1972 Dodge Challenger Pro Street Project on 2040-cars

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Dodge Viper recall requires small-handed mechanics

It has been over a year since Chrysler first announced its recall of 3,660 2003-2004 Dodge Vipers because the airbag could suddenly deploy. The repairs are finally beginning, and it appears to be a nightmare for mechanics.
According to the automaker's filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the airbag control module can fail, which causes the bag or the seatbelt pre-tensioner to deploy without warning. It took over a year to design the new parts, according to The New York Times. However, Chrysler finally has a new "jumper harness with an in-line diode filter circuit" ready to fix the problem.
The dilemma now moves to the mechanics who have to actually install the part. A 47-step guide from Chrysler explains that the procedure should take about two hours. It's not an easy job, though. Most of the dashboard has to be taken apart, and the instructions include this helpful bit of advice: "Installing the jumper harness and filter box into position is not an easy task. Patience, perseverance, and small hands are required." We wish the best of luck to them. The fix comes just in time for the Vipers to enjoy the summer sun.

Stellantis ready to kill brands and fix U.S. problems, CEO Tavares says

  MILAN — Stellantis is taking steps to fix weak margins and high inventory at its U.S. operations and will not hesitate to axe underperforming brands in its sprawling portfolio, its chief executive Carlos Tavares said on Thursday. The warning for lossmaking brands is a turnaround for Tavares, who has maintained since Stellantis was created in 2021 from the merger of Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA that all of its 14 brands including Maserati, Fiat, Peugeot and Jeep have a future. "If they don't make money, we'll shut them down," Carlos Tavares told reporters after the world's No. 4 automaker delivered worse-than-expected first-half results, sending its shares down as much as 10%. "We cannot afford to have brands that do not make money." The automaker now also considers China's Leapmotor as its 15th brand, after it agreed to a broad cooperation with the group. Stellantis does not release figures for individual brands, except for Maserati which reported an 82 million euro adjusted operating loss in the first half. Some analysts say Maserati could possibly be a target for a sale by Stellantis, while other brands such as Lancia or DS might be at risk of being scrapped given their marginal contribution to the group's overall sales. Stellantis' Milan-listed shares were down as much as 12.5% on Thursday, hitting their lowest since August 2023. That brings the loss for the year so far to 22%, making them the worst performer among the major European automakers. Few automotive brands have been killed off since General Motors ditched the unprofitable Saturn and Pontiac during a U.S. government-led bankruptcy in the global financial crisis in 2008. Tavares is under pressure to revive flagging margins and sales and cut inventory in the United States as Stellantis bets on the launch of 20 new models this year which it hopes will boost profitability. Recent poor results from global carmakers have heightened worries about a weakening outlook for sales across major markets such as the U.S., whilst they also juggle an expensive transition to electric vehicles and growing competition from cheaper Chinese rivals. Japan's Nissan Motor saw first-quarter profit almost completely wiped out on Thursday and slashed its annual outlook, as deep discounting in the United States shredded its margins. Tavares said he would be working through the summer with his U.S. team on how to improve performance and cut inventory.

2020 Dodge Charger R/T and Scat Pack get Daytona Edition Packages

Dodge announced the Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition late last year, limited to 501 examples, one of which has already gone to that big NASCAR infield in the sky. For the rest of the Daytona fandom, Mopar Insiders says Dodge has just opened the order books for the Daytona Edition Package available on the standard Charger R/T and Scat Pack. When optioned with the package, both trims get a Mopar cold air intake under the hood, a black spoiler, and a satin black Daytona graphic across the rear decklid and fenders. Both sedans also upgrade their side mirrors to automatically adjust downward when the transmission is put in reverse, plus an automatically-dimming driver's side mirror. Inside, they share power driver's and passenger's seats in Nappa leather and Alcantara with the Daytona logo, heated seats front and rear, a premium-stitched dash panel with gloss black instrument cluster rings, and a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel. Additional upper and lower LED lighting in the front of the cabin, plus illuminated rear cupholders, memory functions for the driver's seat, radio, and outside mirrors, and black-edge premium floor mats complete the interior changes.  The Charger R/T sits on 20 x 9-inch Lights Out painted wheels, and installs a heated steering wheel and security alarm. The Charger Scat Pack sits on 20 x 9.5-inch forged and painted aluminum wheels, and affixes more satin black decals on the roof and the hood on top of a Daytona badge on the grille. The mirrors are luxxed up further than on the R/T, being powered and heated as well as fold-away, and including a blind-spot warning. Inside the Scat Pack, a Daytona badge on the instrument panel mixes with Carbonite accents throughout the interior.  The Daytona Edition Package can be ordered in any of the 12-strong color palette, including Frostbite (pictured), Hellraisin, and Sinamon Stick that are new for 2020. The kit adds $3,495 to the prices of both cars, so before any other options, the 2020 Charger R/T Daytona comes to $41,385 after destination, the 2020 Charger Scat Pack Daytona comes to $44,985. Related Video: