2003 Dodge Dakota Sport Extended Cab Pickup 2-door 4.7l on 2040-cars

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Stellantis reports surprising 2020 results, is 'off to a flying start'

MILAN — Low global car inventories and cost cuts should boost Stellantis's profit margins this year, though a shortage of semiconductors and investments in electric vehicles could weigh on results, the newly-formed automaker said on Wednesday. The forecast came as Stellantis, created by the January merger of Peugeot-maker PSA and Fiat Chrysler (FCA), reported better-than-expected results for 2020 that sent its shares up around 3% in morning trading. "Stellantis gets off to a flying start and is fully focused on achieving the full promised synergies (from the merger)," Chief Executive Carlos Tavares said in a statement. Stellantis is the world's fourth largest carmaker, with 14 brands including Fiat, Peugeot, Opel, Jeep, Ram and Maserati. It said 2021 results should be helped by three new high-margin Jeep vehicles in North America and a strong pricing environment there. The U.S. market has driven profits for years at FCA and starts off as the strongest part of Stellantis. The group's guidance assumes no more significant lockdowns caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered auto plants around the world last spring. Stellantis should also get a lift as its starts to implement a plan aimed at delivering over 5 billion euros a year in savings, without closing any plants. Tavares has also pledged not to cut jobs. But a pandemic-related global shortage of semiconductors, used for everything from maximizing engine fuel economy to driver-assistance features, could hurt business. Auto industry executives have said the shortage should ease by the second half of 2021. Stellantis said its "electrification offensive" could also weigh on results this year. Automakers are racing to develop electric vehicles to meet tighter CO2 emissions targets in Europe and this week Volvo joined a growing number of carmakers aiming for a fully-electric line-up by 2030. Stellantis plans to have fully-electric or hybrid versions of all of its vehicles available in Europe by 2025, broadly in line with plans at top rivals such as Volkswagen and Renault-Nissan, although Stellantis has further to go to meet that goal. The carmaker is targeting an adjusted operating profit margin of 5.5%-7.5% this year. That compares with a 5.3% aggregated margin last year: 4.3% at FCA and 7.1% at PSA excluding a controlling stake in parts maker Faurecia, which is set to be spun-off from Stellantis shortly.

1979 Dodge Li'l Red Express in Generation Gap showdown with 1933 Ford Pickup

Auto enthusiasts love a good debate, whether it's Mustang versus Camaro or Ferrari against Lamborghini. But how about a battle between two very different vintages of classic pickup trucks? In this case, the fight is between a 1979 Dodge Li'l Red Express and a 1933 Ford Model 46 truck with a flathead V8.
The shootout comes courtesy of the internet series Generation Gap, and its concept is super-simple. One guy prefers classics, and the other likes newer rides. They choose a category, pick two vehicles and put them head to head. In this case, neither is exactly modern, though. The Ford is more than old enough to receive Social Security checks, and the Dodge is hardly a young whippersnapper.
Other than both being pickups, these two models were made to serve very different functions. The Li'l Red Express was basically the progenitor of today's muscle trucks, with a big V8 that made it one of the quickest new models in its day (admittedly, 1979 was a rough time for automotive performance). On the other hand, the '33 Ford was just meant to work, with little pretense for anything else. One of the hosts describes it as "the simplest, most difficult" vehicle he's driven because of the tricky double clutchwork necessary to shift gears. Scroll down to watch the video and try to decide which of these two American classics you would rather have in your garage.

2018 Dodge Durango SRT Quick Spin | The modern hot-rod wagon

I love big, overpowered SUVs. Except for Mercedes-AMG, no one makes fast wagons anymore. Models like the BMW X5 M and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S fill that niche, combining a powerful engine with copious amounts of room for cargo and passengers. These SUVs are too porky to handle well on a track and too big and wide to properly tackle a curvy backroad. But with a soft suspension and a 0-60 mph time of less than 5 seconds, they are perfect for cruising city streets and pulling away from unsuspecting Ford Mustangs and Chevy Camaros. That makes the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT perfect for the Woodward Dream Cruise. Dream Cruise is an annual car meet along Woodward Avenue, just northwest of Detroit. While literally any motorized vehicle is welcome, the street is mostly filled with American cars from the height of the domestic auto industry. For a late 20-something like myself, watching and partaking in the Dream Cruise fills me with a sense of nostalgia for a time and place that never existed for me, just like watching John Wayne in anything from "Stagecoach" to "True Grit" makes you long for horseback rides in the Old West. The Durango SRT, with a pushrod Hemi V8, 392 cubic-inch badging on the fenders and muscular styling, enhances the experience. Sure, it's not nearly as cool as Mopar stalwarts like the 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner or the 1970 Dodge Daytona, but it's filled with the same sense of purpose. Dip into the throttle and listen to that eight-cylinder chorus erupt with a sound that's wholly unique. Not even the pushrod V8s from GM snarl and crack like this 6.4-liter Hemi. It's the same sort of sound you'll hear from countless Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth products during Dream Cruise. You don't need to go fast to get the full understanding of the Durango SRT's purpose. Ignore the SRT-tuned suspension and heavy steering. What you really want to do is open the SRT menu and adjust the custom settings. Set the engine and transmission in track mode and put everything else in the street setting. You'll get all the available power and straight-line performance combined with a nice, cushy ride. We're not sure what FCA has planned for the future. While the industry moves toward electrification and autonomous ride-sharing vehicles, the automaker is pouring money into vehicles like the Durango SRT, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. Future prospects look hazy.