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Chrysler Recalling 870,000 SUVs For Brake Defect

Chrysler is recalling nearly 870,000 SUVs because corrosion may make the vehicles' brakes harder to use. Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs from the 2011 through 2014 model years are involved. Chrysler says crimp joints in the brake boosters can corrode if they're exposed to water. If the water freezes, the boosters won't aid braking as they usually do. Chrysler began investigating after some customers said their brakes felt too firm when pressed down. The company knows of one accident, but no injuries, due to the defect. Dealers will install a shield to protect the boosters for free and replace boosters that aren't working properly. Chrysler has since changed the design to make the boosters more corrosion resistant. Chrysler will notify owners of the recall, which involves 867,795 vehicles. Related Gallery Safest Crossovers For The Budget-Conscious Family View 10 Photos Recalls Chrysler Dodge

Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody expected for 2021

As of writing, Dodge still won't confirm that a Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody exists, even though camouflaged and debadged versions have already been spotted. Furthermore, before the automaker was forced to cancel this year's LX Sprint Fest 15, a poster advertising the event pictured a Charger SRT with a Dodge Demon-like hood, thought perhaps to be a "concept" version of the sedan in question. Once expected as a product for the 2020 model year, the sedan according to Mopar Insiders is now on the way for 2021 with tweaked looks to go with the centerpiece 6.2-liter Hemi V8 with 797 horsepower and 717 pound-feet of torque. The biggest cosmetic change will be the hood, a larger, redrawn center scoop dominating the front and feeding a cold-intake system pulled from the Demon. The two heat extractors move further back on the hood and rotate 90 degrees to face the sides of the sedan instead of facing the windshield. It will be available only in widebody form, and Redeye badges will adorn the grille, fenders, and decklid. Under the skin, changes compared to the Charger SRT Hellcat include a 6,500-rpm redline, 500 rpm higher than the 707-hp Charger Hellcat, a second dual-stage fuel pump, fitment of the SRT Power Chiller and the SRT After-Run Chiller also from the Demon, as well as stronger prop shafts and half-shafts. MI also mentioned the availability of either a standard 2.62 final drive ratio or an optional 3.09 final gear, production intent for concept wheels that were slated to show at LX Spring Fest, and a new SRT Performance Spoiler. The changes could drop the dash to 60 miles per hour a couple of tenths to 3.4 seconds, and get the widebody's top speed back over the 200-mph mark.  The question now is when the sedan will make its debut. MI thinks the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody will first greet the public at FCA's What's New media roundup this summer. However, with this month still obscured by coronavirus clouds and even late summer events still being canceled, its impossible to know when we'll get a look at the new muscle sedan. Related Video:    

Mopar unveils Dodge Challenger Drag Pak [w/video]

Dodge is going drag racing, and it's doing it with an all-new version of the Challenger for NHRA's Sportsman class. FCA's Mopar parts and performance arm announced the new Challenger Drag Pak Friday, showing off a version with a 354-cubic-inch (that's a 5.8-liter, by the way), supercharged V8 and a 426-ci (7.0-liter), naturally aspirated V8 – both Hemis, of course – that can get the big coupes through the quarter-mile in "the eight-second range." While the two engines deliver similar performance, at their base, they're quite a bit different. The supercharged model uses a cast-iron block, while the 426 has aluminum for both the block and head. That said, both models get customized engine calibrations, and are mated to unique, race-spec automatic transmissions. But drag racing is about far more than just outright power. Mopar significantly updated the four-link rear suspension, adding a four-inch rear axle from Strange Engineering, along with an aluminum, nine-inch third member, while the rear-axle housing has been strengthened in general. Both the rear shocks and front struts can be adjusted for rebound and compression, too. Lightweight 15-inch wheels, meanwhile, are shod in super-sticky Hoosier drag radials, with nine inches of tread in back and 4.5 inches in front. The new Challenger Drag Pak should run the quarter-mile in "the eight-second range." In the cabin, there's an NHRA-spec roll cage, a Racepak gauge cluster, and a handsome pair of Sparco racing seats. Outside, supercharged models get blue decals, while naturally aspirated varieties get black stickers, although there's more to the new Challenger dragster's exterior than just its decals. Mopar tweaked the big-scoop hood, promising it's easier to get up to check on the engine, and the designers also added trailer tie-down straps in both the front and rear. While the dragster was the big news today, Mopar officials also announced the two enhanced Scat Pack kits for both the Dodge Charger and Challenger R/T. The 5.7-liter Hemi models gain an extra 56 horsepower and 30 pound-feet of torque in the Scat Pack 2 thanks to a new cam, valve springs, pushrods, and gaskets. The Scat Pack 3, meanwhile, adds 75 hp and 44 lb-ft, on top of the gains from the lower packages. That should be perfect for drivers who wish to snort in the face of their SRT 392-driving friends. The third stage adds a ported cylinder heads, as well as high-flow manifolds and catalysts.