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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

Dodge's divisive splitter guards are now pink and might become black

There is an infinite amount of real problems out there in the world, but for some reason, one of the most dividing issues in the car community relates to a piece of protective plastic on cars. Yes, splitter guards. Since the plastic parts were introduced to SRT variants of the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger for 2015, the enthusiast community has been split like a '63 'Vette on the merits and aesthetics of not removing them. Originally, the protectors, which are there to protect the splitter while the car is in transit to dealers, were yellow, which contributed to their popularity. But Dodge has now shifted that color to pink, as Car & Driver reported and Autoblog confirmed.  On one side, upset purists beg they be removed from the cars. They were only put on to protect the vehicles' lower front fascias during shipping and handling, and if left on too long, they will collect dirt and grit and damage the new paint. SRT lead designer Mark Trostle is included in this camp and is quoted saying, "I wish they would take them off." On the other side, there are people who enjoy the contrasting look and see it as a way to stand out or be different.  "Yes, they are designed to be removed before delivery," said Tim Kuniskis, global head of Alfa Romeo and head of passenger cars for Dodge, SRT, Chrysler, FIAT, FCA for North America, in an email to Autoblog. "But today, they have their own Facebook page, and many of our performance enthusiasts have active debates on whether to keep or remove them. Some owners say they are even selling them in the aftermarket!"  The Facebook page he speaks of is called "Hey Pal, You Forgot To Take Your Splitter Guards Off." The private group was started on April 11, 2019, and as of this writing, it is 11,855 members strong. With FCA recently changing the guards to pink, that number will likely continue to grow. "Obviously, they weren't part of the original design," Kuniskis said. "We started with yellow guards and shifted to pink, but they are still so popular that we may shift them yet again to black. Wherever we land, this is another example of how our customers are passionate about every part of their Dodge muscle cars — from the high-horsepower engines that power Charger and Challenger to the splitter guards designed to protect them, so we expect the conversation to continue."  Yellow, pink, black, purple, rainbow, whatever. People will like what they like and hate what they hate. Just do you, and keep the negativity away.

2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat pricing revealed in dealer documents

Dodge has released a lot of numbers about the 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat — we know it has 710 horsepower and it will only be built for about six months — but not revealed so far is how much the SUV will cost. While official pricing information remains under wraps, leaked dealer documents suggest it will start at approximately $81,000. Citing anonymous dealer connections, enthusiast website Mopar Insiders reported the SRT Hellcat will carry a base price of $80,995 when it goes on sale. Note that figure excludes the destination fee — and the inevitable dealer markup. For context, the entry-level 2020 Durango SXT starts at $30,795 when ordered with rear-wheel drive, and the all-wheel-drive-only SRT model costs $62,995. That means the Hellcat model will carry an $18,000 premium. For the price, buyers get a 6.2-liter V8 engine topped with a mammoth supercharger, two-piece slotted rotors behind 20-inch wheels, a black radiator grille, a front splitter, and an array of Hellcat emblems. Inside, Dodge added red stitching and red accents in the instrument cluster, among other model-specific visual cues. Buyers can easily bump the aforementioned MSRP over the $90,000 mark. Highlights from the list of extra-cost options include a rear-seat entertainment system with a DVD player ($1,995), red leather upholstery ($1,595), a power sunroof ($1,295), and a trailer tow package with brake control ($1,195). Racing stripes are a $1,195 option, while three-season tires will add $595 to the bottom line. Fully loaded, the Durango Hellcat costs nearly $95,000. Although that's a lot to pay for a Durango, the Hellcat-powered model isn't an ordinary SUV, and it's not going to be a common sight. It's celebrated as the most powerful factory-built SUV in the world; it takes 3.9 seconds to reach 60 mph from a stop. And, Dodge confirmed it will only be able to build the model for about six months, though the SRT Hellcat won't be a serialized, limited-edition model like the 840-horsepower SRT Demon.  Still according to Mopar Insiders, Dodge dealers across the nation will begin to receive their Durango SRT Hellcat allocations in November 2020. Production will start in January 2021, and end in May of that year. If you want one, we suggest getting in touch with your nearest Dodge dealer sooner rather than later to ensure you don't miss out. Related Video: