To be frank, the Chicago auto show has limited importance as a venue for introducing new cars to the world through its press days. However, for regular folks visiting the show, it's probably the best in North America. For one, almost everything introduced at Los Angeles and Detroit is shown here in Chicago (not the NSX Concept, though). Then there's the sheer enormity of McCormick Place's two exhibit halls. This allows for a huge number of cars on the floor, with manufacturers capable of showcasing different trims of the same car.
There's also enough space inside for indoor ride-along events. Jeep usually puts one outside and Detroit is home to an environmentally friendly car ride-and-drive in the basement, but there are at least four opportunities for folks to experience what certain cars are like when actually moving. Toyota had a large area dubbed Toyota Monopoly Hybrid Ride Experience (I'm not sure why), while Chrysler alone had three different exhibits. The Jeep and Ram ones included a number of off-road impediments, while Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat had a stretch of road used to showcase an initial burst of acceleration, then braking. The latter actually looks as if you're going to be part of a crash test.
It all seems like good fun and adds something to the auto show experience. Journalists may be cold on Chicago, but car fans shouldn't be.
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Categories: Chicago Auto Show,Chrysler,Dodge,Fiat,Jeep,Ram,Toyota
Surely you remember all those hot sport-compact cars of ten years ago? Well, we can barely remember them ourselves, but it turns out that tire manufacturers do, because they built ultra high-performance tires for them. Fortunately all that tire technology has not gone to waste.
As we learned at the introduction of the BFGoodrich g-Force Sport Comp-2 the other week, the tire companies initially thought ultra high-performance (UHP) tires would never be more than a marginal market segment, just like hot sport-compact cars. Instead the market for Z-rated tires since 2006 has grown 10 times faster than the overall U.S. tire market. It’s expected to double in size by 2016 when it will become 8 percent of the overall tire market.
We’d guess that this means a Z-rated tire is probably coming to your car sometime soon, and we’ll bet that it will be a lot like BFG’s Comp-2.
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Categories: Car Tech,Dodge,Trends
As they promised, the good folks at SRT have released the first teaser image of the SRT Viper on Facebook. That's the good news. The bad news is that this light-drawing is all we're likely to get for a while.
We're not seeing a lot of naked woman lying on the beach here, but we are seeing a whole lot of Dodge Viper which is pretty awesome. We also get a look at the slick new Viper logo, the headlights, the Viper-spec scoop,
We know that the new Viper will have -- for the first time -- traction control (it's the law ya know) and cruise control and may wind up with an 8.7-liter V10.
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Categories: Coupes,Dodge,Future Vehicles,Sports Cars
If you're a classic car nut, you've probably heard of Hagerty; the company is a leader in classic-car insurance and hosts the world's largest database of classic cars. Each year, the company publishes its Hagerty Hot List, a list that spotlights 10 new vehicles that its valuations experts see as having the best future collectability.
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Categories: Audi,Buick,Chevrolet,Dodge,Fiat,Ford,Jeep,Nissan,Porsche,Volkswagen
Yesterday DriveSRT (Dodge) updated their Facebook profile to say that if they got 10,000 fans they would release a special teaser of the upcoming 2013 SRT Viper.
SRT has been very protective of the Viper testing models that are heavily camouflaged and running under last-gen Dodge Viper bodies. The closest thing to a leak was when Gilles said the new design was inspired by a naked woman on the beach. Really, though, that's the motivation for most of mankind's great works.
Needless to say that teasing the Viper months before the car's official reveal at the 2012 New York Auto Show worked like gangbusters, they had the 10,000 fans before the end of the day. Keeping their word, SRT has promised to show a teaser (don't you love Facebook teasers?) at 11:59:59 PM Eastern on Monday, January 30. You can see it live on their Facebook here or, if you don't want to fan them, check back to IL that night and we'll have it up.
Categories: Dodge,New York Auto Show,Sports Cars
At last year's Chicago Auto Show, Dodge rolled out the 1500 Tradesman. It was one of the favorites of the show thanks to a super-simple formula: Lots of power, solid chassis, no frills, low price.
For $22,780 you got a 5.7-liter Hemi cranking out 390 horsepower and 407 pound-feet of torque, a 26-gallon fuel tank (with the 6-foot bed, 32 with the 8-foot bed), manual windows, heavy-duty cooling, folding tow mirrors, all-season tires and a choice of 5 exterior colors. It was great.
