What you see above is the recently announced Dodge Challenger set to race in the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series. The car will actually race in 4 different races in the 2010 series; Daytona, Michigan, Richmond and Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

As you can see, Dodge Motorsports made it very easy to tell the vehicle is based on the Challenger, keeping the front of the car looking very production like.

We’ll keep you posted as more information is revealed about this vehicle and the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series.

via autoblog

It would appear that renderings of the new Dodge Challenger are beginning to appear all over the web everywhere, and oddly enough, they have a shade of purple. I suppose the rock star formerly known as Prince would probably appreciate it, but this 2010 Challenger is, as source reports, Plum Crazy.

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Chrysler may be the worst off of all the big three–not only were they smaller going in than GM, and both were much worse off financially than Ford, but Chrysler is the one you don’t hear from.

But now, some fresh news has emerged that should surprise some people–Chrysler’s Dodge brand is now essentially two businesses  in one.  Both divisions are overseen by their own CEO, but one branch will focus exclusively on cars, the other on trucks.

On the surface this seems like a good idea.  Specialization allows a company to take advantage of economies of scale, though I’m not sure how good an idea it was to hire TWO CEOs, considering how big a drain on resources a chief executive officer can be.  Of course, as long as the board of directors keeps executive pay at an even keel, this may not be too bad a move.  Get the economies of scale without the huge CEO pay package?  I’ve heard worse myself, and from Fiat, that’s especially surprisingly lucid.

When you get a new car, chances are you will be paying attention to all the features that it comes with. Question! Do you know how to operate it? You can tinker with it all you want but it still remains that the proper way to operate them exists. And apparently thanks to all the excitement a new car owner would be brimming with, he forgets that a user manual comes with the car, something that should guide him to properly operate these features.

Apparently there is something lacking as far as taking note of these car owner’s manuals. And now Chrysler may finally be the first to break the ice by offering Digital Owner’s Manuals to come with select models. Among the models that will be carrying this new digital technology include all 2010 Chryslers, Jeeps, and Dodge vehicles.

Not only will this be keen, it will also be environmentally friendly in a way as its will save 930 tons of paper, the equivalent of 20,000 trees annually. However, customers requiring a traditional printed manual may obtain one by contacting their dealer or calling customer service.

Image Courtesy: CNet

(Source) Press

In what is perhaps another effort to jack up car sales and entice customer interest, Chrysler has announced the return of their leasing options for all 2010 models of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge through their long-time ally and preferred lender GMAC financial services. With the additional financing options now back in harness, potential car buyers can now look forwards to broader options as far as buying new cars under the Chrysler brand.

Leasing will start on September 17 for all the 2010 Chrysler models. Among the featured vehicles for lease up to September 30 include:

• Chrysler Town & Country
• Dodge Grand Caravan, Ram 1500 and Journey
• Jeep Wrangler and Liberty

continue reading "Chrysler Brings Back Car Leasing"

It was recently announced that Chrysler will be releasing an updated version of their 2010 Dodge Caliber onto the European marketing at some point in the near future.

This updated diesel burning engine will be capable of 163 hp and 236 pounds-per-foot of torque along with a 40.6 mpg rating. Chrysler says the new Common-rail diesel engine will give the car 16% more power and  3% more torque while improving 5% better gas mileage and reducing  CO2 emissions by 3% which make up for the above mentioned numbers.

Of course this is just a brief overview of what will be in the new Dodge Caliber. You can read about the rest of the features in the press release after the break.

continue reading "Chrysler updates European 2010 Dodge Caliber with more powerful/efficient diesel engine"

It seems that recent reports suggest that Dodge has increased the towing capacity of their 2010 Ram without actually making any hardware changes. The increase is from 9,100 pounds to 10,450 pounds and Dodge points to the coil-sprung sprung suspension for the added performance.

Autoblog says that Dodge merely underestimated the towing power of their latest Ram hence the out-of-nowhere increase. We now also know that the 2010 Ram will include 22-inch wheels, iPod integration, trailer-towing mirrors and an engine management upgrade giving the truck better gas mileage by cutting the fuel during deceleration.

We first heard about Dodge’s Circuit EV in January of this year and then again in May when its production was announced to have been halted.

Today however, we have hints that the car may actually see the light of day with AutoBlogGreen reporting that the Circuit will be manufactured by Lotus in the UK and then shipped to American shores for the electric powertrain. Furthermore, buzz also suggests that Chrysler is looking to push about 100,000 of these at a price much lower than, say, the Tesla Roadster.

These reports haven’t been confirmed but if they are true we may be seeing the Dodge Circuit enter production as early as 2010.

If a recent post on the Caliber Forums is correct, what you see above is the first image of the interior for the 2010 Dodge Caliber.

The biggest gripe buyers had of previous-gen Calibers was that the interior’s black plastic covering made the car seem cheap and almost tacky. Luckily, the interior seems to have been completely redone for a much more astetically pleasing look.

The car is said to feature a soft-touch center arm wrest, redesigned door panels, and several other upgrades as you can see from the picture.

via Autoblog

Last year as part of their bankruptcy filing Dodge was rumored to have put the Viper brand up for sale due to slow sales in 2007. This means that the car itself has a grim future with no future Chrysler production models planned.

