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Pony-car sales war: Mustang vs. Camaro vs. Challenger [UPDATE]

Update: An earlier version of this story misstated the 2015 Mustang's weight when compared with previous models. Additionally, we have added comments from Chevrolet in the text. The Ford Mustang has blown past the Chevy Camaro as America's best-selling pony car, and in June, it wasn't even close. The 'Stang outsold the Camaro 11,719 to 8,611 cars. The Camaro remained ahead of the Dodge Challenger, which sold 6,845 units. Even though the Camaro did post an 11.5-percent sales improvement in June, the competition is arguably stronger than at anytime since the 1970s muscle-car era. The Mustang's sales leapt a whopping 53.6 percent, while the Challenger saw a gain of 56 percent. Several factors are weighing down Camaro sales, including its lame duck status. Chevy is launching a new generation of the Camaro this year that's more than 200 pounds lighter, offers a new turbo four-cylinder engine option, and has a nicer interior than the outgoing model. Put simply: wait a few months and you can get a better car. It's also unlikely Chevy will jack up the price much, as it's historically kept the Camaro within reach of everyday enthusiasts. While Chevy fans wait in anticipation for their new sports car, Ford and Dodge have downshifted. The new Mustang, which went on sale last year, is faster and more sophisticated than its predecessor. It also offers a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, which Ford has credited for the Mustang's recent uptick and makes up 36 percent of the car's sales, Ford analyst Erich Merkle said. View 17 Photos June's performance allowed the Mustang to widen its sales gap with the Camaro this year. Through the first five months, Ford sold 68,290 Mustangs, a 54.4-percent increased compared with 2014. Chevy sold 42,593 Camaros, an 8.7-percent decrease. The Challenger – long the No. 3 pony car in sales volume – has seen its sales surge 41 percent this year to 37,011 units. Spokesman Monte Doran said Chevy expected that 2015 would be a "relatively soft year" for the Camaro. "Mustang is taking advantage of years' worth of pent-up demand for an independent rear suspension," he said. "When Camaro introduced an IRS, in 2009, it helped make us the best-selling performance car in America.

2021 Dodge Durango to get SRT Hellcat limited edition

In January, spy photographers caught what we thought might be a mild hybrid version of the coming Dodge Durango, based on information Mopar Insiders gleaned from the UAW contract with Fiat Chrysler. Turns out we were correct, Mopar Insiders citing info from sources at Fiat Chrysler that the base engine on the 2021 Durango will be a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with eTorque. We don't have output figures yet, but he current Durango's base engine is the non-hybrid 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 making 293 hp and 260 pound-feet of torque in SXT trim. The V6 hybrid powertrain is offered in the Ram 1500 making 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, and the Jeep Wrangler making 285 hp and 260 lb-ft., but doesn't increase output compared to the non-hybrid engine in either of those models. We're sure buyers would love for Dodge to bump the numbers up into Ram territory, but the eTorque unit serves the god of fuel economy and low-end refinement, so we shouldn't be surprised if there's no change. The MI report says Dodge has three other powertrains coming for 2021. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 that comes standard on the Durango RT will carry over, adding eTorque as an option. That's the same standard and optional configuration Ram offers on the 1500 equipped with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The Durango's V8 produces 360 hp and 390 lb-ft., versus 395 hp and 410 lb-ft in the Ram. On the Ram, the eTorque system improves fuel economy by 2 mpg in the city, 1 mpg on the highway. The 6.4-liter Hemi V8 on the Durango SRT moves into 2021 as well. But the Durango SRT will need to cede its crown to a Durango SRT Hellcat coming next year. Dodge has already put the Hellcat engine in a Durango Pursuit model for law enforcement, making the full 797-hp wrought by the Hellcat Redeye motor. A couple of months ago, Road & Track caught a Hellcat badge on a Durango in a now-removed trailer for the new "Fast & Furious" film, leading all to believe a civilian-use version of the muscle SUV was on the way. MI claims we'll get the Hellcat's 707 hp and 645 lb-ft., but the trim will launch as a limited edition bearing numbered plaques on the instrument panel.  The only bad news in all this is that production shutdowns have delayed the 2021 Durango and the brand new three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee "at least three months from their original launch dates." Related Video:    

Playing in the snow | 2017 Dodge Challenger GT First Drive

The previous day was miserable. An icy rain fell over Portland, Maine, coating the pavement and making even walking a chore. Driving a muscle car like the Dodge Challenger seems ill-advised. But this is exactly the weather Dodge hoped for, because we're here to test the new all-wheel-drive 2017 Challenger GT. The morning of our test drive dawns sunny and cold. The remnants of a late January nor'easter now past, we nonetheless steel ourselves for a day of unruly roads. Stepping into an inch of slush, we open the huge door, climb inside, and nestle into the heavily bolstered driver's seat. Immediately comfortable, we know the Challenger well. It's an old friend. Late in life, it's finally finding stability. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Heading onto the Maine turnpike, we're struck by the Challenger's poise. All-wheel drive civilizes the coupe's brutish nature. We confidently navigate the first on-ramp – still wet from the storm – and merge onto the highway. A rear-wheel-drive car would come unsettled here, yet this Challenger's 19-inch wheels wrapped in all-season Michelin rubber are not disturbed. At the very least, the specter of tire spin would have made us overcautious. All-wheel drive doesn't morph the Challenger into a Subaru Outback, but it does make the Mopar a realistic year-round option for buyers north of the Mason-Dixon line. Dodge arrived at this conclusion after some introspection. The Challenger and its sibling the Charger sedan are usually cross-shopped with each other, and design is often the deciding factor. With Charger AWD sales remaining strong (in 17 Northern states at least 50 percent of Chargers are sold with the system), not offering an all-wheel Challenger leaves money on the table. Ben Lyon, Challenger brand manager, says the common refrain was, "I would have bought a Challenger, or I would have bought a two-door muscle coupe, if it was available with all-wheel drive." View 50 Photos Naturally, the Dodges share an AWD system, which has an active transfer case and the ability to disengage the front axle, making the Challenger a rear-wheel-drive car in certain conditions to help save fuel. Ambient temperature, wheel slip, Sport mode, passing situations, and the driver's behavior can trigger the all-wheel capability.