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Say goodbye to the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne outlined an update to the company's five-year business plan Wednesday, and among the changes, the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 sedans will soon be phased out. The company's presentation to investors states that the "market shift from cars to trucks and UVs [utility vehicles is] now seen as permanent shift in demand," and FCA wants to respond as quickly as possible. Killing the 200 and Dart will allow FCA to build more Jeep and Ram models at the Sterling Heights, MI, and Belvidere, IL, plants where the sedans were produced. We already knew FCA was planning to shift 200 and Dart production to Mexico, to free up the Sterling Heights facility for Ram 1500 production, and the Belivdere site for Jeep Cherokee output. The Cherokee will move from its current home in Toledo, OH, to allow for increased Wrangler production. It's no shock that FCA wants to shift its focus to crossovers and trucks. In December 2015, for example, combined sales of the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 were 15,310. The Jeep Cherokee, which uses the same platform as the Dart and 200, outsold both models combined, with 24,049 sales. Both the Dart and 200 had troubles from the beginning. Marchionne recently blamed designers for the 200 not receiving a Consumer Reports 'recommended' rating, and the Dart was one of the lowest-scoring cars in a CR reliability study. Featured Gallery 2013 Dodge Dart: Review View 27 Photos Related Gallery 2015 Chrysler 200 View 43 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / AOL Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM FCA confirmed

Top horsepower-per-dollar cars in 2017

Bang for the buck. That quasi-scientific statistic is bandied about by motor heads everywhere from classrooms to barrooms, though the truth of the matter is that it's exceedingly complex to measure. A fair performance-per-dollar index would include something like cross-referencing MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) with point-to-point times on a track or driving route, which is obviously hard to do comprehensively. But, for the sheer joy of talking about cars and playing with a big spreadsheet, there's always the horsepower-per-dollar index, which is more straightforward, albeit hilariously flawed. There are vagaries even with this simple formula, of course: MSRP for vehicles can change at a moment's notice, to say nothing of the bottom-line shifting that happens with local deals or showroom negotiation. For this list we're running with the straight MSRP wherever possible, and as recently reported as we can get it. All the vehicles on this list are 2017 models, and all trims are reported where the lowest price and differing power levels intersect. Some choices were made for personal preference and some for sanity, avoiding things like all 48 trim levels of the Ford Transit, all with the same horsepower). If this list were a simple top ten, or even a top fifty, you'd be bored to tears with all the red, white and blue that is represented. Following perfectly with conventional wisdom, American cars really do lead the world where hp/$ is concerned. So, for the sake of variety (and the sheer joy of seeing a minivan 'win' one round of this thing) I've sorted out some top five and bottom five lists for broad power categories. Let's dive in. Less Than 100 Horsepower Okay, okay, this is hardly a category we'll grant you. But we've often tried to click off all the sub-100-hp cars on sale in the US, and making this list gave us an excuse. It also illustrates that none of these smallish vehicles bring cheap horsepower to the table - for that you'll need a motorcycle. The segment-leading Chevy Spark (above) asks just over $139 for each hp, and that Smart Fortwo Electric Drive has hp on sale for about the same price as its very distant family cousin, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG (insert your favorite Smart joke here... we know you want to).

Barracuda's Dodge branding no biggie, but what about engines?

Rumors about a revival of the Barracuda nameplate have been circulating for years now, though which brand it might fall under has been a bit of a mystery. Initial speculation had the car labeled an SRT product, but that acronym has since returned to its former role as a sub-brand for top-performance Mopars. Thanks to leaks from a recent FCA dealership event, we know the Barracuda is back on the table but will be sold under the Dodge umbrella, a move that has been generating a bit of ire from Pentastar fanatics, as the car was originally part of the defunct Plymouth brand. Given what's known about the new model, however, the badge is the least of my concerns about the new car. Let's start with the re-branding itself. This isn't the first time Chrysler has shuffled models around to different brands. The current-generation Viper spent two years as the flagship model under the SRT banner, only to return to Dodge for 2015 when SRT resumed its former role as a sub-brand. Years ago, the Neon was sold as a Plymouth, a Dodge, and a Chrysler model, depending on where you shopped for one. When Plymouth ceased to exist, the last few years of Prowler production got Chrysler badges instead. Then there's the new Jeep Renegade, a model whose name was born out of a trim level. The Barracuda might not turn out to be a muscle car in the way we currently define them. Further examples of naming liberties taken throughout automotive history could fill a book, but suffice it to say that these days a model's name has very little to do with the vehicle itself or any legacy it might have. The Barracuda name might be a particularly sacred cow with enthusiasts, but to me, a much bigger concern is the fact that the car might not turn out to be a muscle car in the way we currently define them. News from the Fiat Chrysler dealer briefing earlier this week indicates that when the next Charger debuts it will share its platform with the Barracuda, much the way the Charger and Challenger are twinned now. One difference is that the Barracuda is tipped to be offered as a convertible, while the modern Challenger is tintop-only. The Charger and Barracuda will use the rear-drive platform developed for Alfa Romeo's new Giulia, itself designed as a BMW M3 fighter both from a dimensional and dynamic standpoint; the Barracuda is expected to be slightly smaller than the current Challenger.