2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
There aren’t many cars that require the buyer to sign a waiver before driving it off the lot. In fact, there might be only one.
The Dodge Demon, which is actually a Challenger in SRT Demon dress, might look close enough to a standard-issue Challenger to fool the non-initiated, but make no mistake, the Demon is a devil just waiting to prove how delightfully dastardly it can be.
While the Challenger, especially in Hellcat guise, is a perfectly capable performance car, the Demon is a deceptively dangerous track car that’s been approved to freely roam the streets. This isn’t a car for just anyone, though. There’s enough potential danger lurking under the hood (and in the tires), that buyers must sign a waiver before actually buying one.
The waiver is FCA’s attempt to cover itself in the inevitable event that someone who doesn’t understand the Demon’s power gets behind the wheel and ends up seriously injured or killed. It’s also a great run-down of just what the Demon has to offer. It opens with this paragraph:
Customer shall have full responsibility and shall assume all risks related to the use of the features and applications in the Vehicle and shall only use the features and applications when it is safe to do so. Failure to do so may result in an accident involving serious injury or death.
There’s also a stipulation regarding the super-sticky Nitto NT05R tires the Dodge Demon is equipped with from the factory. Those are basically drag-racing slicks, and Dodge strongly advises against using them on wet roads or in cold weather, stating that the tires can cause hydroplaning when wet and lose flexibility and warp in the cold. Driving in temps below 15 degrees Fahrenheit may lead to cracking and other tire damage.
A Demon buyer has the option of deleting the passenger seat, but that, too, comes with a disclaimer. The waiver includes a statement that says, once deleted, a passenger seat can never be installed, because it won’t meet safety requirements.
The lawyers also included plenty of generic language that basically says FCA can’t be held liable for any stupid decisions a driver might make while behind the wheel of a Demon.
Perhaps my favorite line from the document says,
The Demon is a unique performance Vehicle with unique characteristics, parts, systems and capabilities and performs unlike other vehicles. It is imperative that you understand and acknowledge the unique characteristics of this Vehicle before purchasing or driving.
I wonder if the lawyers went to marketing school, because I can’t think of a statement that would make a buyer want a Demon more.
The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is dangerous enough to require a signed waiver. Does that scare you away, or make you want one more?
-tgriffith
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from The CarGurus Blog http://bit.ly/2u7SoyX
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