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2016 Dodge Viper ACR First Drive [w/video]

The Dodge Viper is not a comfortable car. Livable, yes. The interior is covered in fine materials. But you still climb over a hot door sill to enter the tiny cabin. And the frequency range of the engine's noises seem specifically designed to cause headaches. What happens, then, if you remove all pretense of civility from a Viper and add equipment solely aimed at improving lap times? You would have the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR. In terms of achieving its purpose, this car is a absolute success. In many ways it's also the most honest Viper of the current generation. Prices start at $121,990 (including $2,100 gas-guzzler tax and $1,995 destination), or $32,900 more than the least expensive Viper. In ACR trim, the Viper loses the under-carpet padding, 9 of 12 speakers plus amplifier, carpet and trim from the cargo area, and sound deadening in front of the rear wheel wells. The parts of the interior still covered add healthy amounts of Alcantara or optional carbon fiber. That weight loss is compensated by the addition of go-fast bits like the giant rear wing (or the larger "x-wing" on the Extreme Aero Package), 10-way adjustable Bilstein Motorsports shocks, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, a rear diffuser, and a front splitter. Total claimed curb weight is 3,392 pounds in Aero trim (standard ACR trim is 18 pounds lighter), which is within a few stone of the rest of the Viper lineup. The diffuser strakes and leading edge of the splitter are removable, made to be replaced after rubbing on track tarmac and make street driving slightly more practical. Not that you'd want to drive the ACR on the street, with the lack of noise insulation and spring rates twice as stiff as the Viper TA, but it is street-legal. Dodge claims the DOT-approved Kumho Ecsta V720 tires on the ACR allow faster lap times than some race compound tires. Our test was limited to on-track shenanigans at Virginia International Raceway. Which is fitting because we wouldn't have anything good to say about driving the car on the street. The ACR is, essentially, a race car sold in the showroom, although with the Viper's 1 of 1 customization program, your custom build can include as many creature comforts as you like. Lined up in pit lane at VIR, the Viper ACRs for our evaluation blur the air with heat shimmer. All of the test cars have air conditioning, but that shuts off at full throttle with a six-second reset.

This incredibly '90s Dodge Ram video shows roots of the luxury pickup truck

To paraphrase the Talking Heads, you may find yourself behind the wheel of a Ram 1500 Limited with a 12-inch touchscreen and sumptuous leather, and you may ask yourself, "How did we get here?" Well, some of that credit goes to that loaded Ram's predecessor, the second-generation Dodge Ram. As you'll see in this fascinating promotional video for the truck uploaded by YouTube Channel TheClassicSports, it seems to highlight all the things that make up the modern pickup truck, albeit in a slightly more modest form. Right off the bat, the video starts talking about how the new Ram isn't your traditional pickup. It has features like anti-lock brakes, a spacious, comfortable cabin and standard driver-side airbag. Later, it notes the extensive sound insulation, as well as the cupholders and a giant center console to set up your mobile office, with space for a cell phone and laptop.  But it's not just a comfortable truck. It's a powerful, practical and intimidating one. This Ram is frequently credited as the truck that changed pickup design, moving from simple rectangular boxes to ones with style, particularly semi-truck style. In the video, the host notes that regardless of what people think, "They all call it 'big'." And of course, there's the all-important utility aspect. Highlights include various interior storage bins, slots in the bed to create divided sections, and the critical towing and payload capacities; best-in-class of course. Don't forget the wide array of engines, too, from the base V6 to the unique at the time gas V10 engine. This isn't to say that competitors from Chevy and Ford weren't changing to this more stylish, more well-appointed truck philosophy, either. The mid-'90s Silverado was quite modern, too, with its sleek, if still boxy shape. And the late-'90s F-150 ushered in a sleek, curvy design that has yet to return to the full-size market. But the second-generation Ram really encompasses everything about how the truck market was about to change for the next few decades. Related Video:

Chrysler recalling 644k more Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs over brakes

Early last month, we reported on Chrysler issuing a preemptive, proactive recall for about 25,000 units of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango. The issue revolved around a brake system that wasn't causing any actual problems, but delivered an unsatisfactory brake feel, so Auburn Hills called in a good 25,000 of SUVs around the world, including 18,700 in the United States.
Now Chrysler, having apparently determined that the brake problem on its sport utes is actually much bigger than it initially realized, has drastically broadened the scope of the recall. As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall for precisely 655,354 examples of the Grand Cherokee and Durango, covering the 2011 through 2014 model years. In addition, Chrysler is recalling 42,380 units in Canada, 21,376 in Mexico and 159,685 overseas.
The problem which Chrysler found revolves around the brake booster, whose center shell has been found to be subject to corrosion, allowing water to get into the brake system. That water in turn could freeze, preventing the brakes from working as well as expected.