Dodge has recently begun shipping its highly anticipated electric Charger Daytona to dealerships, eager to gauge market interest in its first all-electric model. Early indications suggest that dealers are already resorting to significant price reductions, with some offering discounts of tens of thousands of dollars off the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) to incentivize sales. Now, Dodge itself is entering the fray with surprisingly aggressive lease deals, further sweetening the pot for potential buyers.
Stellantis, Dodge's parent company, confirmed to Carscoops the introduction of a new leasing offer with monthly payments starting as low as $299. This enticing price point applies to the base 496-horsepower Charger Daytona R/T All-Wheel Drive (AWD) model on a 24-month lease. The offer requires a down payment of $4,579 and is based on an MSRP of $59,595. However, the lease agreement limits annual mileage to a modest 7,500 miles. Factoring in the down payment, the effective monthly cost of this lease works out to $500 before taxes and delivery fees.
It's important to note that while this deal officially took effect on February 4th, it's not readily advertised on all dealership websites. In most regions across the United States, Charger Daytona lease prices are currently hovering around $550 or more per month, with varying down payment amounts typically under $4,500. However, there are a few exceptions. For example, a dealership in central Connecticut was recently spotted offering the Charger R/T for the advertised $299 per month with the $4,579 down payment. It's crucial to emphasize that this is considered an "ultra low-mileage" lease, restricting drivers to just 7,500 miles per year.
To put this new offer in perspective, back in December, Dodge was promoting an R/T lease at $549 per month for 36 months, allowing 10,000 miles per year, with $4,999 due at signing. This previous offer translated to an effective monthly cost of $688 before taxes and fees. Therefore, the current $299 lease deal represents a substantial price reduction, assuming it can be found.
For those seeking more power, the Charger Scat Pack, boasting a 670-horsepower powertrain, is available for lease at $399 per month with a $4,429 down payment, based on an MSRP of $73,985. This equates to an effective monthly cost of $584 before taxes and fees. While the down payment is not insignificant, the opportunity to drive a high-performance electric vehicle without the concerns of long-term reliability, depreciation, or other ownership factors might make this deal appealing to potential lessees. It's important to remember that these lease deals are currently limited to the 2024 model year.
These aggressive lease offers coincide with recent rumors circulating online. An alleged Dodge manager reportedly leaked information that employees would soon have access to special lease deals on the Charger Daytona for as low as $268 per month with a $2,000 down payment. This would be an exceptionally attractive offer for a vehicle priced around $70,000. The same source also claimed that employees would have the opportunity to lease the Jeep Wagoneer S for an incredibly low $129 per month with a $2,000 down payment.
While there's no concrete evidence to substantiate these rumors yet, Dodge does publicly advertise lease deals for Stellantis employees. According to their website, employees residing in the Detroit area can currently lease a 2024 Charger R/T for $479 per month with a $3,713 down payment. Given these existing employee discounts and the recent aggressive public lease offers, it wouldn't be surprising to see even steeper discounts emerge if Charger Daytona sales don't gain sufficient momentum. These aggressive leasing strategies suggest that Dodge is willing to be flexible on pricing to ensure its electric Charger Daytona finds its place in the market.