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The Dodge Challenger plays its trump card: all-wheel drive

Perennially stuck in third place behind the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro in sales and enthusiast comparisons, the Dodge Challenger is doing something unconventional for a muscle couple. It's adding all-wheel drive. It's a new feature for Detroit's pony cars – none of the three have ever had it – and it could be a game-changer. Called the Challenger GT, the Dodge launches this winter for a starting price of $34,490. The Challenger GT comes with the Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 rated at 305 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque. It teams with an eight-speed TorqueFlight automatic transmission and is estimated to get 18 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. An FCA spokesperson said no manual transmission or V8 models will be offered on the all-wheel-drive Challenger. It will be on display in January at the Detroit auto show. View 8 Photos All-wheel drive is a widely expected addition for the Challenger. The coupe shares underpinnings with the four-door Charger, which offers an all-wheel drive variant and the cars have similar powertrain offerings (the AWD Charger is also V6 and automatic only). Naturally, the Challenger borrows the Charger's AWD system and during regular driving conditions, the front axle disengages and full torque goes to the back wheels, allowing the Challenger to function as a rear-wheel drive car. It automatically goes back to AWD when more traction is needed. Handling is also fortified with a vehicle dynamic control system. Conversely, the electronic stability control has three modes and can be switched off for drift-happy enthusiasts. The GT has features familiar to other Challenger and Dodge owners, including an 8.4-inch touchscreen radio, Performance Pages (accessible through the Super Trak Pack button), and paddle shifters. A Sport Mode changes shift points to improve acceleration. It all rolls on 19-inch wheels wrapped in all-season rubber. The exterior gets a hood bulge, LED head- and taillights, and a decklid spoiler. The Challenger GT also offers a $995-interior package different than RWD models, adding Nappa leather, Alcantara suede seats, a nine-speaker Alpine audio system, performance steering wheel, and more. All of that is just window dressing. It's all-wheel drive that could be a difference-maker for consumers. The Challenger won't likely be able to take down the Mustang, which will finish 2016 as the pony car sales king.

Dodge Hellcats change their stripes for 2016

If you've been on the fence about ordering up a new Dodge with Hellcat power, this might just provide the extra incentive you were looking for. Starting this month, Dodge is offering a new stripe option, exclusive to its most powerful muscle cars. The SRT Hellcat stripes are now available to order on the top-of-the-line, 707-horsepower versions of both the Charger and Challenger. The dual full-length stripes run all the way up from the front lip, over the grille, up the hood, accentuating the NACA duct, along the roof, down the trunklid, across the rear spoiler, and down the rear bumper. They feature a carbon-fiber texture, and can be ordered with any of eleven colors for an extra $995. Along with the stripes, Dodge has also announced that it is extending the availability of the exclusive Plum Crazy color – which was originally scheduled to expire at the end of December – for another month. The throwback hue can be ordered on Charger and Challenger models ranging from the SXT through the R/T models all the way up to the SRT 392 and Hellcat. 2016 CHALLENGER AND CHARGER SRT HELLCAT MODELS EARN EXCLUSIVE STRIPES, DODGE EXTENDS PLUM CRAZY PAINT - All-new SRT Hellcat dual exterior stripe design adds even more Dodge attitude to 2016 Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat models - SRT Hellcat-exclusive dual full-length carbon-fiber pattern stripes provide a customized-from-the-factory look - Dealers will start taking orders for Hellcat stripes in January 2016 - SRT Hellcat dual stripes have a U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $995 - Dodge is answering enthusiast demand for Plum Crazy exterior paint with an additional one-month run of the legendary and limited-edition high-impact hue January 8, 2016 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - For more than a year, Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat models — the fastest and most powerful muscle cars ever with 707 supercharged HEMI® horsepower each — have stormed roadways and drag strips with acceleration blasts to 60 mph in the low 3-second range, generated more than 61 million sensational YouTube video views around the globe, enabled an entirely new generation of Dodge enthusiasts and now for 2016 have been rewarded with their very own Dodge performance stripes.

FCA recalling 63k Jeeps, Vipers and Ram ProMaster City vans

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has announced a pair of recalls cover nearly 63,000 vehicles. The bigger of the two actions covers manual-transmission-equipped vehicles from 2006, including the Jeep Liberty and Wrangler, as well as the Dodge Viper. FCA engineers uncovered that the clutch ignition interlock switches use a kind of wire that was part of a previous recall campaign. Because of this, the company said that affected vehicles may not start, although in rare cases, "if recommended starting procedures are not followed," the affected vehicles may lurch forward after turning the key. Those recommended starting procedures "include activating the parking brake, placing the shift lever in neutral and pressing the clutch pedal before turning the vehicle's ignition key." Recall number two affects the company's 2015 Ram ProMaster City cargo and passenger vans. Owners will need to report to dealers to have a piece of tape removed from the side-curtain airbags. The tape is added during assembly and in some cases, may not have been removed. That could prevent the airbags from deploying in the event of a crash. Just under 59,000 vehicles are included in the first recall, including 43,874 in the United States, 11,309 outside of North America, 2,944 in Canada and 706 in Mexico. The ProMaster City recall includes just over 3,900 vehicles. FCA claims it's unaware of any injuries, fatalities or accidents related to either recall and will perform repairs free of charge. Scroll down for the official press release on both campaigns. Related Video: Statement: Clutch Ignition Interlock Switch April 23, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is launching a voluntary recall of an estimated 43,874 older-model U.S.-market cars and SUVs equipped with manual transmissions. The Company will replace their clutch ignition interlock switches at no charge to customers. The action follows an investigation by FCA US engineers that discovered these vehicles are equipped with switches that contain a certain type of wire implicated in a previous campaign. The wire, which was temporarily substituted by a supplier for the specified material, may break. As a result, the vehicles may not start, and in rare cases – if recommended starting procedures are not followed – a vehicle may exhibit unintended movement when its ignition key is turned. FCA US is unaware of aware of any related injuries or accidents involving this population of vehicles.