2008 Chrysler Crossfire on 2040-cars

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Junkyard Gem: 1975 Plymouth Fury Sedan

The Plymouth Fury was once among the most commonplace vehicles on American roads, with the 1970s being the most Furious decade of all. If you've watched a lot of Malaise Era cop shows, you've seen endless examples of the 1975-1978 B-Body Fury sedan; today's Junkyard Gem in Colorado is a civilian version with a very unusual combination of features and options. Though the 1975-1978 Fury is sibling to many much more famous B Platform Chryslers, including the Dukes of Hazzard General Lee and a lot of other highly revered Mopars of the late 1960s and early 1970s, it doesn't get the recognition it deserves today. Would the world be the same if Debbie Harry had posed in her Anya Phillips dress on the bumper of, say, a Ford LTD instead of the iconic '76 Fury on the cover of Plastic Letters? I've got this album cover hanging on my garage wall, right next to Sir Mix-a-Lot's My Hooptie and its '69 Buick Electra. This sun-baked '75 left the assembly line with some nice luxury options for an affordable midsize sedan of its time, including a padded vinyl roof. Factory air conditioning was a $437 option on the Fury in 1975, a price tag that comes to an attention-grabbing $2,185 in 2020 dollars. The MSRP on a Fury sedan that year started at just $3,571 ($17,840 today), so A/C jacked up the cost by close to 15%. The base engine was a 225-cubic-inch (3.7-liter) Slant-6, but this car took the next step up on the Fury engine hierarchy for 1975: a 318-cubic-inch (5.2-liter) V8 making 145 horsepower. Here's where things get a bit weird. That shift lever on the steering column controls a three-speed manual; this rig is commonly known as a three-on-the-tree. The most popular transmission setup on Detroit cars of the 1940s through the early 1960s, the good ol' three-on-the-tree survived here all the way through the 1979 model year in new cars and 1987 in new trucks. By 1975, most lower-priced American mid- and full-sized cars had the three-on-the-tree as base equipment, but by that time nearly every new-car shopper here opted for an automatic transmission or — occasionally — a floor-shifted three- or four-speed manual. The total number of 1975 Fury buyers who sprang for the V8 engine, air conditioning, and a vinyl roof yet still kept the old-fashioned three-on-the-tree transmission setup probably can be counted in the low hundreds, if even that many.

Stellantis teases mystery electric Chrysler concept

Today's Stellantis "EV Day" information dump was littered with hints and teasers, but one of the most mysterious is this Chrysler EV that was rolled out during the company's discussion of its new vehicle architecture strategy.  We know virtually nothing about the concept apart from the fact that it's clearly electrified (duh, EV Day) and appears to have a fairly production-friendly interior; there are even visible panel gaps on the dash and center console, which would be indicative of more than just a simple rendering based on a hypothetical future product. The screens on the dash and seatbacks would be generous for a mainstream product in today's market, but for a future premium EV? Looks the part.  Sitting somewhere between a four-door sedan and the "c" word, the silhouette gives us some Polestar 2 vibes. If it's to be built, we expect it will be marketed as more SUV than sedan, which would mean an all-wheel drive option is pretty much guaranteed. Stellantis hinted that it is based on its new STLA Large EV platform, which will offer battery capacities between 101 and 118 kWh and up to 500 miles of range.  We've reached out to Chrysler for more information, but we expect they won't have much for us until they're ready to make a formal announcement. Stay tuned.  Stellantis EV Day coverage: Dodge will launch the 'world's first electric muscle car' in 2024 Fully electric Ram 1500 will begin production in 2024 Jeep will have 4xe plug-in hybrid models across the lineup by 2025 Stellantis teases mystery electric Chrysler concept Stellantis previews 4 electric platforms: Here's how they'll be used Fiat says all Abarth models to be electric from 2024 Opel Manta E will be the electric revival of the classic German coupe Stellantis says its 2021 performance has been better than expected    

Chrysler recalls 112k family-haulers over airbag controllers

The Basics: Chrysler has issued a recall for an array of minivans and crossovers manufactured in 2007 and 2008. The models affected include the 2009 Dodge Journey, 2008-09 Dodge Grand Caravan, and 2008-09 Chrysler Town and Country. The 2009 Volkswagen Routan, which was manufactured by Chrysler, is also being recalled by FCA. The automaker estimates that 112,001 units in the United States are affected, all told. The Problem: Corrosion in the air bag control unit could prevent the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash, or alternatively deploy prematurely. Chrysler points out that "none of the affected vehicles are equipped with ammonium-nitrate inflators" like those fitted by Takata. Injuries/Deaths: The manufacturer reports seven minor injuries (but no accidents) potentially related to this issue. The fix: Chrysler will replace the air bag control unit, though it has not yet outlined a timeframe for doing so. If you own one: Look for a recall notice in the mail and then schedule service with your local dealership. If you don't receive one, you can contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 and reference recall number S07. Related Video: RECALL Subject : Air Bag Control Unit Power Supply Corrosion Report Receipt Date: JAN 29, 2016 NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V047000 Component(s): AIR BAGS Potential Number of Units Affected: 112,001 Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) SUMMARY: FCA US LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2009 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured December 31, 2007, to August 31, 2008, 2008-2009 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles manufactured June 18, 2007, to August 31, 2008, and 2009 Volkswagen Routan vehicles manufactured August 11, 2008, to August 31, 2008. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail. CONSEQUENCE: If the air bag control unit fails, the air bags may not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury. Additionally, the air bags may inadvertently deploy, increasing the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S07. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.