2014 Dodge Dart Sxt on 2040-cars

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Weekly Recap: New bosses try to jump-start Cadillac and Lincoln

Both of America's domestic luxury brands seem to be stuck in neutral.
It's ironic that Cadillac and Lincoln got new bosses within days of each other this month. It's also a commentary on the fact both of America's domestic luxury brands seem to be stuck in neutral.

The future's electric — but the present is peak gasoline. Burn some rubber! Do donuts!

I vividly remember the year 1993 as a teenager looking forward to getting my driver’s license, longingly staring into Pontiac dealerships at every opportunity for a chance to see the brand-new fourth-generation Firebird and Trans Am. Back then, 275 horsepower, courtesy of GMÂ’s LT1 5.7-liter V8 engine, was breathtaking. A few years later, when Ram Air induction systems freed up enough fresh air to boost power over 300 ponies, I figured we were right back where my fatherÂ’s generation left off when the seminal muscle car era ended around the year 1974. It couldn't get any better than that. I was wrong. Horsepower continued climbing, prices remained within reach of the average new-car buyer looking for cheap performance, and a whole new level of muscular magnitude continued widening eyes of automotive enthusiasts all across the United States. It was all ushered in by cheap gasoline prices. And as much as petrolheads bemoan the coming wave of electric vehicles, perhaps instead now would be a good time for critics to sit back and enjoy the current and likely final wave of internal combustion. Today, itÂ’s easier than ever to park an overpowered rear-wheel-drive super coupe or sedan in your driveway. Your nearest Chevy dealership will happily sell you a Camaro with as much as 650 horsepower. Not enough? Take a gander at the Ford showroom and youÂ’ll find a herd of Mustangs up to 760 ponies. Or if nothing but the most powerful will do, waltz on over to the truly combustion-obsessed sales team of a Dodge dealer and relish in the glory of a 797-hp Charger or 807-hp Challenger. Want some more luxury to go with your overgrown stable of horses? Try Cadillac, where you'll find a 668-horsepower CT5-V Blackwing. You could instead choose to wrap that huffin' and chuggin' V8 in an SUV. Or go really off the rails and buy a Ram TRX or Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 and hit the dunes after a quick stop at the drag strip. Go pump some gas. Burn a little rubber. Do donuts! There is nothing but your pocketbook keeping you from buying the V8-powered car of your dreams. Yes, just about every major automaker in the world has halted development of future internal combustion engines in favor of gaining expertise in batteries and electric motors. No, that doesnÂ’t mean that gasoline is going extinct. There are going to be gas stations dotting American cities and highways for the rest of our lifetimes.

2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye priced $14,000 below Demon

Steve Beahm, head of Passenger Car Brands at Dodge, SRT, Chrysler, and Fiat, told Motor Trend that the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye is "a Hellcat that's been possessed by a Demon." Turns out the Hellcat Redeye was also possessed by The Ghost of Great Deals. Dodge just released pricing for the Challenger line, the crimson-eyed terror at the top starting at $69,650, which is $13,645 less dear than the $83,295 MSRP for the 2018 Challenger SRT Demon. The asterisk: the Redeye needs the same $1,345 destination charge and $1,700 gas guzzler tax as the 2018 Demon, so the difference still holds once you get the Redeye off the dealer lot. The final tally: $72,995. Torque News acquired a copy of the Challenger dealer order guide, and options on the Hellcat Redeye will run you a little more than the bucket of $1 options on the Demon. Among the list, the summer performance tires add $695, the optional 3.09 rear axle adds $1,095, a painted black hood costs $1,995, and the Widebody package adds $6,000 for it's extra 3.5 inches. According to TN, you can run a standard Hellcat Redeye up to almost $90,000, and push a widebody to $95,000. The standard Challenger SRT Hellcat gets touched by the bargain bogeyman, too: the price goes down by $5,645 for 2019 to $58,650, even though it's been uprated by ten horsepower to 717 hp, and by six pound-feet to 656 lb-ft. Out-the-door price after a $1,700 gas guzzler tax and $1,345 destination fee is $61,695. Before including destination, there's a long way down to the next model, the 485-horsepower Challenger R/T Scat Pack at $38,995. Buyers who choose the six-speed manual for this trim will pay a $1,000 gas guzzler tax. The V6-powered, 305-hp Challenger GT in two-wheel drive starts at $29,995. Sending power to all four of the GT's wheels needs $32,995 before destination. The base model, two-wheel drive SXT gets the Challenger doors open at $27,295, the all-wheel drive model costing $30,295. Related Video: