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2019 Dodge Challenger Review and Buying Guide | Cause we still review awesome cars, too

The Dodge Challenger has now been kicking around without a complete redesign for a decade, yet it actually seems to be getting more popular in its old age. Credit a substantial overhaul a few years ago, constant tinkering, and a yearly roll out of exciting new variants. For the 2019 Dodge Challenger, we welcome the 797-horsepower Hellcat Redeye and R/T Scat Pack Widebody. However, there's an inherent honesty and unique goodness to the Challenger that allows it to still duke it out with the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro – despite those age-old rivals' transformation into something more akin to a sports car. The Challenger, by contrast, is 100% muscle car more concerned with straight-line performance than handling precision. It's also much bigger and practical, lending itself better to daily driver duty. That, plus its distinctive style and diverse model lineup, make it easy to see why the Challenger continues to enjoy such massive success. You can certainly count us among its fans. What's new for 2019? We say goodbye to the SRT 392 and Demon, but hello to the 797-horsepower Hellcat Redeye and R/T Scat Pack Widebody. The regular Hellcat gets a 10-hp bump as well as a new "dual snorkel" hood. Further down the Challenger pecking order, you can now get all-wheel drive on the base SXT. What's the interior and in-car technology like? The Challenger's interior certainly isn't as characterful and flamboyant as its exterior would suggest. The Mustang and Camaro are more interesting and distinctive inside. Still, there are some interesting design flourishes that spruce things up, from the base trim's standard houndstooth cloth to the two-tone leather choices available as options. Besides, we're not sure how flamboyant you need the interior to be in a car available in electric orange, blue, green and purple paint colors. Furthermore, what the Challenger interior may lack in visual pizzazz, it makes up for with space (see below) and technology. A 7-inch touchscreen is standard, but all trim levels have an 8.4-inch version available as an option or standard. Both are among the easiest to use in the industry, and we prefer the 8.4-inch unit in particular to what's offered by the Camaro and Mustang. Heck, the Ford doesn't even come standard with a touchscreen, let alone the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that are included on every Challenger. How big is it? For a performance coupe, the Challenger is enormous.

Weekly Recap: New bosses try to jump-start Cadillac and Lincoln

Both of America's domestic luxury brands seem to be stuck in neutral.
It's ironic that Cadillac and Lincoln got new bosses within days of each other this month. It's also a commentary on the fact both of America's domestic luxury brands seem to be stuck in neutral.

2020 Dodge Charger Hellcat Widebody, Scat Pack Widebody get grip, go faster

You all knew this was coming. Dodge basically showed it to the public a few months ago. But it's finally official, the 2020 Dodge Charger Hellcat Widebody and naturally aspirated Scat Pack Widebody are going into production. Like the Challenger Widebody, the Charger version is defined by its, well, wide body, which is now standard on all Hellcats and an option on Scat Packs. The fender flares add a total of 3.5 inches of width. Dodge also tweaked the front and rear bumpers and added wider side skirts to help the flares blend into the body. The Hellcat gets a unique rear spoiler, whereas the Scat Pack sticks with the same one its scrawnier twin uses. 2020 Dodge Charger Scat Pack Widebody View 20 Photos But the big advantage to this wide body is the fact Dodge can stick way more tire under the Charger. All Charger Widebody models get 11-inch-wide wheels with 305-mm tires at all four corners. Each version gets revised suspension, too. The Hellcat gets stiffer front springs, thicker front and rear anti-roll bars and retuned shocks. The Scat Pack gets a similar update, but without the thicker front anti-roll bars. Both cars also get six-piston front brake calipers from Brembo with two-piece rotors. All these handling upgrades mean the Charger is an even more impressive track machine. Dodge says the Hellcat now pulls 0.96g on a skid pad, and the Scat Pack Widebody does a little better at 0.98g. The Hellcat has also improved its lap time of Chrysler's 2.1-mile test course by 2.1 seconds, and the Scat Pack improved by 1.3 seconds. Both cars are also still fast in a straight line, with Dodge saying the Hellcat will hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds on the way to a 10.96 quarter-mile time. Which, Dodge proclaims, makes it the world's most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan. The Scat Pack Widebody will hit 60 in 4.3 seconds on the way to a 12.4-second quarter-mile.