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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.

2015 Dodge Charger R/T NHRA Funny Car burns rubber into SEMA [w/video]

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is showing off a completely redesigned Dodge Charger Funny Car at this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas and it's ready to blow through the NHRA timing lights next year. Initially, the shape might look like any of the other entrants in its class burning through the quarter mile, but this is the first comprehensive rethink for the racecar's aerodynamics since 2006, says Dodge.
Draped in classy red and black Mopar livery, the 2015 Dodge Charger R/T NHRA Funny Car tries to share the front and rear styling with its roadgoing counterpart, plus the scallops along the side, but this racer is all about crossing the finish line first.
The major goals for the redesign included making the body stronger and lighter without sacrificing aerodynamics, and that has been done with materials like Kevlar and carbon fiber. However, engineers have accomplished even more. By moving the cockpit further back, they've increased engine clearance and improved driver visibility.

Dodge Charger and Challenger go Plum Crazy for Woodward Dream Cruise

Dodge will be rolling through a purple haze at the 2015 Woodward Dream Cruise on August 15 with the reintroduction of Plum Crazy to the color options on most trims of the 2016 Challenger and Charger. To premiere the latest use of the wild shade, the brand's display at the annual Detroit-area automotive event will be showing off violet versions of the 2016 Dodge Challenger 392 Hemi Scat Pack Shaker and Charger R/T Scat Pack. The brash tone originally debuted in 1970, but Dodge has kept the lavender hue special in recent years by limiting the option to specific trims. It was last offered during the 2014 model year on R/T and SRT trims of the two vehicles. Practically any buyer will be able to go Plum Crazy if they want. On the Challenger, the color will be available on the SXT Plus, R/T models, Hemi Scat Pack Shaker, SRT 392, and SRT Hellcat trims. The choices for the Charger will be similarly broad, including the SXT when ordered with 20-inch wheels, R/T versions, SRT 392, and SRT Hellcat. Customers desperately wanting a vehicle in the insanely violet shade will be able to place the first orders in September, and dealers will get the chance from October through the end of the year. Production of the lavender muscle cars will then commence in November. Dodge Debuts Plum Crazy Heritage Hue for 2016 Challenger and Charger at Woodward Dream Cruise, Provides Collector-demanded Production Numbers for High-impact Paint Colors New 2016 Dodge Challenger 392 HEMI Scat Pack Shaker and Charger R/T Scat Pack Models in Plum Crazy Will Be Shown at the Dodge Display at 13 Mile and Woodward Ave in Royal Oak, Mich.