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  • Breaking: Dodge Viper Done By July 2010, Coming Back In 2012 With Fiat Group DNA

    Breaking: Dodge Viper Done By July 2010, Coming Back In 2012 With Fiat Group DNA November 4th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, November 4th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 7 Comments

    Breaking: Dodge Viper Done By July 2010, Coming Back In 2012 With Fiat Group DNA

    Today Chrysler is revealing its 5-year plan, and one of the biggest bombshells so far is that Dodge will produce only 500 more units of the Dodge Viper. But according to Dodge brand chief Ralph Gilles, those 500 will be the most special Vipers ever made. Once they're done, production will end, no later than July, 2010. But that's not the end of the Viper story.

    The Viper will be back by summer of 2012, according to Gilles. And best of all, perhaps, is that it will leverage some of Fiat's sportscar DNA. In an oblique reference, Gilles mentioned Fiat's sports car-focused brands--hinting strongly at Ferrari--as providing the basis for the...

    Today Chrysler is revealing its 5-year plan, and one of the biggest bombshells so far is that Dodge will produce only 500 more units of the Dodge Viper. But according to Dodge brand chief Ralph Gilles, those 500 will be the most special Vipers ever made. Once they're done, production will end, no later than July, 2010. But that's not the end of the Viper story. The Viper will be back by summer of 2012, according to Gilles. And best of all, perhaps, is that it will leverage some of Fiat's sportscar DNA. In an oblique reference, Gilles mentioned Fiat's sports car-focused brands--hinting strongly at Ferrari--as providing the basis for the revived Viper. No details or specifics were revealed, however. As for what shape the final 500 Vipers will take, Dodge will be hard-pressed to top the Viper SRT10 ACR. That car still dominates production-car Nurburgring times with a 7:22.1--three tenths faster than the much newer Corvette ZR1 and ahead of almost all of its rivals. The same 600-horsepower 8.4-liter V-10 engine is almost a certainty, but an even lighter, more exotic Viper could be in the works. On the flip side, they could go more luxurious with the car, adding an interior that takes the Viper more into the realm of supercar than its current position of street-legal race car. We'll have to wait and see, but it's certainly some of the most exciting news to come out of Dodge in recent months. Read More

  • 2009 Moparized Dodge Challenger Previewed Ahead Of SEMA

    2009 Moparized Dodge Challenger Previewed Ahead Of SEMA October 29th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 29th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 0 Comments

    2009 Moparized Dodge Challenger Previewed Ahead Of SEMA

    The modern muscle car revival was brought with it a rebirth of factory drag-race accessories from the major manufacturers, like the FR500 Cobra Jet Mustang from Ford. For the Dodge Challenger, the Mopar Drag Pak offers a light-weight, race-only version of the street car for special order. This year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show will offer an even more potent yet street-legal version of the car, packed with accessories from the Mopar catalog.

    Called the Moparized Dodge Challenger, the fully enhanced muscle car features a custom designed matte black rear wing, 20 inch wheels, a black engine cover, a cold air intake,...

    The modern muscle car revival was brought with it a rebirth of factory drag-race accessories from the major manufacturers, like the FR500 Cobra Jet Mustang from Ford. For the Dodge Challenger, the Mopar Drag Pak offers a light-weight, race-only version of the street car for special order. This year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show will offer an even more potent yet street-legal version of the car, packed with accessories from the Mopar catalog. Called the Moparized Dodge Challenger, the fully enhanced muscle car features a custom designed matte black rear wing, 20 inch wheels, a black engine cover, a cold air intake, front and rear splash guards, and plenty of aluminum accents. The only performance modifications are a stainless-steel cat-back exhaust, which provides gains in horsepower and torque in addition to improved fuel economy and a deep-toned exhaust note, and a suspension upgrade kit with new coilovers and strut braces. Step inside and you’ll find a Kicker sound system, LED elements and a chromed T-handle shifter. Also on show will be a 556 horsepower Dodge Challenger called the ‘1320’, which you can read about by clicking here. The 2009 SEMA Auto Show kicks off on November 3. [Chrysler] Read More

  • SpeedFactory Announces All Aluminum 440 Hemi Challenger For SEMA

    SpeedFactory Announces All Aluminum 440 Hemi Challenger For SEMA October 27th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 27th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 2 Comments

    SpeedFactory Announces All Aluminum 440 Hemi Challenger For SEMA

    In a throwback design that takes the best ideas of yesteryear--there is no replacement for displacement, after all--and builds on the modern 6.1-liter Hemi block with a 7.2-liter all-aluminum spec, the SpeedFactory 440 Hemi-Powered Dodge Challenger coming to this year's SEMA show promises to deliver serious performance for the muscle car enthusiast.

