New 2014 Dodge Charger R/t Plum Crazy 5.7l Hemi on 2040-cars

Auto blog

It ain't easy keeping a Hellcat steady at 170 mph on ice

The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat you see hit the ice at Arsunda Speed Weekend in Sweden, over two hours north of Stockholm. It's said to be bone stock, save for the studded tires that help it grip on ice. But it apparently takes more than some steel studs and a lead foot to keep it pointed the right way. Just look at how much driver Alx Danielsson has to saw at the wheel to keep the Hellcat from veering off course. Fortunately he seems to have the chops to do so, being not only a native of Sweden (and therefor imbued from birth with otherworldly abilities to drive on ice) but also having won the highly competitive Formula Renault 3.5 Series championship back in 2006. In the end Danielsson hit a top speed in excess of 170 miles per hour, touted as some sort of record, however unofficial (and specific to Dodge Challengers). That's a fair bit shy of the 205 mph that Bentley achieved in the Continental Supersports, but while that model had slightly less power than the Hellcat, it did have the benefit of all-wheel drive – something that could make all the difference in these kinds of slippery conditions. Related Video:

Chrysler to reveal next minivan at 2016 Detroit Auto Show

All eyes in the industry are presently fixed on this year's Detroit Auto Show, but over at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, they're already looking towards next year's show. That's when the Italian-American automaker says it'll unveil the next Chrysler minivan. The announcement, made on the FCA Corporate Twitter feed, promises that the next Pentastar minivan will debut in January 2016, which (along with the hashtag NAIAS) suggests the next-generation family hauler will debut at the Detroit show next year. Auburn Hills is expected to replace the current Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan with two all-new models: one keeping the minivan form, and the other shifting into more of a crossover. Just which nameplate gets the new form factor, and which will debut at Cobo next year, we don't know. Odds are good that it'll be the minivan not the CUV, though. Chrysler's minivan has been a winning business for the Detroit automaker, pioneering the segment, outselling the competition and marketing around the world under more brands and nameplates than just about anything else in the industry. The vehicle has been sold as the Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country, Chrysler Voyager, Plymouth Voyager, Lancia Voyager, Ram Cargo Van and Volkswagen Routan, to say nothing of long-wheelbase Grand versions of many of the aforementioned nameplates. News Source: FCA via Twitter Detroit Auto Show Chrysler Dodge Minivan/Van Detroit 2016 Detroit Auto Show chrysler town and country dodge grand caravan dodge caravan

Chrysler earns $1.7B in 2012, revises product plans for US

Hot on the heels of Ford's earnings announcement for the year that was, Chrysler today reported a 2012 net income of $1.7 billion, up substantially from the comparatively minuscule $183 million profit earned in 2011 when it repaid its US government loans.
Chrysler's good year ended with an excellent fourth quarter that saw net income rise 68 percent from $225 million in 2011 to $378 million. Where are all those extra earnings coming from? Market share, which Chrysler saw increase to 11.4% last year on sales of 1.65 million vehicles. In fact, the Auburn Hills, MI-based automaker out-paced the industry's market growth of 13 percent last year with sales up 21 percent for the year.
The company also revealed an updated product plan for its Chrysler Group and Fiat brands that looks all the way out to 2016. It's an updated version of the plan introduced in 2009 shortly after Fiat took control of the American automaker, and includes such new additions as an Alfa Romeo model, likely the 4C, to be introduced in the US this year, as well five more Alfa models by 2016. Likewise, Fiat will be growing by an additional seven models in the coming few years.