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Dodge revives Challenger T/A and Charger Daytona trims for 2017

Dodge is reviving the Challenger's T/A trim and the Charger's Daytona line for 2017. Introduced on iconic Woodward Avenue just days before the annual Woodward Dream Cruise kicks off, the new variants promise more performance hardware and sportier aesthetics. We'll start with the two-door. The Challenger T/A, available with either the R/T trim's 5.7-liter V8 or the fire-breathing 6.4-liter Hemi V8, is inspired by the Challenger T/As of old. That means a less restrictive, 2.75-inch active exhaust system and a conical Mopar air filter. But there's no clear bump in output – Dodge still lists the base 5.7-liter at 375 horsepower and the 6.4-liter model at 485 hp. But hey, they're going to look cooler. Unlike the Challenger Hellcat, which should have it as standard, Dodge is including a Satin Black hood on every Challenger T/A. In fact, Satin Black is a recurring theme on this Challenger's front fascia, roof, rear decklid, and T/A bodyside stripes. And yes, the 20-inch Mopar wheels are black, too – they're also an inch wider than normal. Dodge is offering the T/A in three different trims. The base T/A has everything we described above, while the T/A Plus adds some comfort features like heated and vented Nappa leather seats, an 8.4-inch UConnect system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a six-speaker stereo, and a shortcut button for the Dodge Performance Pages. The T/A 392, meanwhile, adds the 6.4-liter V8, even wider wheels, and Brembo six-pot calipers. If you prefer smoking tires with four doors, there's the new Charger Daytona. No, there's not an enormous wing on the back. But Dodge added the same kind of engine/exhaust upgrades found on the T/A while upping the top speed from 135 to 150 miles per hour. Satin Black features prominently again, with hood and rear fender graphics. The roof is also black. Unlike the Challenger, Dodge is only offering two different versions of the Daytona – the 5.7-liter base model and the 6.4-liter version, called the Daytona 392. Prices for the Challenger T/A start at $38,485, including a $1,095-destination charge, while the T/A Plus adds $2,750. Adding the 392 means shelling out $45,090. For the Daytona, you'll need a check for $40,985 for the 5.7-liter or $46,090 for the 6.4-liter. Orders for the Charger Daytona open in September, while the T/A is a month later. Related Video:

2 men die in Dodge Challenger Hellcat crash at Colorado airport

Two friends died in the crash of a Dodge Challenger Hellcat over the weekend after they shot off the end of an airport runway, authorities said. That someone died in a 707-horsepower Hellcat is, sadly, not unexpected. But two aspects of the story are remarkable. First, the men's ages: The Denver Post reports the crash victims were Lynd Fitzgerald, 71, of Colorado Springs, and his passenger, Roger Lichtenberger, 76, of San Marcos, Calif. Second, their speed: The car was likely moving at over 100 miles per hour, authorities said. The men had permission to use the 8,300-foot runway at Central Colorado Regional Airport in Buena Vista. That's more than a mile and a half long. But when the car left the runway, it went 300 feet before flying over a ravine, hitting the ground, becoming airborne again, flipping end over end across a second ravine, and ultimately landing on its wheels 650 feet past the end of the pavement. Responding police officers tried to provide first aid, but the men were declared dead at the scene. "They were just test-driving this car. They went a little too fast. I don't want to surmise. ... They probably got to the end of the runway and, at that speed, didn't realize they were there so fast. And they lost control. It was just too high a speed and they got to the end of the runway," said Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze. There were skid marks near the end of the runway, but the sheriff didn't know the length. "I've never seen anything like it," Spezze told the newspaper. "They had permission to be there. There were no laws broken." Related Video:

2018 Dodge Durango SRT Quick Spin | The modern hot-rod wagon

I love big, overpowered SUVs. Except for Mercedes-AMG, no one makes fast wagons anymore. Models like the BMW X5 M and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S fill that niche, combining a powerful engine with copious amounts of room for cargo and passengers. These SUVs are too porky to handle well on a track and too big and wide to properly tackle a curvy backroad. But with a soft suspension and a 0-60 mph time of less than 5 seconds, they are perfect for cruising city streets and pulling away from unsuspecting Ford Mustangs and Chevy Camaros. That makes the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT perfect for the Woodward Dream Cruise. Dream Cruise is an annual car meet along Woodward Avenue, just northwest of Detroit. While literally any motorized vehicle is welcome, the street is mostly filled with American cars from the height of the domestic auto industry. For a late 20-something like myself, watching and partaking in the Dream Cruise fills me with a sense of nostalgia for a time and place that never existed for me, just like watching John Wayne in anything from "Stagecoach" to "True Grit" makes you long for horseback rides in the Old West. The Durango SRT, with a pushrod Hemi V8, 392 cubic-inch badging on the fenders and muscular styling, enhances the experience. Sure, it's not nearly as cool as Mopar stalwarts like the 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner or the 1970 Dodge Daytona, but it's filled with the same sense of purpose. Dip into the throttle and listen to that eight-cylinder chorus erupt with a sound that's wholly unique. Not even the pushrod V8s from GM snarl and crack like this 6.4-liter Hemi. It's the same sort of sound you'll hear from countless Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth products during Dream Cruise. You don't need to go fast to get the full understanding of the Durango SRT's purpose. Ignore the SRT-tuned suspension and heavy steering. What you really want to do is open the SRT menu and adjust the custom settings. Set the engine and transmission in track mode and put everything else in the street setting. You'll get all the available power and straight-line performance combined with a nice, cushy ride. We're not sure what FCA has planned for the future. While the industry moves toward electrification and autonomous ride-sharing vehicles, the automaker is pouring money into vehicles like the Durango SRT, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. Future prospects look hazy.