2014 Ram 5500 Mechanics Truck on 2040-cars

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Dodge Viper ACR still can't quite capture Nurburgring record

Dodge Viper production ended just a few weeks ago. So in an effort to go out with a bang, a crowdfunded effort sent a pair of new Viper ACRs to the Nurburgring in order to reclaim the production-car lap record. Despite its best efforts, the team failed to top the Lamborghini Huracan Performante's time of 6 minutes and 52 seconds. The Viper's best lap was 7 minutes and 3.45 seconds, leaving a seemingly insurmountable gap between it and the Lamborghini. This past week, the Vipers went out again. Unfortunately the new time of 7:3.23 only shaved a few tenths. Road & Track reports that the hot weather played a major factor into the car's performance. August is hot in Germany, and the northern part of the track had a recorded temperature of 111 degrees. This was killing tires and therefore grip. While Kumho has been kind enough to supply the team with tires, an endless supply of rubber doesn't help if they keep getting cooked. In two hours, the team managed just two hot laps, killing 16 tires in the process. It's not over. A return trip is in the works. The team believes it can slide under the 7 minute mark. Still, it looks like it's going to take some really ideal conditions to make it work. Either way, the Viper ACR is and will remain one of the fastest production cars ever built and something of the likes we'll never see again. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Road & TrackImage Credit: Dodge Dodge Coupe Performance dodge viper acr

2014 Dodge Durango

Say what you want about the Dodge Durango, but ever since it came on the scene in 1998, it has occupied its own niche in the SUV market - not too small, not too big, tough, able, not always the best on the road and not always the best off-road. If it were a football player, it would be a tight-end that can block and catch. If it were a hamburger - a double burger with cheese and bacon, but not the Whopper.
As part of a mid-cycle upgrade for what was already a very capable SUV that Chrysler introduced in 2011, and built on the same platform as the Mercedes GL-Class and Jeep Grand Cherokee, the 2014 Durango has gotten some refinements worth noting that have cleaned up its tailoring and toned up its body and powerplant. The result is an SUV that shows itself to be a very good value in a category full of sticker prices that can run away faster than a kid who's been told he has to take ballroom dancing lessons.
Chrysler executives showing us the new Durango made a special point to reiterate that the Dodge brand is not going away, as has been rumored after the company took the Ram and Viper - the cream of the brand - out from under the Dodge umbrella. Turns out Dodge has been the brand attracting the most young people (who knew?) and has a younger average age buyer than Honda. The Dodge brand historically has also attracted buyers who aren't exactly Phi-Beta Cappa, which some companies worry about. Chrysler not so much. Dodge buyers tend to be more the working, high-school-educated, community-college-educated backbone of the work force in America. If they keep coming to Dodge, the Durango is a pretty good piece of hardware to save up for.

Autoblog Minute: 2016 Dodge Charger pursuit vehicle gets Uconnect 12.1

Dodge introduces new tech into its 2016 pursuit vehicles that even Jake and Elwood couldn't outrun. Autoblog's Adam Morath reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Dodge introduces new tech into its 2016 pursuit vehicles that even Jake and Elwood couldn't outrun. I'm Adam Morath and this is your Autoblog Minute. The 2016 Dodge Charger Pursuit vehicles are getting Uconnect 12.1. The system's new laptop size touch screen will be dash mounted and at 12.1" is 5 times larger than the current Uconnect 5.0 system. Features of Uconnect 12.1 [00:00:30] include an all-new drag and drop menu bar and Siri Eyes Free. No clunky laptops needed because the system is ergonomically located in the dash. The SRT pursuit vehicles will also be getting 370 hp, factory-installed Mopar upfit packages and an advanced all-wheel-drive system for maximum tactical performance, all-weather traction and fuel-efficiency. [00:01:00] It's clear that the new Charger pursuit vehicles have all the best tech available from Dodge but one important question remains: Do these cruisers got S.C.M.O.D.S.? For Autoblog, I'm Adam Morath. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. Dodge Technology Autoblog Minute Videos viral video