2003 Dodge Ram 2500 4dr Quad Cab 140.5" Wb 4wd Slt on 2040-cars

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Dodge Grand Caravan to live in fleets through 2017

After a hard-working career of hauling around families for decades, the Dodge Grand Caravan name was set to retire in 2016 under FCA's five-year plan for the US. The decision would have put all of the automaker's focus behind the next-generation Chrysler Town & Country, but that original strategy might have changed. Now, Dodge's minivan may have to work just a few more years before it can finally shuffle off. There are set to be 2016 and 2017 model year examples of the current Grand Caravan, according to an internal FCA production document obtained by Automotive News. This report suggests no changes in the minivan between those two years, and there's no mention of the company's intentions deeper into the future. "While we've announced the Grand Caravan will eventually be the minivan that goes away, we're not going into more detail at this time," a Dodge spokesperson said to AN. For the next Town & Country, production would start in Windsor, Ontario, in late February 2016. This document also suggests a brief run of 2016 Chrysler minivans based on the current model from August 2015 until February 2016. Automotive News speculates that the reprieve for the Grand Caravan could allow that model to focus on fleets and the Canadian market while the new Town and Country gets up and running. The latest generation T&C will reportedly debut at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show and will possibly carry a higher price to befit a vehicle with a more modern platform and improved tech.

Dodge Demon lightweight by SpeedKore Performance comes to SEMA

We already know that the Dodge Demon is crazy fast. We experienced that firsthand. But its more than ample amounts of built-in speed doesn't mean that owners won't be tinkering with it to make it faster. But if you don't want to add more power (or even if you do), you can always make the car lighter. That's what SpeedKore Performance Group has done, and it will bring its lightweight carbon fiber Dodge Challenger SRT Demon to the SEMA show in Las Vegas, where it will be introduced by none other than rock legend Sammy Hagar. Last year, SpeedKore brought its carbon fiber-bodied Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat to SEMA, and now it has applied the same treatment to the 840-horsepower Demon. The body panels and spoilers will be manufactured using SpeedKore's autoclave in Grafton, Wisconsin. SpeedKore will also be one of many companies bringing a modified Ford Mustang to SEMA. A carbon-bodied Ford Shelby GT350R by SpeedKore was recently featured on "Jay Leno's Garage." Last year, Leno also drove SpeedKore's 1970 Dodge Charger Tantrum, which features a carbon fiber front end and a 1,650-horsepower Mercury Marine engine. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Speedkore Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: SEMA 2017 View 13 Photos Related Gallery SpeedKore Performance 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon News Source: SpeedKore Performance GroupImage Credit: Live photos copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com Aftermarket Celebrities SEMA Show Dodge Coupe Lightweight Vehicles Performance dodge demon dodge challenger srt demon SEMA 2017 speedkore performance

Will airbags sandbag the 2017 Dodge Viper?

The Dodge Viper is speeding down the road to cancellation for the 2017 model year, and at least part of the reason for the V10 monster's death is a problem fitting it with federally mandated side curtain airbags. An anonymous source close to FCA US told Motor Trend the automaker can't install the parts because they would further limit the coupe's already tight headroom. The government believes the side curtain airbags can reduce occupant ejections during accidents, and all vehicles must have them for the 2017 model year. The Viper's slow sales also don't provide FCA US much motivation to work out a solution to this problem. The automaker moved just 676 of the handmade sports coupes in the US in 2015, which was down 11 percent from 760 deliveries in 2014. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne hinted at the Detroit Auto Show that the Viper could return eventually. He doesn't like that the current model has a dedicated platform but indicated a new one could share the underpinnings with another of the company's products. Marchionne's current business plan for FCA stresses building the automaker's value, so it might be a while before we see the sweater-clad CEO focusing on a niche vehicle like the Viper. Related Video: