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The Hemi deserves to die | Opinion

Hi. I'm Byron and I love V8s. I want them to stick around for a long, long time. But not all V8s are created equal, and I will not mourn the passing of the modern Hemi. You shouldn't either. While we may agree that its death is untimely, if you ask me, that's only because it came far too late.  Stellantis’ announcement of its new, turbocharged inline-six that is all but guaranteed to kill off the Hemi V8 has led to quite a few half-baked internet takes. The notion being suggested by some, that automotive media were brainwashed into believing the Hemi was in need of replacement, is so far divorced from reality that I openly guffawed at the notion. Journalists have been challenging Chrysler, FCA and now Stellantis for years to deliver better high-performance engines. The response has always been the same: “Why?” Why replace a heavy V8 with a lighter, all-aluminum one? Why repackage powertrains for smaller footprints and better handling vehicles? Why be better when “good enough” sells really, really well? I too mourn the departure of good gasoline-burning engines, but since when was the Hemi one? HereÂ’s a quiz: Name every SRT model with an all-aluminum engine. TimeÂ’s up. If you named any, you failed. They donÂ’t exist. This isnÂ’t GMÂ’s compact, lightweight small-block, nor is it a DOHC Ford Coyote that at least revs high enough to justify its larger footprint. The Hemi is an overweight marketing exercise that happened to be in the right place at the right time. That time was 2003, when Chrysler was still Chrysler — except it was Daimler-Chrysler and the "merger of equals" was doing a bang-up job of bleeding the company's cash reserves dry while doing virtually nothing to address its mounting legacy costs. "That thang got a Hemi?" was emblematic of the whimsical, nostalgia-driven marketing of the colonial half of the "marriage made in heaven." That was 20 years ago. 20 years prior to that, emissions-choked American V8s were circling the drain faster than a soapy five-carat engagement ring in a truck stop sink.

Fiat Chrysler picks Google, Samsung for global connected car system

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler said on Tuesday it will use technology from Alphabet Inc's Google and Samsung to connect all its vehicles by 2022, providing music and video and facilitating future car-sharing and self-driving capabilities. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA) will use Google's Android operating system globally instead of a mixture of software that varies by region, a spokesman said. The automaker will also use a cloud-based digital platform from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's Harman unit. Unlike its rivals General Motors and Ford, FCA has spent virtually nothing on developing self-driving vehicle technology. This saves the company large amounts of money, but makes it reliant on outside parties to provide technology and systems. FCA said it will launch the new capabilities in the second half of 2019. The company said the system will aid owners "by predicting maintenance needs, locating fuel and charging stations, receiving traffic prompts and restaurant offers and providing live customer-care assistance at the push of the button." Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Technology Emerging Technologies connected car

2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody: Bring your friends on a 797-hp thrill ride

For a couple years now, if you wanted the ultimate in Dodge performance, your only option was the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. The 797-horsepower engine was exclusive to it and its widened body, and if you needed four-doors, you were out of luck. But following the addition of a widebody Charger, the company has finally seen fit to create the 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye, complete with the monster Hemi. Unsurprisingly, the addition of 90 extra horsepower makes the Charger Redeye significantly quicker than the standard Hellcat. On a 2.1-mile road course Dodge tested at, the Redeye lapped 1.2 seconds faster than the regular car. The Redeye also finishes the quarter-mile in 10.6 seconds, close to 0.4 second faster than the standard Hellcat Widebody. Top speed also increases from 196 mph to 203 mph. Visually, there are a few subtle cues that distinguish the Redeye from the Hellcat Widebody. It of course gets Hellcat badges with red eyes, but it also gets a unique hood. The hood, in combination with the Widebody front fascia and a special air intake opening near the wheel liner give the Redeye the maximum amount of air flow to the engine bay of any Charger variant. While the big news is the Redeye coming to the Charger, prospective Hellcat buyers have some good news, too. All 2021 Hellcats pick up 10 horsepower for 717 total. This matches the limited-edition Charger Hellcat Widebody Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition. So even if you can't reach a Redeye, the regular Hellcat will be even more potent than before. Pricing for the new Redeye has not yet been announced. Dealers will be able to start ordering 2021 Chargers this fall, so we should have pricing around that time. Cars should begin arriving at lots in early 2021. Related Video: