2005 Dodge Viper Srt10 Convertible 2d on 2040-cars

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Auto sales in March and first quarter down nearly across the board

Nearly every major automaker reported weak U.S. sales for March and the first quarter of 2019, citing a rough start to the year, but said a robust economy and strong labor market should encourage consumers to buy more vehicles as 2019 rolls on. GM, which no longer releases monthly sales figures, saw first-quarter sales fall 7 percent, with declines across all brands. Sales of Silverado pickup trucks fell nearly 16 percent and the high-margin Chevy Suburban large SUV dropped 25 percent. Ford also no longer releases monthly sales numbers, but is due to release its first-quarter sales figures on Thursday. According to industry data, Ford's sales fell 2 percent in the quarter and 5 percent in March. Ford representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. FCA reported a 7 percent fall in U.S. sales in March and a 3 percent drop for the first quarter. All of FCA's brands dropped in March, except for Ram, which saw a 15 percent increase in pickup truck sales. "The industry had a tough first quarter, but with spring finally starting to show its face and continued strong economic indicators ... we are confident that new vehicle sales demand will strengthen going forward," FCA's U.S. head of sales, Reid Bigland, said in a statement. Toyota reported a 3.5 percent fall in U.S. sales in March and 5 percent for the first quarter, hurt by declining demand for its Corolla sedans and Camry vehicles. "While some of our competitors are abandoning sedans, we remain optimistic about the future of the segment," Toyota said in a statement. Nissan posted a 5.3 percent drop in sales in March, and its first-quarter sales were down 11.6 percent. Honda and Hyundai bucked the trend. Honda's U.S. sales rose 4.3 percent in March and 2 percent in the quarter, while Hyundai's were up 1.7 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively. Passenger-car sales suffered throughout the January-March quarter compared with the same period in 2018 as Americans continued to abandon them in favor of larger, more comfortable pickup trucks and SUVs, which are far more profitable for automakers. The battle for market share in the particularly lucrative large-pickup truck market intensified in the quarter, as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Ram brand outsold the U.S.' No. 1 automaker General Motors' Chevrolet-brand trucks. The two automakers have both launched redesigned pickup trucks.

One-of-four carbon fiber-bodied Dodge Challenger Demon listed for sale

Exclusivity often comes at a high price; in this case, it's $169,995. That's how much Texas exotic car dealer BJ Motors is asking for one of the four carbon fiber-bodied Dodge Challenger Demons built by Speedkore. Many enthusiasts would balk at the idea of spending Audi R8 money on a Demon, but this example isn't your average Challenger. Unveiled at the 2017 SEMA show, and upgraded with 1,400 horsepower the following year, the model ditches the standard coupe's metal body panels for carbon fiber parts to lose about 200 pounds. The example offered for sale has six miles on the odometer so odds are no one has verified its quarter-mile time. The dealer noted the Demon in its inventory is the fourth and final carbon fiber-bodied example built. It's fitted with the stock engine, meaning power comes from a supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 engine that delivers 840 horsepower and 770 pound-feet of torque when burning 100-octane race gas, or 808 horsepower and 717 pound-feet of torque when slurping pump gas. It pops a 2.9-foot wheelie as it screams to 60 mph in 2.3 seconds. The person who ordered this Demon new ticked nearly every box on the list of options. It's equipped with heated and cooled front seats, an 18-speaker sound system, plus two-tone leather and Alcantara upholstery. However, as AllPar pointed out, the dealer makes no mention of the Demon Crate, which included skinny front tires, a block-off plate for the passenger-side door mirror, and a conical air filter, among other go-fast goodies. While spending $170,000 on a Dodge Challenger sounds utterly insane, we wouldn't be surprised if this rare example in like-new condition finds a new home quicker than the Demon goes down a drag strip. Dodge made 3,300 units and stock, metal-bodied examples with delivery mileage sold for an average of $143,000 in 2018, according to Hagerty. AllPar learned Speedkore charged $90,000 for the carbon fiber conversion. The equation tilts in favor of the buyer, which suggests the car's next owner may be more of an investor than an enthusiast. If you're more into classics, Speedkore also gave a 1970 Charger the carbon fiber treatment and rounded out the modifications with a 996-horsepower Demon crate engine. Alternatively, if you have a family to haul, the company made a carbon fiber-bodied Charger with 1,525 horsepower at the crank when running 26 pounds of boost. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.

The Walter P. Chrysler Museum is shutting down permanently this December

It is with disappointment that we report the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, MI, will be closed down permanently at the end of this year. The museum, which closed in 2012 after not being able to cover costs, was recently reopened to the public on alternating weekends starting in June, but Chrysler made the decision to shutter it altogether after its final day of operation on December 18, 2016. The reason for this is primarily because FCA needs more office space, and the company decided to convert the museum for that purpose. The the cars will be moved to storage after the closure, and they'll be shown at various events. However, they'll only be able to be seen together for two more weekends. Those weekends include those of November 19 and 20, and December 17 and 18. The museum will be open from 10 am to 4 pm on those days. If you can, we highly recommend visiting the museum. Adults get in for $10, seniors and retired FCA employees for $8, kids between 6 and 17 for $6, and kids under 5 for free. It also has some fantastic cars including concepts from the 1950s to the 2000s, oddball performance vehicles such as the Omni GLH-S, and of course plenty of fascinating history. And if it makes any difference to you, there's even a purple Plymouth Prowler you can sit in. Just make sure you don't wait too long to make up your mind about visiting. Related Video: