The parent company of Dodge has prevailed in a lawsuit brought by owners of 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcats who claimed they were misled into paying premium prices for what they believed would be a one-year, limited-edition SUV.
As reported by Reuters and Automotive News, January 29th, U.S. District Judge Jennifer Hall dismissed the proposed class-action lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, now part of Stellantis, finding that the automaker did not commit consumer fraud or false advertising when it later resumed production of the high-performance Durango SRT Hellcat.
The plaintiffs, owners of 2021 Durango SRT Hellcats, said Dodge marketed the vehicle as a limited-edition model that would be produced only for the 2021 model year, with total output capped at about 3,000 vehicles. Based on that representation, they said, buyers paid premium prices that in some cases reached as high as $114,225.
According to the lawsuit, owners felt “shock and anger” when Dodge revived the Durango SRT Hellcat for the 2023 model year, arguing that the additional production diluted the exclusivity of the vehicle and reduced its resale value. The plaintiffs accused the automaker of violating consumer protection laws in California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Virginia.
Hall rejected those claims, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to show that the automaker intended to break any promise at the time the original statements were made. She also found that the marketing statements did not rise to the level of an express warranty.
The judge said the company did not violate state consumer fraud statutes “where the alleged ‘misrepresentation’ pertained to intended future conduct and was true when made.” In other words, statements about future production plans were not deceptive simply because the plans later changed.
The ruling underscores a long-standing principle in consumer law that forward-looking statements about future intentions generally are not actionable unless there is evidence they were false when made or that the speaker never intended to follow through.
The Durango SRT Hellcat debuted for the 2021 model year as a high-performance, three-row SUV powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 710 horsepower. Dodge promoted the model as a special, single-year offering, and the vehicle was not offered for the 2022 model year, reinforcing buyer perceptions that production had ended.
When Dodge announced the return of the Durango SRT Hellcat for 2023, the move drew significant attention among enthusiasts and collectors. Dodge cited strong demand for the model and changes in regulatory and engineering considerations that allowed production to resume.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Delaware, sought damages for alleged financial losses tied to the decline in resale values after the additional vehicles were built. The plaintiffs argued that rarity was a key factor in their purchasing decisions and that the later production run undermined that expectation.
Hall’s decision concludes that the plaintiffs did not plausibly allege that the automaker engaged in deceptive conduct or that its marketing statements created a legally enforceable guarantee of exclusivity beyond the 2021 model year.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs and for Stellantis did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the ruling, according to reporting by Reuters.
The case had attracted attention across the automotive industry and among performance-vehicle buyers, highlighting the legal risks and consumer expectations surrounding limited-edition vehicles and marketing claims tied to exclusivity and future value.
It was not immediately clear whether the plaintiffs plan to appeal the decision.
Photo: Dodge/Stellantis.