However, now that Chrysler is under new leadership it was announced that the Dodge Viper SRT 10 will in fact continue production. This will come as great news to supercar fans everywhere as the current rendition of the car features a 8.3L V10 capable of 600HP and 560 pounds of torque.

There are no details on the new model but we will be sure to keep you posted.

Call it a marketing gimmick, but the best way to guide motorists on how it is to save fuel is through an actual vehicle the proves to be fuel-efficient. This promotion comes right in time for the summer when people are expected to do a lot of traveling.

And the person tasked to head the cause is Penske Racing driver Sam Hornish Jr., who will be driving a special no. 77 Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 11.

The event will also highlight a retail promotion in which consumers can receive a $10 rebate when they buy five one-quart bottles or one five-quart jug of Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy. The promotion runs from May 18 to August 31, 2009.

(Source) Press

With 15 years tucked under its belt, the 2009 Dodge Ram continues to uphold tradition as being the top truck to get as far as consumer preference is concerned. This is backed by Strategic Vision’s 2009 Total Quality Index, where the Dodge Ram leads the way with the highest Total Quality score of any truck in the 15-year history of the study. Customers specifically noted that the Ram has the best added storage capability along with the best truck interior ever rated by customers.

“Our all-new 2009 Dodge Ram is rated by owners as the best truck ever built,” said Doug Betts, Senior Vice President – Quality, Chrysler Group LLC. “It is a game-changing, class-leading truck that is second to none. This award confirms that we are making significant changes and improvements, which enhance the overall ownership experience and are being recognized by our customers.”

One of the highlights of the 2009 Dodge Ram include its highly touted RamBox cargo management system. This includes a versatile, weatherproof, lockable, illuminated, drainable storage bins; pickup bed dividers; a two-foot bed extender and a cargo rail system with sliding adjustable cleats.

(Source) Press

Whether the intent is just to get a glimpse of the new American muscle made cars or to possible purchase one would not matter at this point but if you think about it, consumers still prefer to check out these American-made cars.

Topping the list was Chevrolet’s all-new 2010 Camaro, up from No. 4 in April of this year. The recently redesigned 2010 Ford Mustang came in at No. 2 on the most-searched new vehicles on AutoTrader.com in May, down from No. 1 in April of this year. Rounding out the top three was the Dodge Challenger, which was introduced last year as a 2009 model.

“The 1-2-3 finish by Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge shows that the U.S. is still in love with the American muscle car and that the U.S. manufacturers are rolling out head-turning products that generate the same kind of buzz you hear for Hondas, Toyotas, BMWs and other foreign makes,” said AutoTrader.com President and CEO Chip Perry. “More importantly, the success of the Fusion and the Escape proves that domestic automakers are able to translate the excitement of their halo models into the cars and crossovers that make up the true heart of the American automotive marketplace.”

Not to take anything away from the other car manufacturers, but as mentioned earlier, these figures don’t sum up the intent. Viewership can be based on a lot of things such as merely for glimpses or even a blog review. But then again, who knows if people are simply waiting to get their hands on them when and if the whole recession and economic gloom is lifted.

(Source) Press

Now exactly how the two above vehicles will help the US Air Force I don’t know but apparently that’s who they were created by and why.

The white Mustang featured on top is dubbed the X-1 and features everything from a full jet cockpit and ejector seat to a flight stick styled shifter knob. Autoblog reports that the body has been widened all around to accommodate for the largest tires you can throw at it. What everyone cares about though is under the hood which is a 500HP, V8 engine outfitted with nitrous.

The second vehicle, entitled the Vapor is a heavily modified Dodge Challenger looking to be the stealthiest vehicle on the block. It apparently features an infrared thermal camera along with a display that covers the entire front windshield, a command center themed cockpit with 3 large LCD screens for surveillance, solid carbon fiber wheels and the added feature of two mufflers for a quitter ride.

Now what i’m wonder is, are all these features street legal?

You can see more pictures along with two promotion videos here.

With 15 awards tucked under its belt, the 2009 Dodge Ram becomes one of the trucks to watch out for. The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram earned a place on Ward’s distinguished list of winners, taking home the “2009 Interior of the Year” award in the popular-priced truck category.

“From the big, chunky knobs on the dashboard to the in-floor storage bins and the folding second-row seats, the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram reminds us that big trucks can be rugged, functional and cool, all at the same time,” said Tom Murphy, executive editor of Ward’s AutoWorld magazine. “The editors find the Dodge Ram’s new interior extremely comfortable and well-conceived,” Murphy said. “The saddle stitching on the seats and instrument panel make a wonderful styling statement, as do the upscale instrument gauges.”

The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram was the first “graduate” of the company’s new Advance Interior Design Studio. The 2009 Dodge Ram stands out with a renewed emphasis on craftsmanship expressed in premium interior appointments including six-ring instrumentation, re-designed controls, chromed accents, premium seating with improved bolsters and two-tone upholstery.

All 2009 Dodge Ram interiors are significantly upgraded with “soft-touch” materials that feature industry-first two-tone technology and premium fit and finish. Full-width contrasting stitching is offered on soft-touch instrument panels for Sport and Laramie models.

The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Regular, Quad and Crew Cab models recently earned Five Star ratings for driver- and front-passenger protection in a frontal crash, the highest ratings in the U.S. government’s safety crash test program. The U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 is $22,170 (including $900 destination).

(Source) Press