Cars Model 2013 2014 2015

Friday, 1 March 2013

Old vs. New: 2014 SRT Viper takes on upgraded 16-year-old Dodge Viper

Old vs. New: 2014 SRT Viper takes on upgraded 16-year-old Dodge Viper It's easy to play the "Would you rather have a New X or an Old Y with a bunch of upgrades?" game more often than we care to admit, but the crew at Car and Driver have taken bench racing to the next level with their latest video. In it, the magazine pits a brand-new 2014 SRT Viper against a highly modified 1997 Dodge Viper GTS. There are 16 years between the time this particular GTS rolled off the production line and when the new car bowed, but that doesn't mean the old snake's owners have been sitting on their hands.

Old vs. New: 2014 SRT Viper takes on upgraded 16-year-old Dodge Viper

Thanks to a spate of modifications, the GTS offers up a better power to weight ratio than the new machine, but is that enough to overcome the technological leap forward represented by the 2014 Viper? We won't spoil it for you. You'll just have to check out the full clip below for yourself.

Old vs. New: 2014 SRT Viper takes on upgraded 16-year-old Dodge Viper

2003-04 Dodge Viper recalled for sudden airbag deployment

2003-04 Dodge Viper recalled for sudden airbag deployment As if driving the old Dodge Viper (not the fancy new SRT model) isn't intimidating enough, imagine trying to wrangle that V10 beast and then suddenly having the airbags deploy. Yikes. That's apparently what could happen to some 3,660 Viper models from the 2003 and 2004 model years, and as such, Chrysler has issued a recall.

2003-04 Dodge Viper recalled for sudden airbag deployment

2003-04 Dodge Viper recalled for sudden airbag deployment

2003-04 Dodge Viper recalled for sudden airbag deployment

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, part of the car's airbag control module may fail, causing the bags or seatbelt pre-tensioners to deploy without warning while the vehicle is in operation. That's a dangerous scenario in any car, let alone one offering insane horsepower a near-total paucity of safety nannies should things get squirrely.

2003-04 Dodge Viper recalled for sudden airbag deployment

Owners will be notified this month about the recall, though a remedy is not expected to be available until later this year. Scroll down for the full NHTSA statement.2003-04 Dodge Viper recalled for sudden airbag deployment

2013 Dodge Durango R/T

2013 Dodge Durango R/T Not too long ago, Chevrolet got itself into some trouble by throwing the SS badge on just about everything it produced, so I've always been a little hesitant about the seemingly excessive use of the R/T nameplate on Dodge vehicles. For the 2013 model year, practically every model in Dodge's lineup has an R/T trim level from the Avenger all the way up to the Durango. Although the R/T name used to signified models made for road and track, I doubt anyone would be delusional enough to assume the Durango – and some of the other models wearing this badge – are suited for any sort of track duty.

2013 Dodge Durango R/T

2013 Dodge Durango R/T

2013 Dodge Durango R/T

2013 Dodge Durango R/T headlight

2013 Dodge Durango R/T

2013 Dodge Durango R/T front view

2013 Dodge Durango R/T rear view

2013 Dodge Durango R/T

Still, when this 2013 Dodge Durango R/T rolled up for me to drive for the week, I couldn't help but take in its big, mean and imposing stance. Sure, if I had my choice of buying any of the Dodge R/T products, the Charger and Challenger would be my top picks for sure, but it's easy to say that the Durango would be a close third – far above the R/T versions of the Avenger, Journey and Grand Caravan.

Not that the current Durango was a bad-looking SUV to begin with, but the R/T package gives it more aggressive styling thanks to a monochromatic look. With the removal of just about all the chrome that comes on a Durango, this tester even looked good in what would normally be a boring shade of silver thanks to the body-colored front fascia, smoked headlights, 20-inch wheels and the sporty-looking rear fascia with dual exhaust outlets.

