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SpeedKore carbon-fiber 1970 Dodge Charger packs a 996-hp Demon engine

SpeedKore Performance does some pretty neat things with carbon fiber. SEMA is always the place to show off new and interesting builds, and SpeedKore has a few new offerings on display. We talked about the lightweight carbon fiber 2018 Dodge Demon late last week, but now that SEMA 2018 is in full swing, we've got a look at something even cooler, an all-carbon, Demon-powered 1970 Dodge Charger "Evolution." SpeedKore Performance is based in Wisconsin and has been churning out SEMA showstoppers for years. In addition to the Demon, take a look at this Shelby GT350R the shop modified a few years back. The Charger Evolution is named so because it further modifies the SpeedKore Charger "Tantrum" that was used in the " Fast and Furious" films. That car used a carbon composite body and was fitted with a 9.0-liter Mercury Racing twin-turbo engine making an absurd 1,650 horsepower. The Evolution might be down on power — only 996 horses thanks to a modified Demon crate engine — but the goal was to create something a little more usable than the Tantrum. Upgrades include a smaller supercharger pulley, larger fuel injectors, a custom cold-air intake, stainless steel headers and a custom exhaust with SLP mufflers. There's also a Dailey Engineering dry sump, upgraded oil cooler, and Saldana radiator. It's also lighter, thanks to even more carbon fiber. SpeedKore had a goal to get the '70 Charger to about 3,200 pounds. To get there, the Evolution employs carbon-fiber bodywork, an aluminum floor, a steel roll cage and a new 2x3-inch steel box frame. SpeedKore's autoclave is large enough to bake a one-piece roof, hood and quarter panels. The bare bodywork has been finished with a clear coat to help prevent fading. The Evolution uses billet aluminum for the door handles, fuel cap and grille, all finished in a bronze-nickel coating to pair with the HRE wheels. In addition to the floor, aluminum was used for the firewall, transmission tunnel and radiator shroud. To slow the Charger down, it uses Brembo brakes with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers in the rear. The suspension uses Penske adjustable coilovers while Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires wrap 19x10-inch front wheels and 20x12-inch rear wheels. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Inline-6 Hemi replacement on the cusp of production from Stellantis

It appears that Stellantis is ready to put its long-rumored inline-six into production at its Saltillo, Mexico plant, possibly marking the beginning of the end of Chrysler's long-running 5.7L Hemi V8. But so far, the automaker's American brands have remained mum on where exactly the new turbocharged "Tornado" I6 may land. Stellantis powertrain blog Stellpower (by way of Muscle Cars & Trucks) spotted an entry for a new "GME T6" inline-six engine on the Saltillo facility's web site, suggesting that it was either in production or close to it. That entry has since been removed, but the mystery remains.  We've been hearing tidbits here and there about this new inline engine for years, but this is the first time we've seen anything suggesting its arrival is imminent. Usually, such a significant powertrain update would coincide with the launch of a new product to showcase it. So far, Stellantis has remained mum, even overseas, about where this engine is destined to reside. 2022 model year vehicles are likely off the table entirely.  But while it's common for new engines to debut with new cars and trucks, it's not a universal truth. Ford's Coyote V8 missed the corresponding Mustang refresh by a year, for example, orphaning the 2010 model and its much-needed styling updates with the old 4.6L V8 (and the 3.8L V6, for that matter; the 3.7L Duratec was also late to that party). Even sticking just to Stellantis, the JL Wrangler's powertrains have been a work in progress since it arrived back in 2018. The standard V6 and 2.0-liter turbo-4 debuted at launch; the EcoDiesel, 392 and 4xe all came later.  And 4xe may be the model by which to measure our expectations. Its introduction didn't come completely out of nowhere, but it was rather sudden for what turned out to be such a solid offering. That bodes well for the company's existing Hemi-powered trucks and SUVs. The Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer are all strong candidates to receive the new Hemi replacement, as all would greatly benefit from even small improvements in fuel economy. If there's to be a future for the Dodge Charger and Challenger and Chrysler 300, they'd benefit too. And how about a Gladiator with the wick turned up, positioned as its equivalent to the Wrangler 392. Turn that Tornado into a Dust Devil. Don't worry; we've got plenty more where that came from.  Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ram, Jeep redesigns on hold, Alfa Romeo models may come sooner

Last summer, FCA outlined an ambitious five-year plan that sketched out the company's product intentions for each of its brands through the end of 2018. However, even the best strategies sometimes need tweaking. According to Reuters after speaking with unnamed people at auto suppliers, FCA is now possibly delaying at least a dozen projects in North America for a variety of reasons. From vehicle to vehicle, these postponements allegedly last anywhere from just a few months to over a year. The sources from the suppliers claim that in some cases these tweaks are for engineering and design changes. The next-gen Ram 1500 reportedly has among the shorter delays and is being pushed from mid-2017 to November 2017, according to Reuters. Also, the much-discussed future Jeep Wrangler is allegedly moving a little later to July 2017. Among the vehicles purportedly seeing longer delays, the next-gen Grand Cherokee could get pushed back about a year to 2018. That then forces the launch of the three-row, luxury Grand Wagoneer to be even further away. Jeep's upcoming C-segment CUV and the all-new Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Challenger might also see postponements. The one brand allegedly seeing an accelerated plan is Alfa Romeo. Without going into detail, the sources from these suppliers claim that the Italian automaker is getting even more vehicles for its lineup and could get them even faster than planned. "Those plans need to be flexible and fluid, with the potential to add some vehicles, pull some forward and extend the life cycle of others," FCA said to Reuters about all of these allegations. "We look at these programs on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis." Investment in the auto industry has been a major topic for FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne as of late. He believes consolidation is necessary so that companies aren't burning money on the same projects. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Alfa Romeo Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Sergio Marchionne FCA fca us