2011 Black Dodge Challenger R/t Fully Loaded on 2040-cars

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Dodge idles Viper production again at Conner Avenue

You've got to hand it to Dodge for having the gumption to put the original Viper into production in the first place. It was, after all, much more of an emotional decision than a practical one, and a move which saw the first production V10 engine placed in a road car - long before the advent of the Lamborghini Gallardo, Audi R8, Porsche Carrera GT or Lexus LFA, not to mention the other Ford, BMW and Volkswagen Group models that used such engines.
It's now been 22 years since the first Viper entered production and the Viper still rolls on several generations later, but we're sad to say that courageous decision has not always been met with overwhelming sales success. In fact parent Chrysler was forced to idle the Conner Avenue plant where the Viper is made back in April due to slow sales. And while production resumed again as planned on June 23, it apparently didn't do the trick.
As a result, Chrysler corporate communications chief Shawn Morgan revealed to Autoblog that the assembly line has been shut down again for another two weeks. The line was up and running for nearly two full work weeks from June 23 until the holiday weekend that started on Thursday, July 3. But instead of coming back online today as planned, it's been idled again for the weeks of July 7 and 14. That means it will be July 21, at the earliest, before the serpentine supercars start slithering down the assembly line at Conner Avenue again. Once it does, however, production is set to resume at the same pace it was before the shutdown.

Chrysler expecting up to 200,000 9-speed transmissions for 3 models this year

Striving for improved fuel economy, we already knew that Chrysler will begin using a nine-speed automatic transmission in some of its new products this year, but what we haven't known is that volume at which this gearbox will be used. According to Bloomberg, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has been quoted as saying that the automaker expects to sell close to 200,000 units equipped with this new transmission in 2013. Those gear-rich trannies will be spread out across three models, consisting of the redesigned Chrysler 200, the still-unnamed Jeep Liberty replacement and the Dodge Dart.
This transmission should play a pivotal role in making Chrysler vehicles more competitive in their respective segments. Just for comparison, one of the Dart's key competitors, the Toyota Corolla, still uses a four-speed automatic, and a previous report indicates that the next-generation 200 could get up to 38 miles per gallon on the highway, which is better than most non-hybrid midsize sedans on the market. Marchionne says that the new Jeep model is expected during the second quarter of this year, but there is no word as to when the new 200 or nine-speed Dart will debut, but clearly Dodge would like to have the transmission in its compact yesterday. As for that volume figure, it definitely doesn't seem out of reach since the Dart, Liberty and 200 combined for a total of more than 225,000 units in 2012.
How many more gears can we expect in future cars? Probably not many more, since the CEO of transmission-builder ZF, Stefan Sommer, previously stated that nine speeds was the "natural limit" for transmissions.

Mopar Dodge Challenger special edition celebrates a mod decade

Despite the current Dodge Challenger hitting the age of 11 this year, it continues to be a top seller for the brand. One of the reasons for its popularity is its customizability. FCA acknowledges this with the just-revealed, limited-edition Mopar 2019 Dodge Challenger celebrating its factory-backed performance parts and accessories straight from the its own in-house parts division. For 10 years, Challenger owners have benefited from upgrades directly from Chrysler’s Mopar division. This has been a big deal because tuning a car often required aftermarket parts, which could jeopardize factory warranties. But with upgrades directly from original equipment manufacturers, such a risk was eliminated. “Over the last decade, weÂ’ve customized an impressive group of vehicles with exclusive Mopar performance parts and accessories that our enthusiast customers crave,” said Mark Bosanac, head of Mopar Service in a statement. “This year weÂ’re commemorating our tenth Mopar build with another unique and collectible Dodge Challenger, which continues to be the modern muscle car every bit as beloved today as the first-generation vehicle was 50 years ago.” The 2019 Mopar Dodge Challenger starts life as R/T Scat Pack model. Under the hood sits a 392-cubic inch (6.4-liter) Hemi V-8 with 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque with the choice of a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic. But Mopar sweetens the deal by adding a performance cold-air intake, strut tower braces to improve structural rigidity and handling, as well as strut caps and braces painted in silver for eye candy whenever the hood is popped. ItÂ’s only available in two hues, Pitch Black or White Knuckle, and comes with a variety of bespoke interior and exterior upgrades. They include special Mopar Shakedown graphics and blue striping from the front fascia all the way back to the rear decklid spoiler. Completing the look is a set of 20x9-inch forged aluminum wheels wrapped in Goodyear P245/45ZR20 performance tires and the optional shaker hood package made standard. Sales commence next month with a starting price of $45,835.