This year Ram is going the opposite direction with the 2012 Ram Laramie Limited. We're estimating that this version of the 1500 will start around $45,000 and include leather seats, ambient cabin lighting, remote start, back-up camera, "navigational radio," adjustable pedals, 20-inch wheels from the Laramie Longhorn, full-leather cockpit, piano black trim and a gauge cluster with needles finished in liquid graphite and the words "Designed in Detroit" imprinted on them.
I think I'd still prefer a Tradesman or two.
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Categories: Chicago Auto Show,Dodge,Trucks
If you've got a spouse and a bouncy castle full of kids, the siren call of a minivan can be a tempting one. Still, minivan ownership need not be as inevitable as some would have you believe.
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Categories: Buick,Chevrolet,Dodge,Ford,GMC,Mazda
Just about a year ago at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show, Dodge Brand CEO Ralph Gilles (now CEO of SRT) rolled out a new version of the Dodge Grand Caravan, the R/T. This van, he said, was the "man van." We were hooked immediately.
The 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T is lowered by 12mm and gets new aerodynamics, heavier steering, an Eco button and optional 17-inch tires. On the inside things are dark: Black is the only color. Gilles described the driving experience as being like a GTI.
And after testing one, we can only assume he meant that it's like a GTI in the sense that both have non-defeat stability control. What else did we learn from the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T "Man Van" on our track? Click through to find out.
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Categories: Dodge,IL Track Tested,Minivans
Detroit isn't necessarily the kind of city that most people want to visit, but each year in early to mid-January, it becomes a prime destination, at least as far as the global automotive community is concerned.
Of course, this has everything to do with the annual North America International Auto Show, which beckons car lovers far and wide with the good, the bad and the ugly of the latest automotive offerings.
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Categories: Acura,Dodge,Ford,Toyota
The Dodge Charger is the winner of Edmunds.com's 2012 Technology Breakthrough Award. The award is presented each year to a vehicle that sets the standard for intuitive, practical and affordable automotive technology that enhances safety and convenience for both drivers and passengers. All new cars and trucks available for sale in the U.S. within the last 12 months are eligible.
The 2011 Dodge Charger won for its cutting-edge -- but intuitive -- UConnect Touch infotainment user interface, its reliable Bluetooth hands-free and voice-recognition features and its innovative active safety technology. Edmunds.com's editors chose the Dodge Charger because it embodies some of the most modern technology available in a car today -- and it's available in a vehicle that's within the budget of average consumers.
And since the Charger is a sensible sedan that masquerades as a modern day muscle car, the total package is that much more attractive to consumers and enthusiasts.
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Categories: Car Tech,Dodge
The 2013 Dodge Dart was officially unveiled in Detroit today, and it looks to continue Chrysler's upward trend. Based on Alfa Romeo's Giulietta hatchback, this marks the first Dodge product based on a Fiat Group platform. It's scheduled to go on sale in the spring.
See Alistair's take on the Dodge Dart, and also soak in his mad skills on the invisible accordion.
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Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Dodge,Videos
Reid Bigland, president and CEO of Dodge brand, brought us the only news we're still awaiting about the 2013 Dodge Dart: The underseat storage beneath the passenger seat bottom cushion will be the most likely spot for lost Cheerio accumulation since the 1984 Caravan's seat rails.
Actually, he didn't say anything about that feature, but it exists. What he did mention is that the Dart -- a remarkably good-looking thing -- will start at $15,995 and earn 40 mpg.
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Categories: Dodge
Sometimes merely getting there is not enough; you want to get there really, really quickly. After all, there's nothing like the thrill you get from a car that leaps off the line.
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Categories: Chrysler,Dodge,Ford,Mitsubishi,Subaru
After months of spy shots, name changes, teasers and rumors, we finally get to see the 2013 Dodge Dart.
The Dart is powered by either a TIGERSHARK 2.0-liter, 1.4-liter MulitiAir or a 2.4-liter MulitiAir -- all engines are four-cylinders. Putting that power to the ground will be one of three transmissions. Right now we assume these will be a six-speed manual, a six-speed dual-clutch or automatic and a nine-speed automatic coming later.
Lightness was key in the Dart's development (we're still not privy to the actual weight number) with 68 percent of the Alfa-sourced body structure made from thinner, lighter high-strength steel. The chassis is named Compact U.S. Wide (an oxymoron and a jab at America's love of large if ever there was one) and the CUS-wide architecture will spawn more Fiats for our shores.
