2000 Dodge Dakota Base Standard Cab Pickup 2-door 3.9l on 2040-cars

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Here's your chance to vote for the best-looking state police cruiser

Across the country, state police generally drive the same types of vehicles. Right now, the most common cruisers are Ford Explorers, Chevrolet Tahoes, and Dodge Chargers, with some exceptions sprinkled in. The differentiation comes through in the livery, which can range from simplistic badging to busy stripes. Each year, the American Association of State Troopers (AAST) holds a fun contest to determine which state has the coolest-looking cars, and 2019 voting has just opened. We discovered the contest after Motor1 posted about the Florida Highway Patrol's newest addition to its fleet, a Dodge Challenger R/T. The musclemobile is, without question, the coolest car in the competition, and it might have the best livery too. But that doesn't mean it's going to win, as contests like this often turn into hotbeds for chest-beating homers.  The AAST is posting results on Facebook, and as of July 17, 2019, Kentucky and Nebraska are blowing the rest of the states out of the water. Florida is in ninth place with 4,653 votes compared to first-place Kentucky's 14,699. New Jersey is in last place with only 107 votes. As the internet goes, this will likely be determined by how many times the contest is shared across social media.  The Challenger isn't the only eye candy, either. Not every state participated, but those that did came correct with the photography, including Nebraska posing its car in front of a freakin' tornado. Others staged their cars with helicopters in the background, some set the car in front of the gorgeous landscapes their states have to offer, and others posed with dogs. Because who doesn't love dogs? No matter which car wins, it's cool to see the various designs all in one place. Check out the gallery above and vote for your favorite on the AAST's survey. The survey will close on July 30, 2019.  

2015 Dodge Charger priced from $27,995, Hellcat from $63,995*

Ladies and gentlemen, let's get the most salient bit of information out of the way right off the bat: $63,995*. That's the amount of money Dodge dealers will be asking for (at the very least, naturally) for a 2015 Charger Hellcat (*plus $995 for destination on all pricing figures). That rather reasonable sum will bring home its buyer a 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine boasting a supercharger to post such gaudy figures as 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, leading to a top speed of 204 miles per hour to go along with an NHRA-certified quarter-mile time of 11.0 seconds.
With that out of the way, the rest of the 2015 Dodge Charger pricing information breaks down as follows: $27,995 will deliver a sedan with a 292-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Moving up one step of the ladder nets the buyer an SXT model with the same engine, but a nicer chunk of technology and optional equipment for a $2,000 premium. All-wheel drive adds another $3,000. Hemi V8-powered R/T models now boast an eight-speed transmission bolted to the same well-loved 370-horsepower engine as before, for a base price of $32,995.
The SRT 392 model that had hitherto been the top-performing Charger brings with it an asking price of $47,385 while bargain hunters can equip a Charger R/T Scat Pack machine with that same 485-horsepower 6.4-liter Hemi, albeit with somewhat less posh interior bits and pieces, the removal of the 392's adjustable suspension and hi-po wheel and tire package for $39,995.

Georgia sheriff buys Dodge Charger Hellcat, and the feds want a refund

A sheriffs office in Georgia recently purchased a new 2018 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. It's currently being used and driven by Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway. Now the U.S. Department of Justice wants its money back. All $70,000 of it. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the DOJ described the purchase as extravagant. The purchase was originally approved by the DOJ, with the money coming from asset forfeitures. The government has since questioned whether the car is being used for its intended and stated purpose — undercover and covert operations as well as the Gwinnett County Beat the Heat program. The Beat the Heat program is a nonprofit meant to "to educate drivers about the dangers of distracted driving and illegal street racing" by holding drag nights at local tracks. The Hellcat — along with a 1996 Chevy Impala SS, a 1990 Chevy Corvette and 2004 Volkswagen GLI — are all featured on the Beat the Heat website. All but the Hellcat are privately owned and funded. The DOJ prohibits the use of taxpayer money for "extravagant expenditures" and says the "the vehicle in question is a high-performance vehicle not typically purchased as part of a traditional fleet of law enforcement vehicles." The sheriff's office defended the purchase, stating that Sheriff Conway uses it to commute and "when he participates in field operations, covert and otherwise, with our deputies" and that "Conway maintains that this vehicle is an appropriate purchase, especially for an agency with a $92 million budget and the opportunity this vehicle provides in making our roadways safer." The DOJ has given the sheriff's department until July 31 to repay the money. Gwinnett County intends to comply with the reimbursement. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.