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Dodge Challenger Hellcat valet mode angers parking attendant

I spent over three years as a valet. It was good money and an excellent second job when I was getting my start as a writer – ten hours per week at the small restaurant I worked for was good for anywhere from $150 to $250. Over those years, I can say with absolute confidence I never goofed off in someone's car. Unfortunately, not all valets are so trustworthy. Like these idiots. Apparently, a Dodge Challenger Hellcat owner captured the valets at Universal Studios in Florida on his dashcam messing about behind the wheel of his 707-horsepower muscle car. One valet is behind the wheel and there's another riding shotgun as they aimlessly wander about the parking lot, lamenting the fact that the owner (wisely) engaged valet mode before handing over the keys. "We can't do anything," they whine. The owner, for his part, seemed pretty cool about the whole thing, writing in the YouTube description that he purposely kicked up the exposure at the end of the video to hide the identities of the valets. He also added that they didn't do anything wrong – this former valet agrees to disagree, based on the over four minutes it takes to actually park the car – and that he was thankful for valet mode. You can check out the video above – be warned, though, there is some language in it. And remember, if you valet your car, use valet mode, check the odometer when you drop off and pick up, and if everything checks out, give the poor guys a tip. Want more recent Hellcat news? Check out the Wrangler Trailcat concept headed to the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, photos of a possible Hellcat HD Ram pickup, and spy shots of the Hellcat-engined Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. It's been a good week for 707-hp Mopars. Related Video:

Has Dodge stepped in it again with Scat Pack lawsuit?

Lawsuits are an unfortunate part of doing business in just about any industry, so the latest complaint filed by a California-based aftermarket firm against Chrysler would seem to be nothing more than business as usual. But this isn't the first time the two companies have sparred over this particular issue.
According to a report from Automotive News, the dispute revolves around the Scat Pack name that Chrysler first offered on the Charger, Coronet, Dart and Super Bee starting in 1968. Scat Enterprises, a manufacturer of crankshafts and other components for Dodges and other vehicles, sued Chrysler for using its name. A few years later the Scat Pack disappeared from the Dodge catalog.
Fast forward to August 2013 when Chrysler applied to register the Scat Pack name anew. The US Patent and Trademark Office turned down Chrysler's application, but the automaker proceeded anyway, unveiling new Scat Packs for the Challenger, Charger and Dart at last year's SEMA show.

Dodge Charger and Challenger will live on, but a new Viper is unlikely

BALOCCO, Italy — As FCA's latest five-year plan was presented last week, most of the day was focused on four brands — Jeep, Ram, Maserati and Alfa Romeo. That left a lot of people wondering about the future of the Chrysler, Fiat and Dodge nameplates. At the last five-year event, Dodge was one of the main features. We heard plans for an expanded lineup that included refreshed versions of the Viper, Challenger and Charger, the last two riding on the Alfa Romeo Giorgio platform. Times sure have changed. Dodge isn't going away, but the brand will be narrowed and focused. Performance is the name of the game, but don't look for a new Viper anytime soon. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne simply said it's "not in the plan." Marchionne thought it was a great idea but that it couldn't live on as a standalone product. If it does eventually return, expect it to share parts with other FCA products, possibly with one of the upcoming Maseratis. On the other hand, Marchionne confirmed that both the Dodge Challenger and Charger will continue to live on. In the last five-year plan, FCA said that the pair would share underpinnings with future Alfa Romeos. That was promising news for those hoping for smaller, lighter versions of each model that would be better suited to fight models like the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro. It seems the Alfa Romeo platform is off the table. Marchionne said the current LX platform would indeed live on, though it would be "unrecognizable" compared to what we have today. The LX architecture is ancient, and, although it's been continuously updated, its basic bones date back to the DaimlerChrysler days. Marchionne said that the Alfa platform just doesn't have the character American shoppers are looking for in those vehicles. It's unclear when the next iteration of the Charger and Challenger will arrive, but expect another refresh sometime before 2022. Look for an updated version of the tried-and-true Hemi V8. Rumors continue to swirl about a larger and more powerful 7.0-liter variant dubbed the Banshee, but we'll have to wait and see how that pans out. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.