We'll have more leading up to, and at, the Detroit Auto Show on Monday.
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Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Dodge,Sedans
The press release read, "As provided in its June 10, 2009 Operating Agreement, Chrysler Group issued a letter to the U.S. Department of the Treasury stating that the Company has irrevocably committed to begin assembly of a vehicle with an unadjusted combined fuel economy of at least 40 mpg in commercial quantities in a production facility located in the United States."
And,
"In late December, Chrysler Group achieved the Fuel Economy Test, for an unadjusted combined rating of 40 mpg, with a pre-production version of the Dodge Dart, its new, state-of-the-art, four-door sedan."
So does this mean that you'll see a big, fat '40' on the window sticker of the 2012 Dodge Dart? Uh, no.
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Categories: Auto Industry,Dodge,Future Vehicles,Sedans
Okay, so Dodge isn't going to bring the new Viper to the Detroit Auto Show. That's okay; we can wait for New York. What are they bringing instead? This 2012 Dodge Charger Redline.
What is it? The Redline is a Mopar-tuned Charger that will be available in three kits. Stage One gets you a Mopar carbon-fiber chin spoiler, carbon-fiber door scoops and a carbon-fiber rear spoiler on top of a Charger R/T. Stage Two gets you a cat-back exhaust, front strut-tower brace and high-performance brake linings. Stage Three is the fun one. Stage three drops in a 590-horsepower Gen III 426 Hemi V8 crate engine that is for "race/off-road use only." In unrelated news, states like Wyoming, Florida, Montana, Minnesota, parts of Nevada and South Dakota (that I know of) don't have any sort of safety or emissions testing.
Pricing was not announced for the kits that will make their way into consumer's hands later this year.
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Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Dodge,Sedans,Tuners and Modifications
The ORIGINAL General Lee, Lee 1, is going up for Auction next month at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale. A replica recently sold for $450,000, could this one crack a million?
Read more here.
Categories: Celebrities,Classic Cars,Dodge,Miscellaneous
The Freep has some interesting news on the 2013 Dodge Viper today and it has nothing to do with a rumored 8.7-liter V10 the first of which is that when the new snake drops in late 2012 as a 2013 model it will not be wearing a Dodge badge.
That's right, like Chrysler has done with Ram, the Viper is being spun off of the Dodge brand and will exist as an SRT Viper. When Ralph Gilles was kicked out of his seat as CEO of Dodge and named CEO of SRT there was some question if it was a demotion. Apparently not.
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Categories: Coupes,Dodge,Future Vehicles,Sports Cars
The Dodge Dart (formerly Hornet) will make its official debut at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show next month. Until then, though, we will have to make do with the spy shots and teaser images that Chrysler keeps teasing us with.
The latest batch of teaser images show the Dart's interior which looks pretty slick. In front of the driver we've got a traditional tachometer, gear indicator and fuel level indicator and a 7-inch TFT display with multiple models including nav and a speedo (pictured).
The center console is loaded with an 8.4-inch touchscreen running Chrysler's easy-to-use (though some complain that sport mode in SRT vehicles shouldn't be in the 'controls' tab) and fast UConnect system.
From what we can see, the interior looks expensive and cool, a feat achieved by very few small cars. We'll need to see the finished product to make a final judgment, though.
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Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Dodge,Future Vehicles
After months of spy shots and debates over the name, we've finally got the first images of the 2013 Dodge Dart. Some of you called this in our "You Name it" post saying that, along with Duster, the Dart name was due for some modern day love.
According to Dodge "Dodge Dart blends Alfa Romeo DNA and Dodge's passion for performance resulting in a groundbreaking car with the ultimate blend of power, fuel economy, handling and style." Helping in the style department are projector-beam headlamps, a crosshair grille, Dodge's "LED racetrack" tail lamps and dual exhaust.
On the handling side of things, we've got a platform adapted from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, four-wheel independent suspension, available 18-inch wheels and "responsive steering."
As for power we're looking at a 2.0-liter "Tigershark" 16-valve I4, Chrysler's 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo motor or a 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir four cylinder. There are three transmission options. No details were given but a know that Chrysler does have a 9AT kicking around for FWD applications.
The new Dart will be built at Chrysler's Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Il.
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Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Dodge,Future Vehicles,Sedans
