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First 2006 Dodge Charger to be auctioned
DaimlerChrysler is auctoning the first production Charger and racecar body shell used at auto show.
February 8, 2005: 10:59 PM EST
Dodge Charger unveiled
The all-new 2006 Dodge Charger is unveiled from underneath a Dodge Charger NASCAR body shell at the Detroit Auto Show on Jan. 9, 2005.

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - DaimlerChrysler's Dodge division is auctioning off the first production 2006 Dodge Charger on eBay along with the fake NASCAR body shell that was lifted off the car during its Detroit Auto Show introduction early last month.

Bidding started Feb. 1 on eBay and will close on Thursday, Feb, 10. As of Monday morning, Feb. 7, bidding had topped $50,000.

The company decided to auction the car and the racecar shell after seeing the response to former racecar driver Richard Petty's presence at the car's Detroit media introduction, a spokesperson for DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group said.

"When we brought out Richard Petty, people started coming up and asking for autographs," said Chrysler Group spokesman Scott Brown, "and we didn't expect that."

In addition to signing personal autographs, Petty also signed the hood of the car.

The Charger will be delivered by Petty to the winning bidder at the May 7, 2005, Nascar Nextel Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway, the company said. Proceeds from the auction will be given to the Victory Junction Gang Camp and the Salvation Army.

While pricing for the 2006 Charger has not yet been officially announced, it is expected to start at around $25,000. The Charger is a high-performance four-door sedan.

The Charger's base engine will be a 250-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6. It will also be available with a 340-horsepower, 5.7 liter V-8 engine. Unlike the Dodge Magnum and Chrysler 300C, vehicles with which it shares fundemental components, the Charger will not be available with all-wheel-drive.

The car being auctioned is a heavily equipped V-8 Charger R/T. Sticker price for the Charger R/T is expected to be under $30,000.

The racecar shell is modeled after Nascar driver Kasey Kahne's No. 9 race car which is, itself, modeled after the new Charger. The shell is autographed by Petty, Kahne and Dieter Zetsche, president and CEO of DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group.

In August, 2002, the first production unit of the redesigned Nissan 350Z, with a sticker price of about $36,000, sold for on eBay for $95,100.  Top of page

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