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Autoblog Minute: 2016 Dodge Charger pursuit vehicle gets Uconnect 12.1

Dodge introduces new tech into its 2016 pursuit vehicles that even Jake and Elwood couldn't outrun. Autoblog's Adam Morath reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Dodge introduces new tech into its 2016 pursuit vehicles that even Jake and Elwood couldn't outrun. I'm Adam Morath and this is your Autoblog Minute. The 2016 Dodge Charger Pursuit vehicles are getting Uconnect 12.1. The system's new laptop size touch screen will be dash mounted and at 12.1" is 5 times larger than the current Uconnect 5.0 system. Features of Uconnect 12.1 [00:00:30] include an all-new drag and drop menu bar and Siri Eyes Free. No clunky laptops needed because the system is ergonomically located in the dash. The SRT pursuit vehicles will also be getting 370 hp, factory-installed Mopar upfit packages and an advanced all-wheel-drive system for maximum tactical performance, all-weather traction and fuel-efficiency. [00:01:00] It's clear that the new Charger pursuit vehicles have all the best tech available from Dodge but one important question remains: Do these cruisers got S.C.M.O.D.S.? For Autoblog, I'm Adam Morath. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. Dodge Technology Autoblog Minute Videos viral video

Chrysler banks $507 million in Q2, trims 2013 earnings forecast

Chrysler has some good news and some bad news. First, profits were up 16 percent over the second quarter of 2012, bringing the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based manufacturer $507 million on the back of strong demand for trucks and SUVs (a recurring theme this quarter, particularly in the US). Q2 revenue was up as well, from $16.8 billion in 2012 to $18 billion in 2013. The bad news is that the Pentastar's overall earnings forecast for net income in 2013 has been trimmed from $2.2 billion to between $1.7 and $2.2 billion, according to Automotive News.
In addition to the adjusted net income forecast, Chrysler tweaked its operating profit from $3.8 billion to between $3.3 and $3.8 billion. This has gone largely unexplained by Chrysler, perhaps hoping the news of a three-percent increase in its transaction prices for Q2 will allow it to sweep this adjustment under the rug.
The star of the show for Chrysler has been its US sales, which saw a 10-percent jump, both bettering the industry average of eight percent and improving over the same stretch of 2012. As with the increase in transaction prices, Chrysler has the new Ram pickup and Jeep Grand Cherokee to thank. Perhaps most worrying from this report, though, is that every brand in the automaker's stable saw an increase in sales... except for the Chrysler brand itself.

The Dodge Demon was developed under a cloud of smoke

The Dodge Demon needs no introduction. The car is so full of superlatives that most of it sounds unbelievable until you see and hear it in action. The car was revealed after months of teasers and cryptic messages, but the public weren't the only ones in the dark. From the start, the Demon's development was a closely guarded secret. There were even some within SRT that didn't know about the project. The people behind the car went through a lot of effort to keep it that way. At an event covering the finer details of the Demon's supercharged 6.2-liter V8, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis and SRT Powertrain Director Chris Cowland spoke about the smoke and mirrors used to hide the Demon's development. Work on the car progressed for nearly two years before it was made public, with just a small team having full access to the project. Numbers were altered. Secret meetings were held. SRT engineers worked nights and weekends while parts suppliers were given as little information as possible to move progress forward. Preliminary work on the Demon began in April of 2015, not long after the standard Hellcat hit the streets. The goal wasn't to create a faster Hellcat. Kuniskis said that would have been easy. They wanted a single-minded vehicle that could also be driven on the road. It's the same mindset that brought about the Dodge Viper ACR. Dodge wanted a car that could sell the brand to both enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. 840 horsepower is going to raise anyone's eyebrows, including the Camry owner parked down the street. While preliminary work started in April, the final greenlight wasn't given until September. The project was originally going to revive the American Drag Racer, or ADR, name. When we saw the first hints of the Demon last fall, we labeled the spy photo above the Dodge Challenger ADR. It was set to have 10-percent more power and 20-percent more launch force than the already gut-punching Hellcat. It was also only going to have a quarter-mile time in the 10s, just slightly quicker than the Hellcat. Somewhere along the line, the team realized that the ADR wasn't enough. It was just going to be a Hellcat plus, and that wasn't exciting. The main goal was changed: 9s with light. Translated, that means a 9-second quarter mile with light under the tires (read: a wheelie). From that point forward, everything about the Demon's development, from power to suspension to weight, would be done in pursuit of that goal.