The styling might be there to back up the badge, but there is no extra power under the hood of the R/T. In possibly one of the best moves Dodge made with this particular model, the only engine offered is the 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The 360-horsepower, 390 pound-feet of torque engine feels adequate perfectly for this 5,331-pound utility. This is the only model of the Durango lineup that comes standard with the six-speed automatic transmission, too.

Fuel economy is about what you'd expect from a V8-powered SUV weighing as much as the Durango does, with EPA estimates of 13 miles per gallon in the city and 20 mpg on the highway. During my week with the R/T, this tester returned 15.5 mpg.

2013 Dodge Durango R/T

The Hemi is equipped with cylinder deactivation, which feels clunky at times when it switches from V8 to V4 power, with an ever-so-slight delay when the cylinders reengage once again. The only bypass for the system is just to be sure that you're right foot stays planted whenever possible.

Chrysler says the Durango R/T comes with a sport suspension, but aside from the bigger standard wheels, I felt no difference between this and any other Durango I've driven in the past. If you're really looking for a sporty, family-sized (three-row) SUV, you're probably going to want to check out the new Explorer Sport.

The best part of the Durango R/T might be its exhaust system. Yes, the dual pipes poking through the rear fascia give it an aftermarket look, but it's the exhaust note that makes the R/T thrilling. Dodge gave the Durango R/T unique mufflers, pipes and resonators for a deep, throaty note, which makes the package a little more distinctive.

Similar to the exterior styling, the R/T's interior has a sportier look and feel with plenty of red accents on the standard black leather throughout the cabin. This particular model came with the center-row captain seats limiting the overall seating capacity to just six, but it made accessing the third-row seat much easier. Not surprisingly, as the innovator of third-row seating for non-fullsize SUVs, the Durango's rearmost accommodations are spacious enough for two adults and can also fold completely flat quickly and easily.

The R/T trim level sits just under the Citadel as the top Durango model, and as such, it isn't a cheap SUV. Starting at $35,995 in base form, this all-wheel-drive 2013 Durango R/T was optioned up quite impressively, bringing with it a hefty as-tested price of $45,360.

What you get for that high price, though, is plenty of optional goodies including leather-wrapped door panels, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, adaptive cruise control and Chrysler's Uconnect navigation system. This test vehicle may very well have been completely fully loaded, and while it'd be a hard financial pill to swallow, it's certainly easy enough to option rivals to the same level.

Yes, the third-gen Durango is no longer body on frame, but proving that it hasn't completely lost touch with its SUV roots, the Durango is still rear-wheel drive in base form, even though it's now competing against a newer breed of three-row utilities like the Chevy Traverse, Nissan Pathfinder and the Ford Explorer. Unlike its corporate cousin, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Durango is not offered with a multi-mode off-road system, but it did handle itself quite well while driving on the loose sand of a northeast Florida beach.2013 Dodge Durango R/T

Thursday, 28 February 2013

Official USPS Muscle Cars stamps coming to a mailbox near you

Official USPS Muscle Cars stamps coming to a mailbox near you As much as our digital lives have cut down on our trips to the post office, there are still times that sending "snail mail" is necessary. With us car lovers in mind and philately in their hearts, the good folks at the United States Postal Service will introduce a new stamp design called "Muscle Cars" starting on February 22.

Official USPS Muscle Cars stamps coming to a mailbox near you

Official USPS Muscle Cars stamps coming to a mailbox near you

Official USPS Muscle Cars stamps coming to a mailbox near you

Designed by artist Tom Fritz, the new collection of stamps consist of five classic muscle cars: 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, 1967 Shelby GT-500, 1966 Pontiac GTO and 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda. In addition to just the stamps, the USPS is also commemorating the new series with plenty of collectable memorabilia. Previous car-related stamps include 50s Sporty Cars from 2005 and 50s Fins and Chrome from 2008.

Official USPS Muscle Cars stamps coming to a mailbox near you

Chrysler earns $1.7B in 2012, revises product plans for US

Chrysler earns $1.7B in 2012, revises product plans for US Hot on the heels of Ford's earnings announcement for the year that was, Chrysler today reported a 2012 net income of $1.7 billion, up substantially from the comparatively minuscule $183 million profit earned in 2011 when it repaid its US government loans.

