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Junkyard Gem: 1977 Dodge Colt Mileage Maker Coupe

While Ford and GM each had the resources to develop their own Michigan-designed subcompacts for the dawn of the 1970s— the Pinto and Vega, respectively— Chrysler couldn't afford the huge price tag for such a project. Instead, Chrysler's European operations were tapped for a couple of models that sold well enough on the other side of the Atlantic, giving us the Plymouth Cricket (known as the Hillman Avenger in the UK) and the Simca 1204 (aka the Simca 1100 in France). American car shoppers gave those two models the cold shoulder, but then Chrysler found genuine sales success by making a deal with Mitsubishi to sell the Colt Galant with left-hand drive. This became the Dodge Colt, with sales beginning in the 1971 model year. Though the 1971-1978 rear-wheel-drive Colts were once as commonplace as Corollas or B210s on American roads, they have all but disappeared today. That makes today's Junkyard Find, discovered in a Denver-area yard last week, particularly interesting. This car shows signs of having been in the hands of a speed-crazed enthusiast owner, including an aftermarket steering wheel and one-piece racing seats with slots for five-point harnesses. The primer-gray paint is another clue. The rear-wheel-drive Colts were reasonably quick for their time, and they could be made genuinely quick with basic engine upgrades. This Mitsubishi Saturn four-banger has a tube header, hot-rod ignition system, and a two-barrel (Mikuni-made) Solex carburetor. We can assume there's probably some kind of cam upgrade under the valve cover, too. The shifter is gone, but the original transmission in this car was either the base four-speed or optional five-speed manual. A three-speed automatic was available for $270 (about $1,275 today). Later on, front-wheel-drive Colts (and Mitsubishi Mirages) could be bought with the Twin-Stick overdrive rig, which gave drivers eight forward speeds and the opportunity to make Twin-Stick beer taps. The 1977-1978 Dodge Colt two- and four-door sedans were based on the Mitsubishi Lancer and were a bit smaller than the 1971-1977 cars, while the wagon version moved to the Galant Sigma platform. The build tag shows that this car started life as the cheapest 1977 Colt model, the "Mileage Maker" two-door sedan (Dodge dealers called it a coupe, so that's what I'm calling it in the title).

Dodge explains why it will build the Durango SRT Hellcat for only six months

Dodge will manufacture the 710-horsepower, Hellcat-powered Durango SRT only for approximately six months. The company explained that, while it won't stop production after building a pre-determined number of SUVs, it won't be able to extend the model's life cycle due to several manufacturing- and government-related hurdles. "The Durango SRT Hellcat is not limited, it's not serialized like what we did with the Challenger SRT Demon, but we're only building it for six months. With all of the changes we made in the plant to come back up to production post-COVID-19, with the sequencing and spacing in the plant, it's changed the numbers we can build," explained Tim Kuniskis, the head of Dodge, in an interview with enthusiast website Muscle Cars & Trucks. He added no one on his team knows precisely how many SUVs the Jefferson North factory on the outskirts of Detroit will put a Hellcat engine into. It largely depends on customer demand. Asked to provide an estimate, Kuniskis revealed he expects "less than 2,000" units will be made. They will all be 2021 models. In theory, Dodge could at least double that number by bringing the Durango SRT Hellcat back for the 2022 model year. It's not that simple in application, however, because the company won't be able to drop a supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 in its biggest SUV after 2021 without leaning on the wrong side of looming emissions regulations. "When we switch to the 2022 model year, there are new evaporative emission requirements that come in that the Hellcat engine does not meet in that platform," Kuniskis said. He also noted the Jefferson North factory will be busy retooling for production of the next-generation 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee tentatively due out in 2020. Still speaking to Muscle Car & Trucks, Kuniskis clarified that the Hellcat-powered variants of the Charger and the Challenger will stick around in the foreseeable future; making them compliant with the upcoming emissions regulations is easier. And, he stressed the standard version of the Durango will carry on "completely interrupted." In other words: Act fast if you want a Durango SRT Hellcat. Dodge will begin taking orders in the fall of 2020, and production is scheduled to start in early 2021, with deliveries following shortly after. Pricing information hasn't been announced yet, but we expect its base price will be pegged in the vicinity of $90,000. Related Video:    

FCA axes Dodge Journey and Grand Caravan for 2021

FCA confirmed this week that Dodge will end production of both the Grand Caravan and the Journey after the 2020 model year, leaving the brand without a front-wheel drive crossover for the first time since 2008, and without a minivan for the first time in nearly four decades.  "The year was 1983. Ronald Reagan was President of the United States of America. Lech Walesa was the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. The Internet was created, and the first mobile phones were introduced to the public. U.S. astronauts completed the first space shuttle spacewalk; Michael Jackson performed the 'moonwalk.' The Baltimore Orioles won the World Series ... and Chrysler hit a home run with the introduction of the first minivan," FCA (then Chrysler LLC) said when it celebrated the minivan's 25th anniversary in 2008.  1984 Dodge Caravan View 9 Photos Since that anniversary, the Dodge variant of FCA's minivan has changed very little. It has received interior and powertrain improvements, including the introduction of the 3.6-liter "Pentastar" V6 in 2011, but its fundamental architecture has remained constant. The lack of attention it received came to light in 2019, when the outdated powertrain disqualified it from new-car sales eligibility in California.  The prior 25 years notwithstanding, the story of the Dodge Journey is somewhat similar. Introduced in 2008 as a 2009 model, it was praised as one of Chrysler's better, more modern offerings when it hit dealerships. Like the Grand Caravan, it later benefited from an interior overhaul and the introduction of the 3.6-liter V6, but its bones remained unchanged for the duration. This lack of attention showed, as the Journey slipped from borderline-competitive to also-ran.  2010 Dodge Journey R/T View 3 Photos The discontinuation of the Grand Caravan and Journey eliminates 40% of the Dodge lineup. The two models represent more than 38% of the brand's sales volume so far in 2020. For 2021, only the Charger, Challenger and Durango will remain. Minivan buyers will still have options at Chrysler, which offers several variants of the Pacifica, including the new Voyager, which is a stripped-down model aimed at budget-conscious buyers who would previously have been drawn to the bare-bones Dodge.  With this latest round of downsizing, Dodge will join Ram, Chrysler, Fiat and Alfa Romeo in the ranks of FCA brands offering four or fewer models; only Jeep will offer more.  Related Video: