2010 Ford F250 Crew 5.4l V8 6-passenger Bedliner 17k Mi Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Dodge Challenger outsold Mustang, Camaro in third quarter of 2019

The Dodge Challenger is nearly old enough to start driver's ed in some states, and it doesn't have a firm grasp on the increasingly crucial concept of downsizing, yet it beat the odds to become the most popular American two-door model during the third quarter of 2019. Its ballooning sales figures suggest buyers don't always want the latest, most advanced car they can get their hands on. Dodge sold 18,031 examples of the Challenger during the third quarter of 2019, a shocking 21% increase over the same period in 2018. It's a true muscle car, normally sardined in the same can as the Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang, a pair of smaller, nimbler two-doors that are much closer to the historic definition of a pony car. Semantics aside, the Mustang finished on the second spot of the sales podium with 16,823 sales, a 12.3% drop compared to the third quarter of 2018, and the Camaro took third with 12,275 sales, a 15% dip that alarmingly comes in the wake of two redesigns. More specific sales figures aren't available. We don't know what percentage of the sales mix V8s represent, or whether buyers prefer manual or automatic transmissions. The scoreboard looks different when we examine 2019's year-to-date figures. The Mustang takes first place with 55,365 sales, followed by the Challenger at 46,699, and the Camaro at 36,791. While the Challenger's recent ascent is encouraging, it can't mask the fact that two-door models no longer enjoy a favorable tailwind, and the entire segment — not just the American entries — is declining. The aforementioned year-to-date figures are down by 10.1, 11, and 7.6 percent, respectively. The third-quarter statistics revealed a handful of other surprises unrelated to the world of performance. Dodge notably sold three examples of the Dart, a sedan it hasn't built since 2016. That's a 93% drop compared to the 45 units that found a home during the third quarter of 2018.

Project CARS 2 is coming

It's barely been a month since we released our review on Project CARS, and already, developers Slightly Mad Studios is preparing a sequel. It'll use the same crowd-funding formula that put together such a successful game this time around. The sequel was announced on the World of Mass Development portal, the same source of crowdfunding for the first Project CARS. Among the enhancements Slightly Mad is planning, there's the usual promise of more tracks and cars, but what we're really looking forward to is the news hidden in that promise. Project CARS 2 will boast bigger, more exciting forms of racing, including rallycross. In total, there will be over "50 unique locations and 200+ courses," "8 different disciplines," and "200+ cars from over 40 different vehicle classes including never-before-seen Concepts and Banned Race Cars." Yes, this all sounds very good. Project CARS 2 will also add a new customizable test track feature, and there will be an increased emphasis on both co-op and social gameplay and "skill and behavioral-based matchmaking" in online play. The crowdfunding campaign for the new title is currently underway, although it's unclear when we'll get a planned release date. As for our own wish list, it's remarkably short. We'd like a more fully fleshed out career mode, actual vehicle upgrades and customization options, and a genuine economy would be welcomed additions. Part of the fun of racing titles is working up the coin to acquire new and exciting cars. It's not that we mind full access to the game's entire roster of vehicles, we just wish that in the career mode, there was a bit more planning and challenge to getting ahold of new racers. In short, we want the best parts of Forza Motorsport with combined with the best parts of Project CARS. Oh, and if the frame-rate issues we experienced on the Xbox One could be sorted out too. What would you like to see included in Project CARS 2? Perhaps cleaner menus? A better soundtrack? Have your say down in Comments. Until then, check out the launch announcement over at WMD. Related Video: Featured Gallery Project CARS 2 News Source: World of Mass Development via Kotaku Toys/Games Ford Racing Vehicles video games xbox one playstation 4 project cars slightly mad studios

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs. midsize crossovers and SUVs: How they compare on paper

In a world full of SUVs and crossovers all competing for similar buyers in similar segments, there are still some models that find their own little niches that lack such fevered fighting. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of those vehicles. It's an oddball in the sense that it's a midsize crossover SUV with a unibody chassis and independent suspension, but it still uses rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive systems and has some off-road capability. It's also a midsize crossover, but only offers two rows of seats. Despite the Grand Cherokee's odd nature, we did come up with a few crossovers and a classic SUV that seem to match the Jeep in size and pricing. We looked at the numbers to compare them on paper. You can find the raw data in the chart below and deeper analysis after that. As always, this is just a comparison of specifications and you'll want to check out our driving impressions of each car if you're getting serious about one or all of these vehicles. And if you want to compare any of these against other vehicles, be sure to check out our comparison tool. Engines and Drivetrains When comparing base engines, the Jeep Grand Cherokee's 295-horsepower is the clear power winner, beating the next most powerful 4Runner by 25. But in torque, the 4Runner takes the laurels with 278 pound-feet, narrowly edging out the Edge's (no pun intended) turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder's 275. That four-cylinder in the Edge will also be picking up another 5 horsepower for 2019, but it still won't win this power contest. Both Ford and Jeep also have another advantage in the fact that you don't have to settle for the base powertrain. Ford has two other engine options, a naturally aspirated V6 and a twin-turbocharged V6, the latter of which outguns the Grand Cherokee's gasoline V6 in both power and torque. That engine will also be bumped up to an impressive 335 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. View 20 Photos The Jeep has the most engine options, though, and it's the only to offer V8 and diesel options. On most Grand Cherokees, the options include a 5.7-liter V8, which is only available with 4WD. It makes 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, outperforming even the 2019 Edge's twin-turbo V6. The diesel engine doesn't make much power with just 240, but it makes up for it with torque at 420 pound-feet. And of course there are the SRT and SRT Trackhawk models with even bigger and supercharged V8 engines respectively.