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What's the right car for the 'Planes, Trains, and Automobiles' remake?

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches so, too, does the season in which many Americans will rewatch that holiday classic, "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles." The Steve Martin and John Candy movie is a staple of holiday-season viewing. Soon, however, it will be joined by a new version. Paramount Pictures is doing a remake of "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles," starring Will Smith and Kevin Hart. In the 1987 original, Martin and Candy rent a pea-soup green Chrysler LeBaron Town&Country convertible (well, sort of), which suffers a series of mishaps including catching fire yet still chugs along. It was a star turn for the wood-sided K-car droptop (though not the last), and that got us thinking: What should the Smith and Hart duo get stuck with at Marathon Rent-A-Car? Of course, it needs to be a convertible. Among the widely used rental-car convertibles, a Ford Mustang or a Chevy Camaro would be too sporty and cool. This trip is supposed to be miserable. A Buick Cascada or a Beetle convertible would be more appropriate. Of the two, a Beetle is probably better from a comedy standpoint.  But there is another car that stands out as the clear winner: the Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible. Granted, the PT convertible went out of production in 2008, making it a bit old for a current rental lot — but not too old. And the PT Cruiser was even offered with a Woodie package, providing even greater alignment with the LeBaron of old. However, the Woodie package was only offered from 2002–2004, so it predated the convertible by one model year. We think that in this case, the filmmakers should put aside strict historical accuracy and apply the faux-wood appliques to the PT convertible for maximum continuity with the original movie. Besides, the original car wasn't technically a Chrysler LeBaron: it had a different name and badging, plus a non-factory color. It wasn't too different from the Wagon Queen Family Truckster from "Vacation" in that regard. So, what do you think? Is it time for the PT Cruiser to join the great pantheon of movie road-trip cars? Or would something else make for a better movie motors classic?

Mopar introduces winter tire and wheel packages

Winter is coming, and Mopar will try to help drivers stay safe in the cold weather this year by offering a winter tire and wheel package for a variety of FCA US vehicles for the first time. The packages combine everything drivers need to be prepared for slick roads, including winter tires, steel wheels, and Tire Pressure Monitoring System sensors. Even better, the company delivers them mounted, balanced, and ready for installation. Customers can order the bundles from dealers now. Mopar offers packages with the General Altimax Arctic tire on the Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country, Jeep Cherokee, and Chrysler 200. All- and rear-wheel drive configurations of the Chrysler 300 get the Michelin X-Ice Xi3, and the all- and rear-drive Dodge Charger models use the Continental WinterContact SI. Depending on the vehicle, prices vary between $242 and $292 per wheel, and Mopar will expand the program to even more models next year. Spending the extra money on winter tires really can make a difference. Experts are clear that the specialized rubber simply works better when the weather gets cold. They can shorten braking distances and improve traction – even with all-wheel drive. Plus, winter tires can often last for more than one year, which spreads out the investment. ALL-NEW MOPAR WINTER WHEEL ASSEMBLIES DELIVER ADDITIONAL COLD-WEATHER CONTROL 01/12/15 from Mopar Print this page Add this release to Your Downloads Mopar winter wheel assemblies include winter tire, steel rim, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Assemblies delivered mounted, balanced, ready to install December 1, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Winter is coming and just in time, so are all-new Mopar winter wheel assemblies. The all-new Mopar winter wheel assemblies are available for order for a variety of FCA US vehicles. Assemblies include a winter tire, steel rim and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and are delivered mounted and balanced, so you or your dealership can quickly and easily pop off all-season rims and rubber and put on cold-weather appropriate gear. "Mopar is rolling out our first-ever offering of winter wheel assemblies for those customers who desire a little extra control during the cold weather seasons," said Pietro Gorlier, Head of Parts and Service (Mopar), FCA – Global.

Driving the Jeep J6, Shakedown Challenger and other Mopar concepts

Mopar has been a one-stop-shop for factory-backed performance modifications and accessories on FCA products for a long time now. You want a 707-horsepower engine for your old Plymouth Belvedere? Mopar has you covered with the Hellcrate. Maybe you want a lift and off-roading lights on that newly-bought Wrangler? Mopar can accommodate those wants (or needs, we don’t judge) as well. We get to see some of the companyÂ’s weirdest creations every now and then, but rarely do we get the opportunity to drive the FCA Mopar concepts. ThatÂ’s what made this past Woodward Dream Cruise so special: We got to rip some of MoparÂ’s finest and most recent creations up and down Woodward Avenue. Everything from a 1971 Challenger restomod to the brand-new Easter Jeep Safari J6 concept was in attendance, so letÂ’s get right to it. Mopar Woodward View 6 Photos 1967 Plymouth Hellvedere This car is near the pinnacle of what you can do with off-the-shelf Mopar purchases. It was only a humble 1967 Plymouth Belvedere before Mopar dropped the 707-horsepower supercharged V8 from the Hellcat into the engine bay. Sound ridiculous? Yeah, it is. Other parts of it are new as well, including the disc brakes. Good call. However, Mopar didnÂ’t remove the classic car charm from the entire driving experience. The steering, for example, is surely as slow and inaccurate as it was back in 1967. That doesnÂ’t help matters when youÂ’re trying to put 707 horsepower to the pavement with less-than-ideal rear rubber. Floor it in damn near any gear of the Tremec six-speed, and the front end rises straight up as the rear kicks sideways with the force of many mules. There are no electronics such as traction control or stability control to step in and wrangle the car into submission. But hey, who wants them, anyway? The question remains: Should you buy a Hellcrate engine for your classic? If money were no object, the easy answer is yes. Have at it so long as you love smoky burnouts and excessive amounts of horsepower. Just make sure you know how to deal with that much power before you stick your right foot in it.   Dodge Challenger Shakedown View 15 Photos 2016 Dodge Shakedown Challenger Concept WeÂ’re going downhill in horsepower with this restomod, but the drivability and ease of driving goes way up. Dodge showed this “Shakedown” concept at SEMA awhile back, and as with most concept cars, getting a chance behind the wheel is a special opportunity.