From the Stage: A Must-See Event, A Lifelong Memory for a Challenger Fan
Jan 20, 2008 at 7:40PMBy Mike Accavitti
Director, Global Marketing
For a photo gallery from the event, click here…
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Like a lot of people, I had seen the Barrett-Jackson auction for years on TV, but my first live experience came last night (you might have even seen me talk during the Challenger segment). Earlier this year we were approched by the “notMYkid” charity. You see, more and more youths today are getting mixed up with drinking, drugs, eating disorders even suicide. NotMYkid sponsors prevention and education programs for youths, families, schools and communities. Helping protect the youth of the nation.. a cause that we all can ralley around. They asked us if we could support them during the Barrett-Jackson auction timeframe, and with the upcoming Challenger lauch we felt it was a real win-win opportunity.
Barrett-Jackson is one of the great happenings within car culture. Golf has its majors, football has the playoffs, movies have their awards season. We auto enthusiasts have a handful of must sees and B-J is one of them. Held just outside of Phoenix, it attracts some 300,000 people that come to admire, absorb or acquire and some of the greatest pieces of automotive history ever produced roll across the block. There is something here for car lovers of all ages. In addition to the auction, there are tons of booths and displays where you can buy anything from this year’s diecast models to vintage gasoline pumps. What a fitting environment to offer the first 2008 3/4 production Dodge Challenger SRT8 for public sale.
The bidders in this place understand the significance of owning “number one”. Thousands of customers will buy Dodge Challengers this year…but only one lucky person will own the hotrod with “number 1 of 6,400″ on the dash plaque. Truly an opportunity of a lifetime for any car enthusiast or MOPAR fanatic. The Challenger rolled across the block late Saturday night. I had the honor of proudly describing vehicle from the stage. We used the concept car as the placeholder, because we don’t officially reveal the production version until Feb. 6 at the Chicago Auto Show.
Bidding opened up at $200,000 and steadily climbed from there. The excitement was phenomenal and the place was electric…the auctioneer rattling off numbers faster than the guy on those old shipping commercials… the bustling crowd craning their necks to see the car- the bidders- the auctioneer, the TV cameras and on air talent running around the car with their cameras and teens from the notMYkid group. jumping and cheering when the bid reached each new milestone. Crazy fun.
The gavel eventually slammed at $400,000 !! That’s right… A 4 followed by five zeros, an awesome amount. Everybody was grinning ear to ear, the buyer, the charity, ME…it was one of those special moments that I will remember for the rest of my life. At Dodge, we are proud to support charities and have a deep respect for the people that volunteer their lives to improve this world for all of us. We also could not be prouder of the heroic role the new Dodge Challenger played in this process bringing necessary funding and awareness to help thousands of teens and their families. Now here is some more great news for Challenger fans to get you jumping and cheering …you don’t have to go to Phoenix and pay $400K for all the excitement the new Dodge Challenger brings… very soon you can just visit your local Dodge Dealer and buy your own for much less.
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13 Comments
Use to watch b.j. auction. Waited 2 days to video sox & martin 68 cuda for reference.And got mike joy running his mouth about auctioneers wife entire time.Also got tired of copo storys.
I was there all day to see the Challenger at BJ. I am waiting for mine to come in June and should be one of the early production numbers. Mike a global Marketing person did a great job talking with me about the car . I even have a picture of him standing by me with the car . He did smile at my BMW shirt but truly knew I was a Mopar fan for many years. Where did the # 43 show up ? Someone fix the number of production here ? The # two is to be at the Chicago car show Feb. 6th. The Challenger really sound nice with the Hemi and all of us will enjoy it forever. I see Camero’s in the dust and they all look the same with the big hump in the right floor board designed by poor engineers. HEMI ORANGE MEANS POWER.
I love everything about this car. It will be a major hit. I saw the production model in Vegas and it it even better than the Concept. The manufactures know what they are doing by anounceing it in Chitown. It will be worth the wait. You said you are upset and gonna buy a Camaro (Opel). Go right ahead. Have you seen a production version of the Camaro yet? It won’t be available for at least another 6 months.
Shortly after that Dodge will have a Convertable ready to be unvailed. That is the one I am waiting for.
I know what you are talking about.I feel your disappointment!This is B S.They should have a car at every auto show.We pay good money to get in.Besides the parking,and 4.00 this and the 7.00 that. And then you want to eat.CHACHING…….