Chrysler earns $1.7B in 2012, revises product plans for US

Chrysler's good year ended with an excellent fourth quarter that saw net income rise 68 percent from $225 million in 2011 to $378 million. Where are all those extra earnings coming from? Market share, which Chrysler saw increase to 11.4% last year on sales of 1.65 million vehicles. In fact, the Auburn Hills, MI-based automaker out-paced the industry's market growth of 13 percent last year with sales up 21 percent for the year.

The company also revealed an updated product plan for its Chrysler Group and Fiat brands that looks all the way out to 2016. It's an updated version of the plan introduced in 2009 shortly after Fiat took control of the American automaker, and includes such new additions as an Alfa Romeo model, likely the 4C, to be introduced in the US this year, as well five more Alfa models by 2016. Likewise, Fiat will be growing by an additional seven models in the coming few years.

Chrysler earns $1.7B in 2012, revises product plans for US

As for the Chrysler Group's brands, many new models and refreshes are being delayed a year or two, including a Ram-badged version of the Fiat's small commercial van, a small Fiat-built Jeep and the return of the seven-seat Grand Wagoneer. A number of vehicles from Dodge, however, are getting surprise refreshes this year and next, and the new Viper looks scheduled for an update in 2015.Chrysler earns $1.7B in 2012, revises product plans for US

Jeep follows up Super Bowl spot with call to help the USO

Jeep follows up Super Bowl spot with call to help the USO Once again, Chrysler had one of the most talked about Super Bowl commercials with its two-minute Whole Again Jeep spot, which was used to highlight its Operation SAFE Return program for US military personnel returning home from active duty. As part of this campaign, Jeep announced today that it will be donating up to $300,000 to the United Services Organizations (USO), and you can help.

Jeep follows up Super Bowl spot with call to help the USO

Jeep follows up Super Bowl spot with call to help the USO

Jeep follows up Super Bowl spot with call to help the USO grill

Jeep follows up Super Bowl spot with call to help the USO

Jeep follows up Super Bowl spot with call to help the USO headlight

Jeep follows up Super Bowl spot with call to help the USO

Simply tweet using the joinOSR hashtag on Twitter, visit the Yahoo! homepage or go to the Jeep Operation SAFE Return website, and Jeep will donate $1 to a fund that provides returning troops things like employment assistance and incentives to buy new vehicles. Jeep is also donating to this charity to the tune of $250 for each Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited (including the Freedom Edition model) and Jeep Patriot Freedom Edition model sold.Jeep follows up Super Bowl spot with call to help the USO

2013 Dodge Dart gets all Moparized

2013 Dodge Dart gets all Moparized Last year, Chrysler announced it would be offering more than 150 Mopar parts and accessories on the 2013 Dodge Dart, and we got a look at some of these parts firsthand at the Chicago Auto Show. Showing off all the optional parts at once would surely create a gaudy monstrosity, so Chrysler chose to equip this particular Dart GT with just a handful of Mopar goodies, which still gave the car a nice and tasteful custom look that is available straight from the dealership (and with a full warranty, too).

2013 Dodge Dart gets all Moparized

2013 Dodge Dart gets all Moparized

2013 Dodge Dart gets all Moparized

2013 Dodge Dart gets all Moparized front view

2013 Dodge Dart gets all Moparized rear view

2013 Dodge Dart gets all Moparized headlight

2013 Dodge Dart gets all Moparized

Decked out in a factory color called Header Orange Clear Coat – also a very appropriate show car hue – this car added exterior styling parts such as the vented, carbon fiber hood, the bolt-on front chin spoiler and a matte black decklid spoiler. Looking inside the car, you'd think the red-accented interior is part of the Mopar parts bin, too, but this is actually what the standard Dart GT cabin will look like when it goes on sale.