ORIGINAL: AnthonyAtAkins
OK, so if they're building as many as they can, what is the point of them putting a serial numbered dash plate on the 2008 models. The 2008's are going to be a limited production. Once they sell out of those, they will go into a full production run of 2009's.
You have to remember, the Challenger isn't scheduled to come out until spring of this year. When do next year models normally come out? Normally around September or October.
This means they have from spring until fall to sell their 5,000 limited production 2008's, then in fall 2008, you'll see the full production line of 2009's hit the show room floor.
Yes, they are going to be building as many as they can, but that first run that lasts the first few months are going to be the serial numbered 2008's who will go to the highest bidder. Everyone else will get the '09's in fall 2008.
The numbered dash plaques are indicative of a "collector's piece". It happened in every hobby that involves collectibles. The same thing was done with the current Daytona's - #XXXX of 5000.
Models "typically" debut in the fall as the next model year.
But it isn't unheard of for a model to debut mid-year. I believe the Mustangs (another pony car) originally debuted as a mid-year model at the World's Fair on April 17, 1964 as a '64 1/2.
Certainly, time alone would limit the number of Challengers Brampton can produce between (expected) April and June/July when m/y retooling normally occurs. Dodge stated they would make "fewer than 10,000 units" of the 2008 Challengers, thus it's a limited edition.