Whats the deal? I\’ve been to two Houston Auto Shows,And still no CHALLENGER. Im very dissappointed,Everybody else seems to have there cool cars CAMARO,FJ CRUISER,G8,Even Ford has 5 or 6 MUSTANGS,and DODGE has the same old Lame Crap Charger Cop Cars.WOW.Even TOYOTA had a NASCAR and a CRAFTSMAN TRUCK.But Wheres the DODGE CHALLENGER? Up someones butt in CHICAGO.IF this car is coming out in 2008 should\’nt you have more than a couple? Do you think you can talk and not show and still sell it? Probably so but that is UNACCEPTABLE for me.I WILL WAIT AND BUY A CAMARO for less and Blow the doors off the INVISABLE CHALLENGERS………………
I can’t wait until this vehicle comes out in production in Canada!
I agree with all of you on the NON PRIME TIME slot for the sale of the Challenger. It was for a great cause and why not sell it on Friday nite during prime time? It would have brought more money.
With the deck stacked against Dodge, i.e. Ford the sponsor, and the ZR1 having been promoted for, literally, years, both of which SPEED promoted heavily, I believe the $400,000 price paid for the Challenger SRT8 (a limited production car, as is the ZR1 and the Mustang GTR) is a winner for Craig Jackson, who obviously desired the car very much. He recognizes that he is more likely to make a lot of money on that car in the years to come, vs. the guy who paid a mil for the ZR1. The real winners, in this case, are NotMYKids charity, Craig and all the customers waiting in line for the more affordable non-SRT8 models of the Challenger, among which I am numbered. 20 years from now, the proof will be in the pudding!
Cmon everyone, when has Mopar EVER had respect in the circles outside of NHRA? People dis’d the cuda, superbird, and challeger even when the cars were in their’ glorious early days. The Mustang and Camaro are still respected more in the media…. why, I have no idea. But when it comes down to it, Mopar rules. I can hardly wait until mine is sitting in my driveway.
How accurate is the number of “6400 built” for 2008? It would be nice to know how many they actually sold.
mtrcuda;
It was a FORD SPONSORED EVENT. Did you expect them to give “prime time” listings to another manufacturer? C’mon, think about it. The ‘Vette (which had to be supercharged to keep pace with the Viper) and the Challenger got “second billing”. That doesn’t lessen MY appreciation for the car.
Greg Anderson;
From this site’s Blog Rules;
“11-The blog is not intended as a forum for outside suggestions, including but not limited to those which pertain to vehicle design, product attributes, marketing or advertising,……..”
You’ve complained about everything under the sun in your many posts. Now you’re upset about the promotion of the Challenger, particularly at the BJ auction? Has Dodge done ANYTHING right in your opinion? Either apply for the Marketing or Product Developement Director’s jobs at Dodge and DO IT BETTER, or put your keyboard under the wheels of a semi and save us all from the constant complaining! If you don’t like the car, price, warranty - anything - as it’s offered from Dodge, feel free to consider buying a Camaro (and post all of your many complaints to GM and their potential customers on THEIR boards while THAT car is under developement).
Two weeks, people, and we’ll get a look at “EVERYTHING on the 2008 Dodge Challenger” in Chicago. The CONCEPT was in Scottsdale, NOT the production car. That’s not the car we’ll be buying or ordering in a few months. Who cares if the Challenger didn’t bring the top price, or get top billing and “prime time exposure” at Barrett-Jackson? We’ll be buying ours from a dealer, and paying MUCH LESS than $400000.
I was there and the Challenger got no respect. We all know it was a ford sponsored event and ford took the day. I think Dodge could have done a much better job of promoting this car. Their failure to promote the car better at BJ is very confusing for me. A lot of things as of late have me concerned. I hate to say it but, I’m having second thoughts about this car.
Yup, the prime time slots were stacked with Fords, which I think hurt the Challengers auction. I think if it rolled across the block closer to when the concept cars and the Duesey did, it would have sold for atleast another $100K more than it did.
Mike, I think you better watch the replay of the auction,”Speed” really screwed it up.We saw nothing and heard nothing of what the people on the block were saying or doing.Hell,we never knew who was bidding on the car,it looked like Craig Jackson was the only one bidding. Also,could BJ have put the car on any later in the evening. I wonder if maybe that was Ford’s idea??????????