2008 Dodge Viper Srt-10 Gts Coupe 2-door 8.4l on 2040-cars

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2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition celebrates an icon

Fifty years ago, Dodge commissioned Creative Industries to build the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona as a homologation special to satisfy NASCAR rules. The extraterrestrial-looking coupe conquered at the race track, broke records, and frightened any onlooker possessed of a weak constitution; it's claimed that even the carmaker's general manager at the time, Bob McCurry, considered the Charger Daytona the ugliest car he'd ever laid eyes on. Time having worked its magic, Dodge is celebrating the now-iconic Winged Warrior with the 2020 Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition. The new model goes without a nose cone and vertical stabilizers, but it does loose 717 horsepower from its 6.2-liter supercharged V8, which is 10 more than the standard car. The grunty sedan will be available in four colors: Pitch Black, Triple Nickel, White Knuckle, and B5 Blue exclusive to this model. B5 was the original paint code for a Blue Fire Poly hue available on Dodge and Plymouth products built between 1969 and 1972. Evoking the original as well as highlighting the decklid spoiler on the new Charger, the black, nickel, and blue sedans get white "Daytona" decals on the rear quarter panels and a white spoiler, matching white Hellcat badges on the front fenders. White cars get blue "Daytona" decals and spoiler, and Hellcat badges in a bright finish. Twenty-inch Warp Speed wheels finished in Satin Carbon on all-season Pirellis and black Brembo brakes complete the exterior overhaul. Inside, heated and cooled 12-way adjustable performance seats are trimmed in Nappa leather and Alcantara, with blue cross-stitching joining seatbacks embroidered with the word "Daytona." The flat-bottomed, suede-wrapped steering wheel with silver stitching and "velour-bound" floor mats will only come in this model, the festival of special appointments also including the dynamica suede headliner, carbon fiber instrument panel and bezels, light black chrome trim pieces, and blue stitching on the dash, shifter, center console armrest, and door panels. Dodge will only produce 501 units, said to match the number of cars necessary for NASCAR homologation at the time, and each wears a plaque identifying it as "X out of 501." NASCAR rules in 1969 demanded 500 units, actually — the car Dodge built in 1968 to race was called the Charger 500, in fact. Also, Creative Industries built 503 1969 Charger Daytonas for the U.S. and another 40 for Canada, but who's counting?

Chrysler recalling 67k trucks with manual transmissions

Earlier this month, Chrysler announced the recall of some 280,000 pickup trucks over concerns that their axles could seize up. Now the automaker has announced an entirely separate recall of another 66,819 trucks over the springs that could break in the clutch ignition interlock switch. The recall affects Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups, as well as the Dodge Dakota and Mitsubishi Raider. The issue is relevant only to those trucks fitted with manual transmissions, from the 2006 and 2007 model years and manufactured between July 1, 2005, and July 31, 2006. Since a broken spring could, according to statements issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and FCA US LLC (previously known as the Chrysler Group) prevent the vehicle from starting, or cause it to move unintentionally once the ignition kicks over, the automaker will begin notifying owners of the affected vehicles just before Valentine's Day to bring their trucks into their local dealers to have the clutch ignition interlock switch replaced. FCA emphasizes, however, that the unintended movement would only occur "in rare cases" and only "if recommended starting procedures are not followed." Only one such case is known to have occurred, but it did regrettably result in a fatality. Statement: Clutch Ignition Interlock Switch December 29, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is launching a voluntary global recall of an estimated 66,819 older-model pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions. The Company will replace their clutch ignition interlock switches at no charge to customers. An investigation by FCA US engineers discovered switches in certain model-year 2006 and 2007 pickups may be equipped with spring wire that differs from wire used in previous switches. The alternate wire may break and, as a result, the vehicles may not start. In rare cases, a vehicle may – if recommended starting procedures are not followed – exhibit unintended movement when its ignition key is turned. The Company is aware of one fatality related to this campaign. It stemmed from the single known accident involving this population of vehicles. The recall covers certain Dodge Dakota, Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, 3500 and Mitsubishi Raider pickups. Switches with the alternate wire were not used in any vehicles produced before July of 2005, or after June of 2006. The Dakota and Raider are no longer in production.

I sold my Viper, but the memories I'll keep

The following is written by auto industry veteran Tow Kowaleski. The words are his own, but the memories now belong to everyone thanks to his willingness to share. If you're an industry veteran with a story to share, contact us at tipsATautoblogDOTcom.
It became the flame that started the fire of belief in the next life of Chrysler.
I just sold a car. Nothing new. Millions do it every day. But my car was a 1995 Dodge Viper, so maybe it was a bit more unique since just 12,000 were built. And like others selling a car that's been a part of the family for close to 20 years, this was a confluence of emotions for me. I was sad to see it go, but happy to have the cash and one less big, shiny, under-utilized object in my life.