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Legacy Classic Power Wagon First Drive

Shortly before the US entered World War II, Dodge supplied the military with a line of pickups internally codenamed WC, those letters designating the year 1941 and the half-ton payload rating. From 1941 to 1945 Dodge built more than a quarter million of them, and even though "WC" came to refer to the Weapons Carrier body style, the WC range served in 38 different configurations from pickup trucks to ambulances to six-wheeled personnel and weapons haulers. The story is that soldiers returning from active duty badgered Dodge for a civilian version of that indefatigable warhorse, so Dodge responded with the Power Wagon in 1946. Even for those no-nonsense times the truck was so austere that the first three names Dodge gave it were "Farm Utility Truck," "WDX General Purpose Truck," and "General Purpose, One Ton Truck." "Power Wagon" was the fourth choice, not finalized until just before it went on sale. Nothing like today's Power Wagon, the original could be seen as either a glorified tractor or a slightly less uncouth military vehicle – hell-for-leather meant going 50 miles per hour. But it would go nearly anywhere. The civilian version was still built like it had to survive, well, a world war; power take-offs (PTOs) ran all manner of ancillaries; multiplicative gear ratios helped it produce enough torque to make an earthquake envious. Said to be the first civilian 4x4 truck made in America, any organization that needed a simple, sturdy mechanized draught animal knew it needed a Power Wagon. If history, the aura of war, and ruthless functionality attract you but mean comforts and 70-year-old manners don't, then you need to get in touch with Legacy Classic Trucks. If that history, the aura of war, and the ruthless functionality attract you but the mean comforts and 70-year-old manners don't, then you need to get in touch with Legacy Classic Trucks. The Jackson Hole, WY, restorer retains every ounce of the Power Wagon's orchard-work aptitude, decorated with present-day amenities and the best components. Each job starts with having to find a usable donor. The city of Breckenridge, CO, bought the red truck in our gallery in 1947 and used it as a snowplow for the next 30 years. In 1977 a log-home builder bought it from the city and used it for another decade as a company hauler. That's the kind of grueling longevity that lets Ram put a five-figure premium on the 2500 Power Wagon pickup it sells today. Legacy Classics founder Winslow S.

Dodge Dart falls short of Consumer Reports Recommended, Caddy XTS and Lincoln MKS, too

The Dodge Dart, Cadillac XTS and Lincoln MKS all failed to earn a "Recommended" rating from Consumer Reports. When it came to the compact Dart, the organization's testers thought the vehicle offered a quiet cabin, solid-feeling chassis and nimble suspension, but the new model ultimately fell short of the coveted rating due to powertrain issues. The institute's reviewers found the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to be underpowered and noted "drivability issues" when the available turbocharged 1.4-liter four was paired with the optional dual-clutch transmission (some of our editors disliked it paired with the six-speed manual). CR also dinged the latter powerplant for sounding "raspy." For what it's worth, we think the forced-induction engine offers an excellent and playful exhaust note, but that's just us.
As for the XTS, CR lauded the car for its luxurious cabin, but the vehicle's experience was dulled by its finicky CUE infotainment interface. Overall, the big Cadillac scored much higher than its cross-town rival from Lincoln. While testers found the American luxury sedan to offer a quiet ride and quality fit and finish, they felt the MKS delivered a "cramped driving position, ungainly handling, uncomposed ride, and limited visibility." Ouch. At the end of the day, both cars fell short of rivals from Japan, Germany and Korea. Check out the full press release below with more details, along with CR's musings on the Chevrolet Spark and Lexus ES.

2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat gets some Demon goodies

The 2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat has been revealed, along with details on the rest of the range. Though the new Charger doesn't look a whole lot different, there are a number of special upgrades, especially for the Hellcat. The least interesting changes are on the outside. The Hellcat and the R/T Scat Pack get a new grille with twin air intakes next to the headlights. The regular RT and GT get some sportier additions such as a hood scoop, rear spoiler, and some other revised body work. The Hellcat also now gets a matte black hood option, as seen on the gray car above. Under the skin are more interesting upgrades. The Hellcat raids the Demon parts bin for its "After-Run Chiller" that continues providing cooling to the intercooler after the engine has been shut off. This way you'll still get cool air for another run when you come back and fire it back up. The Charger Hellcat also gets the Demon's fancy "Torque Reserve" system to start generating boost right at launch. Both the Hellcat and the R/T Scat Pack also come with line lock for big smoky burnouts and "Launch Assist" for minimizing wheel hop and maximizing grip. Both cars have the same power and torque as last year's iterations, though. Dodge hasn't left out its lower-rung Charger models, either. The R/T now gets standard performance suspension and shift paddles, along with a 2.62 rear axle. The GT model is now available in rear-wheel drive, and it's being marketed as more of a performance-oriented trim for the V6. As such, it also gets the performance suspension as standard, a 3.07 rear end and shift paddles. The SXT rounds out the base of the lineup and now has an all-wheel-drive option. Output remains the same with these vehicles, and the GT continues to make 300 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque while the SXT makes 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet. 2019 Dodge Chargers will start showing up on dealer lots in the third quarter of this year. If you're really eager to get one, dealers will be able to start ordering them by the end of June. Pricing hasn't been announced yet for the big sedan. Related Video: