson Auto Auction, the winner of Sergio Marchionne’s  2011 Challenger SRT8 and the accompanying Mopar Hemi crate motor went for an impressive $175,000.  The winning bidder was a gentleman named Miles Nadal.  Mr. Nadal is the founder and president of advertising giant MDC Partners Inc in New York, a company which oversees the company that put together the awesome Fiat 500 Abarth “House Arrest” TV commercial featuring Charlie Sheen.  The proceeds of Mr. Nadal’s generous winning bid will benefit the United Way of Detroit – a group which is chaired by Mr. Marchionne.

“I am thrilled to be able to support The United Way of Detroit and our partners at Chrysler,” said Miles Nadal. “MDC Partners and Doner are excited to be able to give back to our community in Detroit.”

When Miles Nadal takes delivery of Sergio Marchionne’s 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8, it will join a large collection of classic and modern high performance cars. The next vehicle to join that collection after the custom Challenger SRT8 will be a 2013 SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition.

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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