In a win for big business enthusiasts everywhere, Dodge \u2014 and its parent company, Stellantis \u2014 defeated a consumer fraud and false advertising lawsuit brought about by 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat owners. They claimed that their “limited edition” SUVs lost value when the automaker spun up production two years later to make more vehicles.<\/p>\n
Owners in the proposed class action suit said they shelled out premium prices, as high as $114,225, based on the promise by the automaker that it would end production after building 3,000 units in 2021, according to Reuters. These Durango Hellcatists said they felt “shock and anger” when Dodge brought the 710-horsepower Durango Hellcat back from the dead in 2023, which they (correctly) felt reduced its exclusivity and dropped their cars’ resale value. The ruling by the judge can be summarized as “too bad, so sad.”<\/p>\n
Okay, that’s not exactly what she told plaintiffs in California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Virginia, but that’s sort of the gist. In actuality, U.S. District Judge Jennifer Hall in Wilmington, Delaware, said she found no proof that Fiat Chrysler intended to renege on its promise, or that its statement amounted to an express warranty, Reuters reports.<\/p>\n
She went on to say that the automaker didn’t violate any state consumer fraud laws “where the alleged ‘misrepresentation’ pertained to intended future conduct and was true when made.” Basically, she’s saying Dodge and Stellantis didn’t promise \u2014 in a legal sense \u2014 not to make more of these cars. So, while it can maybe be looked at as a crappy thing for the automaker to do to these owners, in the eyes of the law they don’t have any legal recourse.<\/p>\n
Read more: These Are The Least Reliable Japanese Cars, According To Consumer Reports<\/p>\n