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Viper fans are at the Nurburgring to reclaim production-car speed record

With the outgoing generation of the Viper, Dodge missed a fabulous opportunity to set another Nurburgring lap record. The company did it, twice, with the previous-generation Viper ACR, but never went back with the latest ACR, and it definitely won't now that the car is being discontinued. This is why a group of Viper fans began fundraising back in January to take ACRs to the 'Ring for one more shot at glory. And, right now, that group is in Germany preparing for the attempt. The team made it thanks to support from GoFundMe donors, and sponsorship from Kumho Tires and Prefix, a design and prototype company based in Michigan. They're using two Viper ACR GTS-R commemorative-edition cars, which are appropriate for competing track cars since they have the same white-with-blue-stripes color scheme as Dodge's old Viper GTS-R racecars. The cars are supplied from ViperExchange and BJ Motors and equipped with Kumho Ecsta V720 tires. According to the group's Facebook page, the team has been practicing since Wednesday, July 19. A video posted today highlighted that the only mechanical issue so far has been an overheating problem that was solved with a new thermostat. Each car is running a different suspension setup for practice - one soft, the other hard - and they'll adjust them as needed. The plan is that both cars will use the same setup on the record attempt. To claim the record without any argument will require beating the 6:45.9 time set by the Nio EP9 electric car. Right behind it is the Radical SR8LM, which is technically street-legal, but not really a street car. It set a time of 6:48. As for true street cars with gasoline engines, the target the Viper team will really want to beat is the Lamborghini Huracan Performante, which pulled off a time of 6:52. You can track the team's progress at its Facebook page. Related Video: Image Credit: Dodge Auto News Motorsports Dodge Coupe Performance Supercars dodge viper acr nio ep9

Hypermiling a Ram 1500 EcoDiesel to 38.1 mpg

You never quite know what Wayne Gerdes has up his sleeve. The man who coined the term hypermiling is always looking for adventurous ways to prove that anyone – even you... yes, you – can eke out more miles per gallon just by changing the way you drive. Saying that is easy. Proving it by going on outlandish cross-country drives is hard. But for Gerdes and his team of fuel economy fiends over at CleanMPG, hard is half the fun. Our latest adventure appeared, at first glance, to be nearly impossible. Which is why we always answer the phone when Gerdes calls. He likes to take journalists along on his drives, not only to try teach us how to hypermile but also to prove that we can be taught. The first time I 'helped' him and his team was when we got over 30 miles per gallon in a 2011 Ford F-150 XLT with the EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6. The EPA rated that truck with at just 16 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway. So, we'll count that trip as a success. Next up was a cross-country drive last fall in a trio of Audi TDI vehicles to prove that you don't need to drive extra slow to beat the EPA numbers. In fact, we made it from Los Angeles to New York City in just over 46 hours, cramped but not cranky. We had once again proven that how you drive is hugely important to your fuel usage. Our latest adventure appeared, at first glance, to be nearly impossible. The EPA says that the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel we would be driving gets just 22 combined mpg (19 city and 27 highway). Gerdes' idea was to drive it as far north from Houston, TX towards Detroit, MI as we could go on one tank. The day before we left, our itinerary got an extra stop. Instead of taking one of the official Shell Eco-marathon prototype vehicles to Detroit, it was decided to bring the winning diesel-powered prototype from the just-finished event to The Henry Ford Museum, where it had been arranged the car would be displayed. The winning car was built by a small team (just four students) from Sullivan High School in Sullivan, IN, who managed to beat a number of college teams with a score of 1,899.32 mpg. That target would be a bit out of reach for the Ram, but could we get 1,000 miles from the tank? Since the truck has a 26 gallon tank (officially, anyway), that would mean the EPA says we could only go 702 miles, assuming all highway driving. Could we make up 300 miles with careful driving? That spells both challenge and fun.

Will the Chrysler 300 go front-wheel drive?

FCA chief executive Sergio Marchionne hinted last week that the strapping rear-wheel-drive Chrysler 300 sedan could go front-wheel drive for its next generation using the underpinnings from the Chrysler Pacifica minivan. Speaking at the Pacifica's production launch in Windsor, ON, Marchionne said, "this plant and this architecture is capable of making the 300 successor, the front-wheel, all-wheel-drive successor," Reuters reported. Perhaps realizing he appeared to be announcing a dramatic shift in product strategy, Marchionne backpedaled in response to a follow-up question, noting only that the Ontario factory is "capable" of making the sedan. "It's capable. It's not a commitment," he said, according to Reuters. The 300 is currently built in Brampton, ON, alongside the mechanically similar Dodge Charger and Challenger. The platform, known as LX in enthusiast circles, is an evolution of Mercedes-based chassis pieces that date to the DaimlerChrysler era. Marchionne's comments didn't cover the Dodges and left a lot open to interpretation. The 300 could switch to front- and all-wheel-drive and focus on a more civilized, elegant ride character, leaving the Charger and two-door Challenger as traditional rear-wheel-drive muscle cars. That strategy would further differentiate the Chrysler and Dodge car lines. Additionally, the Charger's RWD platform makes it a popular police vehicle, and both Dodges are offered in top trim as 707-horsepower Hellcats. Switching to front-wheel drive would seemingly complicate both of those endeavors. Rumors have also swirled that Alfa Romeo could contribute RWD underpinnings for Dodge. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2015 Chrysler 300 View 92 Photos Design/Style Chrysler Dodge Off-Road Vehicles Performance Sedan chrysler pacifica