2023 Dodge Charger R/t Scat Pack on 2040-cars

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2015 Dodge Challenger SRT 392

I've just started reading the third installment in a planned five-book biography of Lyndon Baines Johnson, Master of the Senate, written by the incomparable Robert Caro. Conveniently, a recent trip to drive the BMW X6 M and 228i Convertible was to be staged in Austin, TX, within easy driving distance of LBJ's birthplace, Johnson City. And yes, the city is named for his family. Having completed my duties with the Bimmers, I borrowed the spangled 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT 392 you see above, to squire me around the Texas capitol for a weekend, and as a lift out to the Hill Country homestead of our 36th President. Johnson City isn't exactly a road trip mecca, but there's a pretty good brewery, a museum, the reconstructed LBJ house to take snapshots of, and it's a nice drive to get out there if you've got a 485-horsepower muscle car at your disposal. Driving Notes With the heroic Hellcat, this 392 and the R/T Scat Pack (that Brandon Turkus reviewed recently), there are more SRT-treated Challengers to choose from than ever before. There are 707 obvious reasons that the Hellkitty is the top dog (as it were), but there are important difference between this 392 and the Scat Pack, too. Both cars make use of the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 putting out 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque, but the 392 also gets an adaptive suspension, six-piston Brembo brake calipers (instead of four-piston), wider tires, leather and Alcantara seats, a heated steering wheel, a louder stereo and HID headlights. When LBJ was campaigning for his seat in the House of Representatives, he would've loved to have something as potent as this monster of a V8 under the hood of his canvassing car. The 6.4L snorts with authority before it sends the big coupe forward to just about any speed I'd ask of it, and with a quickness. Johnson was known for haranguing drivers to step on it, when all that stood between himself and a few more votes was the ability to fit one more stump speech into the day. The 392 feels as though it could cover a quarter of the state of Texas in a morning if you throttle down deep enough (faster even than the Johnson City Windmill, I'd guess). Though there's a six-speed manual available, I'm actually quite fond of the eight-speed automatic in the 392. The two-pedal setup better suits the fast-cruiser attitude of the car, and it never served up any poorly conceived shift logic when I left it in D. Of course, the roads are better now than they were in the 1930s and 40s, too.

Jay Leno drives the Demon-powered SpeedKore carbon fiber Dodge Charger

Jay Leno drives all sorts of wild vehicles on his TV and YouTube series "Jay Leno's Garage," from concept cars to classics. Although many of the vehicles are museum quality, they don't all come through in straight by-the-book factory form, as Leno often likes to highlight the creative and insane builds from premium speciality aftermarket shops. One of his favorites is SpeedKore, which recently dropped by with its carbon-fiber-bodied 1970 Dodge Charger Evolution. After cementing itself as one of the best builds of the year at SEMA 2018, the high-performance Charger paid Leno a visit to show off its immaculately assembled blend of classic and modern Dodge. It's not the first time SpeedKore has stopped by, as they've previously shot videos together of the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, the 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R, and the 1970 Dodge Charger Tantrum. The Charger featured here wears its Evolution name because it is an updated take on the Tantrum build (which had 1,650 horsepower, by the way), but the two are quite different. The Charger Evolution uses numerous parts from Dodge's recent superstars, the Challenger SRT Hellcat and the Challenger SRT Demon. In fact, it's one of the only ways in the world to drive a Demon engine with a manual transmission. Under the hood is the 6.2L Supercharged Hemi V8 from a Demon pre-production car, and SpeedKore has tuned it up to 966 horsepower. It pairs with a Tremec M6 6060 six-speed transmission from the Hellcat. At full bore, the whine of the supercharger paired with the grumble from the custom stainless steel SpeedKore exhaust headers makes for a thrilling, if not unharmonized, battle cry. Whereas some restomods have cut corners, shoddy build quality, or imperfect fittings, Leno notes that SpeedKore's work is top-notch, despite the entire exterior body and many pieces of the interior being fully replaced with glossy clear-coated exposed carbon fiber. According to SpeedKore Vice President Dave Salvaggio, the Charger weighs about 3,400 pounds. Check out the full video above or read full details from our time with the car at SEMA. And as a bonus, Autoblog photographer Drew Phillips recently got to spend a day shooting the Charger. His gallery of photos appears below. Speedkore 1970 Dodge Charger View 53 Photos

2018 Dodge Durango Pursuit SUV is the tall arm of the law

Dodge is adding to its police car portfolio with the 2018 Durango Pursuit, a specially-prepped police version of the automaker's SUV. Available with an optional 360-horsepower Hemi engine, the Durango Pursuit comes with everything you'd expect in a truck built to protect and serve. We'll try to avoid too many Blues Brothers cop car references but, yes, this Dodge includes some serious "cop shocks" and that aforementioned "cop engine," among many other modifications. The Hemi engine produces 360 horsepower and 390 lb. ft. of torque, all of which is routed to an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time AWD system. According to Dodge, this is the most popular powertrain fitted to the existing Charger Pursuit police car. The brakes have been strengthened and are capable of bringing the Durango Pursuit from 60-0 mph in 134 feet. The Durango Pursuit also adds a two-speed transfer case, which should prove handy when bad guys try to escape by venturing off road. "Unofficial testing results at the Michigan State Police 2018 model-year vehicle evaluation event created such a stir among law enforcement agencies that we simply had to find a way to build this vehicle," said Steve Beahm, Head of Passenger Car Brands, Dodge/SRT, FCA North America. Despite the apparent buzz around this police vehicle, Dodge has said the Durango Pursuit V-8 AWD will only be available "for a limited time." And as you've already guessed, you have to be in law enforcement to place an order for one — sorry to disappoint. Other notable features of the Durango Pursuit include 8.1 inches of ground clearance, a tow rating of 7,200 pounds, heavy-duty oil cooler and water pump, 220-amp alternator, a spare tire mounted beneath the rear of the truck to free interior space, a spotlight wiring prep package, along with trailer sway control. Dog lovers will be pleased that K-9 units have been taken into consideration, too. The Durango Pursuit is available with a tri-zone climate control package, to make certain badge-wearing four-legged constables remain comfortable while fighting crime. Related Video: Dodge SUV Police/Emergency police car