News & Reviews- Make: Dodge

With an unprecedented number of recalls setting records throughout the auto industry this year, surprises are the last thing most consumers want to hear about in the news. Then again, in the case of the new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, a bump of 100-plus horsepower in expected output is a surprise that many will celebrate.

The upgraded muscle car will soon deliver supercar-like output levels at a shocking 707 horsepower, more than a hundred horsepower more than the previously announced "600-plus" estimate. This makes the Challenger SRT Hellcat "the most powerful Challenger ever, Dodge's most powerful V8 ever and the most powerful muscle car ever," says Dodge in its press release. Likewise the muscle car's torque rating was supposed to be in the range of 575 pound-feet according to SRT Powertrain Director Chris Cowland, but in actuality it will make 650 lb-ft of torque.

Where does all the power come from? If you read the fine print on the side of the front fender Read Full Story

As part of its ambitious five-year product plan, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles recently announced that it intends to steer Dodge in a more performance-oriented direction, which means axing the popular Dodge Grand Caravan minivan and the mid-size Avenger sedan.

Dodge loyalists fretted that this was the beginning of the end for Dodge, but to balance the ledger Dodge has now revealed the 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat, a new range-topping Challenger model that gives substance to the brand's performance promise with a 600-plus horsepower supercharged V8.

While the final numbers have yet to be officially established, SRT powertrain director Chris Cowland remarked that the Challenger SRT Hellcat will be "bloody fast," with a minimum of 600 horsepower and something in the order of 575 lb-ft of torque. That makes the car's 6.2-litre Hemi engine the most powerful V8 ever offered by any of Chrysler's brands.

The Hellcat shares many of the same basic components with the already Read Full Story

While the past decade or so has seen auto manufacturers tripping over each other in the rush to replace their minivans with crossovers of various stripes, Dodge and Chrysler have remained the sole domestic minivan holdouts with the Grand Caravan and Town & Country siblings.

And while it's true that minivans don't garner a whole lot of love from the majority of the car-buying public, they remain surprisingly popular with those who need or appreciate the family-friendly space and practicality that only a minivan can truly offer. Indeed, with few rivals to offer real competition, the Dodge Caravan has become a bit of a sales phenomenon: During the first quarter of 2014 it didn't merely outsell every other minivan in Canada by a huge margin, but outsold every crossover and SUV out there as well, not to mention all but one of the top selling cars, sneaking in behind the Honda Civic (12,407 cars sold) with 11,130 vans sold.

With a sales record like that to defend and Read Full Story

If you've been perusing reviews about Chrysler Group vehicles lately (the new name is Fiat Chrysler Automobile by the way), you've probably seen a lot of well-worn comments such as "premium-level detailing" and "why bother paying more for a luxury brand?" And while tired old verbiage can make for mind-numbing reading, there's a reason for all the cliché statements.

From top-line models like Chrysler's 300 and Jeep's Grand Cherokee right down to entry-level runabouts like the new Dodge Dart and Fiat's tiny little 500, there's something special about these brands and the vehicles they build, and the same goes for the full-size 2014 Dodge Durango. From the exterior styling with its new lower fascia, unique grille treatments for each trim level, and LED DRLs in front, and 192 LED-enhanced signature "racetrack" style full-width taillight cluster and covered trailer hitch in back, to the design, fit, finish and chosen materials of the interior, you won't feel like you're downgrading Read Full Story