    With CNC ported Mopar aluminum heads, all-forged rotating internals and a Vortech V3 centrifugal supercharger helping extract the full potential of the engine, it's expected to deliver 700 horsepower on 91 octane pump gas.

    That's not the end of the build sheet, though--a Mopar Performance NAG 1...

    In a throwback design that takes the best ideas of yesteryear--there is no replacement for displacement, after all--and builds on the modern 6.1-liter Hemi block with a 7.2-liter all-aluminum spec, the SpeedFactory 440 Hemi-Powered Dodge Challenger coming to this year's SEMA show promises to deliver serious performance for the muscle car enthusiast. With CNC ported Mopar aluminum heads, all-forged rotating internals and a Vortech V3 centrifugal supercharger helping extract the full potential of the engine, it's expected to deliver 700 horsepower on 91 octane pump gas. That's not the end of the build sheet, though--a Mopar Performance NAG 1 transmission, Mopar Performance fuel rails, Moroso coolant tank and oil pan, Getrag independent rear suspension with 1000-horsepower-rated half-shafts, Corsa cat-back exhaust, performance springs, sway bars and strut braces plus 15-inch Brembo six-pot front brakes and Bridgestone R-Compound tires on black 20-inch BBS Black Edition CH-R wheels. Inside, the Signature interior package delivers embossed seat backs, a color-matched door-panel stripe with logo, custom floor mats, Mopar sills and a T-handle shifter. On the outside, the car gets a matte-finish paint job, carbon fiber hood and a rear deck spoiler plus SpeedFactory badges and graphics. All of this muscle car insanity is part of a package the company plans to offer for retail purchase on customer cars. [SpeedFactory] Read More

  • Chrysler Bringing 556-horsepower Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 To SEMA

    Chrysler Bringing 556-horsepower Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 To SEMA October 15th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 15th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 2 Comments

    Chrysler Bringing 556-horsepower Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 To SEMA

    The modern muscle car revival was brought with it a rebirth of factory drag-race accessories from the major manufacturers, like the FR500 Cobra Jet Mustang from Ford. For the Dodge Challenger, the Mopar Drag Pak offers a light-weight, race-only version of the street car for special order. This year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show will offer an even more potent yet street-legal version of the car, called the 1320.

    The Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 is what the company calls an "image vehicle," meaning it builds the image on Sunday that sells cars on Monday. The "1320" in the name is a very familiar number for straight-line...

    The modern muscle car revival was brought with it a rebirth of factory drag-race accessories from the major manufacturers, like the FR500 Cobra Jet Mustang from Ford. For the Dodge Challenger, the Mopar Drag Pak offers a light-weight, race-only version of the street car for special order. This year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show will offer an even more potent yet street-legal version of the car, called the 1320. The Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 is what the company calls an "image vehicle," meaning it builds the image on Sunday that sells cars on Monday. The "1320" in the name is a very familiar number for straight-line enthusiasts, as that's the exact number of feet in a quarter-mile drag strip. The point behind the car is to explore new possibilities for Mopar additions to the standard production Challenger. "We will gauge reaction to these vehicles and explore new directions as we develop Mopar performance parts and accessories for our vehicles," said Pietro Gorlier, president and CEO of Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care. Ralph Gilles, president and CEO of the Dodge Car Brand, hinted at possible production reality for some of the 1320's goodies, saying, "Our vehicles are designed and built by the same passionate automotive enthusiasts within our company who are designing and engineering new Mopar parts and accessories for vehicles in our product pipeline." To take the stripped-down Drag Pak Challenger and bring it back to street-legality, the team started with an all-aluminum Mopar 426 cubic-inch crate engine rated at 556 horsepower, complete with a Mopar-designed valve cover and dress-up kit. Long-tube headers and a new exhaust system let the big engine pump the air it needs to create all that power, which is sent to the ground through a six-speed manual transmission and a Dynatrac rear housing with Mopar Dana 60 internals and a locking differential. The list of mods doesn't stop there, including custom Mopar police wheels, an adjustable coil-over kit, and an electric cutout system to bypass the mufflers completely are also available. The street-legal drag-race hot rod also gets a Seibon carbon fiber HEMI scoop hood, front spoiler and grille panel/headlight surround to make it easy to spot from the outside--as if the Acidic Hue bright yellow paint and matte black graphics wouldn't do the trick. Inside, the car gets Dodge Viper seats, a sport steering wheel and a Hurst shifter. The 2009 SEMA show starts Tuesday, November 3 and runs through November 6, with press days running from October 30 to November 1. [Chrysler] Read More

  • 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Now Available In Plum Crazy Purple

    2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Now Available In Plum Crazy Purple October 15th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 15th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 5 Comments

    2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Now Available In Plum Crazy Purple

    So it's not a new engine, or even a new navigation package, but for car lovers, colors are often as important as displacement, especially when they're unique factory colors. The latest color revealed for the 2010 Dodge Challenger, Plum Crazy, is one of those that's almost sure to drive future collectors wild.

