2021 Dodge Challenger R/t Scat Pack Widebody on 2040-cars

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Dodge designer on yellow plastic splitter guards: 'I wish they would take them off'

About a year ago, Dodge began placing yellow strips of plastic on the leading edge of Charger and Challenger front splitters to prevent damage during transport from plant to dealer. Dodge embossed "To Be Removed By Dealer" into the plastic, but those instructions weren't always followed. By summer of 2018, so many owners had left the tabs on, or reinstalled a discarded set, or bought a set on eBay for $100 or more, that factions broke out. Some thought the protectors looked cool, some thought they looked foolish, some thought it didn't matter either way. Now Dodge and SRT lead designer Mark Trostle has stepped in with his thoughts, those being, "I wish they would take them off."  Trostle made the remarks at the end of a video by Canadian auto scribe Brian Makse that otherwise dove into the design and technology on the 2010 Charger Widebody. Part of the designer's remarks related to aesthetic aspects — designers are paid to be precious about every line they draw, after all. "When we did the sketch for the Charger and Challenger," he said, "it never had yellow strips on it," and, "To me, as a designer, it ruins the lines of the car." He had a functional reason as well, though: "You're just ruining the paint!" The paint issue convinced Tyler Grant, the Internet sales manager at a Dodge dealer, to make a Facebook post in April this year requesting owners remove the splitter guards. Grant wrote that because the guards aren't specifically molded to fit perfectly, dirt and moisture get between the plastic and the splitter and mar the clear coat or paint, illustrated by a scuffed example that had been driven just 18 miles with the protectors on. He ended with, "Please, on behalf of your splitter AND its paint, take off the splitter guards." Despite forum chatter, splitter-shaming Facebook photos, and Facebook groups like "Hey Pal, You Forgot to Take Your Splitter Guards Off," it appears too late for the protector color to curb (get it?) the trend. Owners have already dealt with the dirt issue by putting protective tape on the air dam, others have painted the spilitter guards to match the car, and the owner of a vintage Dodge pickup ran yellow tape across the width of his front bumper in an attempt to join the party.  In the Makse video, Trostle said that the automaker would soon be rolling out a "new fashionable purple color" for the protectors. "We'll see if that one takes off," he said. "I hope it doesn't."

Last call for Chrysler 300C, Dodge Charger, Challenger: Get your orders in by July 31

We’ve known for a while that the Dodge Challenger and Charger, along with the Chrysler 300C, were going away, and we now have a production end date for the long-running trio of big cars. Earlier this week, we learned that the order books for all three will close at the end of July, ahead of closing production at the end of the year. The 300C has been around since the 2005 model year and has been on sale relatively unchanged since 2011. Chrysler has updated the powertrain choices and technology over the years, but the car we see on sale today is nearly identical to the car we first saw when President George W. Bush was in office. Though it shares a platform and some underlying engineering with the Dodge Charger and Challenger, Chrysler hasnÂ’t gone to the lengths that Dodge did to give the 300C a proper sendoff. Dodge pulled out all the stops with its large cars, offering a series of “Last Call” models highlighting the carsÂ’ power and history. That said, Chrysler did release a limited-production 300C for 2023 that offers a 6.4-liter Hemi V8. ItÂ’s held to 2,000 units and doesnÂ’t have the swagger that DodgeÂ’s cars bring, but there are a few reasons to be excited about the final 300C. With 485 horsepower and 475 pounds of torque on tap, the car can reach 60 from a standstill in 4.3 seconds and run the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds. Those are serious numbers for any car, let alone one that feels like a Barcalounger on wheels. Other upgrades for the final 300C include a 3.09 limited-slip differential, an active exhaust system, and active suspension. If the 300C speaks to you in a way that other rolling sofas donÂ’t, itÂ’s likely too late to grab a limited-production car, but Chrysler is offering the standard 300 — for now.

This SEMA special drag race is absurdly awesome

The SEMA Show came and went last month, and it showed us a ton of heavily modded goodies to dream about during the long, cold winter. The Motor Trend Channel on YouTube is keeping the party rolling a little longer, though, with a drag race inspired by the aftermarket event. All of the hosts were supposed to borrow a vehicle from the show for the big race, but only two of them actually cajoled companies into lending their wares. Still, the result includes four very cool and extremely different examples of the breadth of the automotive hobby. First up, there's a 1955 Chevrolet with a 535-cubic-inch (8.8-liter) Hemi V8 stuffed under the hood. Appropriately, it's dubbed the Blasphemi, and with skinny tires up front, fat rubber in the rear and a stripped interior, this this is made to go very fast in a straight line. Next, there's a stock Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat boasting 707 horsepower. Plus, host Jessi Lang has her dog riding shotgun for the race. A Chevy Sonic RS with some body mods, downpipe and intake is also competing. Finally, the most bizarre of the quartet is a custom 1958 Jeep Forward Control with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and treads to replace the wheels. Obviously, the Blasphemi and Hellcat are the only two that really have a chance of winning, but check out the video to see which one crosses the finish line first. News Source: Motor Trend Channel via YouTube Aftermarket Chevrolet Dodge Jeep Truck Coupe Hatchback Off-Road Vehicles Racing Vehicles Performance drag race dodge challenger srt hellcat