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Watch these Dodge Demons explode on a Texas drag strip

The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is extremely quick. It can hit 60 mph from a dead stop in less time than it takes to read this sentence thanks to its supercharged 6.2-liter V8. That engine makes up to 840 horsepower and 770 pound-feet of torque, depending on what octane is running through the fuel lines. That's a ton of power going solely to the rear wheels. So much so that Dodge developed a number of features and a new set of tires specifically for the car. In our time with the Demon, the car took abuse run after run on a drag strip without skipping a beat, but it seems some actual owners aren't quite so lucky. Just take a look at what happened to a few of these cars. You can see the whole car shake and jitter right as the whole rear explodes in front of the tree. It seems the initial shock from the launch — the most taxing bit of any drag run — is what kills the differentials. Catastrophic failure is rarely pretty, but it is neat to see the whole thing occur in slow motion. Three more cars — four stock and one modified in total — suffered similar fates. Not a great look for Dodge or SRT. According to The Drive, a private drag event in Texas drew a number of Demon owners all trying to beat NHRA NHRA Top Fuel racer Leah Pritchett's time in her personal Dodge Demon — 42 stock Demons attended along with five modified cars. While no one managed to match her 9.65-second quarter-mile run, a few owners did dip below 10 seconds. Now, there are a few of caveats we must address. First, with any modified car, you run the risk of breaking something, even with a car that's set up from stock specifically for drag strips. Even a set of tires like the Mickey Thompsons shown in the video above can have an effect on driveline components. Horsepower may be king, but it's torque that's the rear killer. All that torque sends a shock through the car. Adding even more with aftermarket parts increases the risk of something failing. The modified car was apparently pushing out about 1,000 horsepower. That said, four of the five vehicles were stock, so any extra power or torque should theoretically be a non-factor. The drag strip's surface was maintained by a company called Mass Traction. FCA used Mass Traction during the Demon's development, so that too should be a non-factor in the part's failure. It's unclear what exactly caused the failures, though The Drive reports that FCA officials are investigating the matter. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party.

Some dealers asking $100,000-plus for Daytona-edition Dodge Charger SRT Hellcats

If you thought the name of the 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition was a lot to swallow, then you're definitely going to choke on what some dealers are asking for the privilege of owning one. The $4,495 package is commanding as much as $25,000 in "market adjustments" from stores looking to capitalize on the rarity of this extremely limited-edition model.  The folks over at Moparinsiders.com reported Friday that some dealers are asking Demon-level prices for their limited allocations of the commemorative package. Their assessment? Not worth it. We're inclined to agree.  The Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition package is, fundamentally at least, little more than a set of stickers, a dash plaque and a tiny bump in horsepower. What you really get for your money is exclusivity. Only 501 were built (to commemorate the number of production units required to homologate the original Charger Daytona for NASCAR racing); just 451 went to U.S. dealers. The other 50 were reserved for Canada.  To be fair, no variant of the 2020 Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody even approaches the definition of "inexpensive." Just to get behind the wheel of the newest edition to the Charger lineup will set you back at least $71,000. The Widebody package is more than just a set of custom fenders. The Hellcat also gets another 1.6 inches of track width and some extra rubber on the road. SRT engineers also increased the Hellcat’s front spring rate by 32% and beefed up its sway bars (from 19 mm to 21.7 mm in the front and from 32 mm to 34 mm in the rear). The adaptive suspension was firmed up a little bit across the board too for crisper response over road imperfections. Plus, you know, there's that 707-horsepower, supercharged, 6.2-liter engine. The Daytona gets an extra 10 ponies, right? Well, sort of, anyway. SRT rated its output at a slightly higher engine speed. Between us, it's the same thing.  So, there's a silver lining: You don't have to spend $100,000 for a 2020 Charger Widebody Hellcat if you don't want to, but somebody probably will.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.    

Weekly Recap: Ferrari plans to gradually increase production by 2019

Ferrari has long been known for the exclusivity of its performance machines. It's on a different level than Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes. But as it transitions to a new era of independence from Fiat Chrysler, Ferrari is going to get a little less exclusive. It's by design, and it means a subtle, slow ramp-up of production – a move Ferrari believes will ensure its future by meeting growing demand in new markets. The strategy was detailed in SEC documents filed this month as part of the company's pending stock offering. The files reveal Ferrari will gradually increase shipments to about 9,000 units per year by 2019. This is a reversal of Ferrari's 2013 plans to cap production at 7,000 cars annually, which it hit on the nose that year. Ferrari shipments inched up to 7,255 in 2014, though that's down from 2012's record tally of 7,405. Ferrari is a vastly different operation than it was in 2013. Longtime chairman Luca di Montezemolo stepped down last fall, and FCA chief executive Sergio Marchionne has been overseeing the company since then. Its IPO has attracted high levels of attention from enthusiasts and investors. As expected, demand has reportedly outstripped the availability of the stock, which has an estimated offering price of $48 to $52 a share. Speaking of more Ferraris, the company revealed a limited-edition model this week called the F12tdf (shown above). Based on the F12 Berlinetta, the car is a salute to the Tour de France endurance auto race that Ferrari dominated in the 1950s and '60s. The V12 engine's output increases to 769 horsepower, while weight is cut by 243 pounds – allowing for a sprint to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. Dramatic carbon-fiber elements and a radical redesign of the body panels give the F12 a more dramatic look. It will be limited to 799 units over the life of the car. If this is how Ferrari is increasing production, we're more than okay with the company's new strategy. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Tesla software unlocks Autopilot features Tesla released the latest version of its software for the Model S this week, which allows the all-electric sedan to drive in a semi-autonomous state called Autopilot. Tesla Version 7.0 enables the Model S to maintain lane position, change lanes by touching the turn signal, and manage the car's speed using an advanced, traffic-sensing cruise control. It also has a parallel parking feature, which searches for open spots and then parks your Tesla.