    Even with modern paint booths and high-tech paints themselves, factory jobs are still better, and collectors know it. While the latest Challengers might not be collectible quite yet, many people purchasing them now are doing so with an eye toward the future as much as toward the past, and the Plum Crazy purple color is one option that...

    So it's not a new engine, or even a new navigation package, but for car lovers, colors are often as important as displacement, especially when they're unique factory colors. The latest color revealed for the 2010 Dodge Challenger, Plum Crazy, is one of those that's almost sure to drive future collectors wild. Even with modern paint booths and high-tech paints themselves, factory jobs are still better, and collectors know it. While the latest Challengers might not be collectible quite yet, many people purchasing them now are doing so with an eye toward the future as much as toward the past, and the Plum Crazy purple color is one option that just screams "Barrett Jackson" or "Mecum," come 2050. The new color is available only on the Dodge Challenger R/T and SRT8, meaning it's inherently limited in availability and therefore volume. It's also available with a choice of white or black dual side stripes, and to sweeten the deal, Mopar has treated the interior to a factory upgrade as well. Two-row deluxe seats get Katskin leather upholstery, available in a range of colors with different piping and stitching choices to further customize the car straight from the factory. To get your Plum Crazy Challenger, head on down to your local dealership--it's available for order now. Read More

  • Video: Devon GTX Sets Unofficial Laguna Seca Lap Record

    Video: Devon GTX Sets Unofficial Laguna Seca Lap Record August 14th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, August 14th, 2009 Jeremy Weber 9 Comments

    Video: Devon GTX Sets Unofficial Laguna Seca Lap Record

     

    America does horsepower, it even does handling, but aside from the Corvette ZR1, it doesn't really do supercars. At least not in the modern sense of the word. But one company, Devon Motorworks, hopes to change that perception. It's off to a good start, claiming to have set the unofficial production car lap record at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California - and now we have a video of the lap.

    The GTX is due for its official debut this weekend at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, but the company is still playing the car's specifications close to its vest, but they have released the Laguna Seca lap time of 1:35.075. The company says...

      America does horsepower, it even does handling, but aside from the Corvette ZR1, it doesn't really do supercars. At least not in the modern sense of the word. But one company, Devon Motorworks, hopes to change that perception. It's off to a good start, claiming to have set the unofficial production car lap record at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California - and now we have a video of the lap. The GTX is due for its official debut this weekend at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, but the company is still playing the car's specifications close to its vest, but they have released the Laguna Seca lap time of 1:35.075. The company says that's a production-car record, beating out the likes of the Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911 Turbo and Corvette ZR-1. The last we heard from Devon was the company's $5.5 million low-ball bid for Chrysler's Viper brand back before the bankruptcy and eventual Fiat acquistition. The company had hoped to use the Viper plant to build its very own supercar, the GTX. While not much is known about the GTX, purchasing the Viper business would have allowed Devon to base the car around the renowned Viper platform. We should know much more about the GTX on Saturday, when a prototype of the car is revealed at the Pebble Beach Concours. “There is no more important event in the world for cars in this class,” says Devon Motorworks CEO and founder Scott Devon. “We realize that – by introducing the Devon GTX at the Concours d’Elegance – we are asking the world’s automotive elite to bless this car. With its bold design and outstanding performance characteristics, we are quite confident we will earn their approval.” The company is also expected to attempt to break the world lap record for a production car at the Nurburgring this summer, so keep an eye out for news of that as well. What we know so far is that the car’s design is being handled by noted Swedish designer and former Ford employee Daniel Paulin. Previewed here in these official computer generated renderings, Paulin's new design language gives the GTX a classical yet futuristic line. The interior of the GTX will appear Spartan but will be packed with high-tech gear. To see the unofficial Laguna Seca record production car lap, check out the video below. Devon Motor Works GTX official renderings   Devon Motorworks GTX Laguna Seca Lap Read More

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