2013 Hemi Dodge Challenger R/t Coupe on 2040-cars

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This incredibly '90s Dodge Ram video shows roots of the luxury pickup truck

To paraphrase the Talking Heads, you may find yourself behind the wheel of a Ram 1500 Limited with a 12-inch touchscreen and sumptuous leather, and you may ask yourself, "How did we get here?" Well, some of that credit goes to that loaded Ram's predecessor, the second-generation Dodge Ram. As you'll see in this fascinating promotional video for the truck uploaded by YouTube Channel TheClassicSports, it seems to highlight all the things that make up the modern pickup truck, albeit in a slightly more modest form. Right off the bat, the video starts talking about how the new Ram isn't your traditional pickup. It has features like anti-lock brakes, a spacious, comfortable cabin and standard driver-side airbag. Later, it notes the extensive sound insulation, as well as the cupholders and a giant center console to set up your mobile office, with space for a cell phone and laptop.  But it's not just a comfortable truck. It's a powerful, practical and intimidating one. This Ram is frequently credited as the truck that changed pickup design, moving from simple rectangular boxes to ones with style, particularly semi-truck style. In the video, the host notes that regardless of what people think, "They all call it 'big'." And of course, there's the all-important utility aspect. Highlights include various interior storage bins, slots in the bed to create divided sections, and the critical towing and payload capacities; best-in-class of course. Don't forget the wide array of engines, too, from the base V6 to the unique at the time gas V10 engine. This isn't to say that competitors from Chevy and Ford weren't changing to this more stylish, more well-appointed truck philosophy, either. The mid-'90s Silverado was quite modern, too, with its sleek, if still boxy shape. And the late-'90s F-150 ushered in a sleek, curvy design that has yet to return to the full-size market. But the second-generation Ram really encompasses everything about how the truck market was about to change for the next few decades. Related Video:

Jay Leno's Dodge Challenger raises $585k for USO in Scottsdale

Of all the metal moved in Scottsdale, AZ, this holiday weekend, the one you see here was hardly the most expensive. But it's noteworthy for another reason: despite being a relatively humble, second-hand 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, raised an impressive $565,625. That's because, first of all, it belonged to Jay Leno, and secondly because the proceeds were going to the USO. Leno donated the modern muscle car from his collection to benefit our men and women in uniform, and was on hand to present the car on stage at the Gooding & Company auction, along with USO president J.D. Crouch II and former Army chief of staff General George W. Casey, Jr. After frenzied and patriotic bidding, the gavel ultimately dropped at $360,000, accompanied by over $200,000 in additional contributions, bringing the total amount donated to the USO to over half a million. Commendable though it was, of course the Challenger didn't garner the highest bids at the auction. A 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider sold for $7.7 million and a 1968 Ferrari 330 GTS fetched $2.4 million. A rare 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Series I Coupe Aerodinamico sold for over $4,070,000 – which, according to Sports Car Market, is the most ever paid at auction for a 400 Superamerica. And a 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 also sold for a record $1.98 million. Featured Gallery Gooding Scottsdale 2015 News Source: Gooding & CompanyImage Credit: Jensen Sutta, Mike Maez/Gooding Celebrities Dodge Ferrari Porsche Auctions Classics dodge challenger srt8 gooding ferrari 400 superamerica

J.D. Power 2020 Initial Quality Study puts Dodge and Kia in first place

For the first time ever, an American automaker is ranked at the top of J.D. Power's yearly Initial Quality Study as Dodge tied with Kia for the top spot. Kia landed in first from second place last year — though it's Kia's sixth consecutive year as the top-ranked "mass market" brand — while Dodge jumped an impressive seven spots to move into a tied first from eighth in the 2019 edition of the study. Dodge is one of seven domestic automakers that find themselves in the top half of J.D. Powers' 34th consecutive IQS study. Dodge and Kia's score of 136 problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100) puts them ahead of Chevrolet and Ram (141 PP100), Genesis (142 PP100), Mitsubishi (148 PP100) and Buick (150 PP100), which make up the top five after accounting for tied scores. GMC, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Jeep and Lexus round out the top 10. As you probably noticed, Mitsubishi and Lexus are the only Japanese brands to make it into the first 10 spots, and Genesis took home the award as the top-ranked premium brand. This is the first year that J.D. Power released data on the survey results from Tesla owners, and it's not good news for the California-based electric vehicle manufacturer. With an adjusted score of 250 PP100, Tesla is in dead last place on the 2020 IQS Study, just behind Land Rover's score of 228 PP100. It's worth noting that Tesla's score isn't an official entry into the IQS study because surveys were only available in 35 states as the company is the only automaker that has not granted J.D. Power permission to survey Tesla owners in the 15 other required states. According to J.D. Power, about a third of all problems reported by owners of 2020 model-year vehicles within the first three months of ownership relate to issues with infotainment and technology. In many cases, the high-tech systems aren't broken, but are difficult for owners to use or don't work as well as they should. Those issues are "just as severe as other problems," according to Dave Sargent, vice president of automotive quality at J.D. Power, especially since a "customer is stuck with this [issue] for the rest of the time they own the vehicle." J.D. Power surveys the owners of new cars with a questionnaire that covers 223 problems organized into nine categories: climate, driving assistance, driving experience, exterior, features/controls/displays, infotainment, interior, powertrain and seats.