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2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Octane Edition fuels your dreams for a limited time

Few automakers love special-edition models quite as much as FCA. It's particularly prevalent in the Jeep and Ram lineups, but other makes get some love, too. Take a look at the new 2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Octane Edition, a special blacked-out model that's set to arrive at dealerships this fall. The car is available to order now, but Dodge says the books will only be open for a limited amount of time. The Octane Edition is available in two appropriately named colors: Pitch Black and White Knuckle. A pair of matte black stripes run down the middle of the car, flanked on both sides by a thin Octane Red stripe. The 20-inch wheels are painted gloss black and have a knurled bead to keep the tire from slipping on the rim. The Brembo brake package is included, with the six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers painted Octane Red to match the stripes. Inside, the Octane Edition gets houndstooth inserts in the SRT sport seats. There are red Hellcat logos, red seat belts and red stitching on the doors, seats, dash center console and steering wheel. The Octane Package adds $1,495 to the $68,740 base MSRP of a 2019 Charger Hellcat. Like all Hellcat models, the Charger comes with a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 making 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic. Changes for '19 include a new grille with two inlets to feed more air under the hood. The cars also get launch control, line lock, a cooler for the supercharger as well as a torque reserve system that preloads the supercharger for better launches.

What does Jeep have cooking with this stretched Cherokee?

Chrysler has been spotted testing what appears to be a stretched Jeep Cherokee prototype. Which seems odd, considering that Jeep already makes a Grand Cherokee, and that's an entirely different model. The question then is just what the company has in the works here. We don't know for sure – but we do have some ideas. We're anticipating a new Grand Wagoneer to serve as the brand's flagship model, but stretching the Cherokee's wheelbase to leapfrog the Grand Cherokee's would take more than eight inches – and stretching a "compact" platform to get there wouldn't seem to make a lot of sense. Alternatively Jeep could be looking to wedge a new model into its lineup in between the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee, potentially offering a third row of seats and wearing the Wagoneer name - sans the "Grand" - as part of a new range of seven-seaters. Just what the point would be, however, when the Dodge Durango already offers three rows based on the same platform as the Grand Cherokee, is a bit of a mystery. Another possibility is that it's not a Jeep at all, but rather a Dodge. The brand is in need of a replacement for the current Journey, and we're also waiting to see what FCA does to replace the Grand Cherokee since it unveiled the Chrysler Pacifica to replace the Town and Country. More of a crossover approach could take the Cherokee's Compact US Wide (CUSW) platform as its starting point, but stretched like this prototype to offer more space. Whatever it is, we're sure this won't be the last we'll have seen of it, so watch this space. Related Video:

A Mazda Miata with a Hellcat V8 exists, and it can be yours

Mazda Miatas with V8 swaps aren't unusual. Kits are available to drop in LS V8s from GM, and some even let you drop in an old Ford 5.0-liter V8. But a Miata with a Hellcat V8 is something special, and this one can be yours. As Automobile spotted, it will go across the block at the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction. This particular 1999 Miata has a build history you can check out for yourself, too. It was all chronicled on YouTube channel KARR. Obviously the Hellcat engine does fit between the wheels, but the hood had to be cut open for the intake manifold and supercharger to fit. The front bumper and lights have been changed to the 2001+ NB Miata design. According to the listing, it has suspension components from V8 Roadsters, a company that specializes in Miatas with twice the normal number of cylinders. In the middle of the car is a manual transmission, which connects to a Ford 8.8-inch differential that's been welded up. With that much power and an essentially locked rear diff, it should make for an excellent drift car. Fortunately it also has 10-inch wide wheels for more grip, and upgraded Wilwood brakes to stop it. It will go for auction at Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas event, which runs Oct. 3-5. There is no estimated price for the car, which is understandable since nothing like it has crossed the block before. It will go to a new owner, whatever the price, as it is being listed as "no reserve." So if you want to win burnout contests or get loads of stares at next year's Woodward Dream Cruise, you could do a lot worse than picking up this tiny monster. Aftermarket Dodge Mazda Convertible Performance Hellcat