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What's the deal with Chrysler demanding colleges crush their Vipers? [w/video]

Students and teachers at a Washington community college are up in arms following an order from Chrysler that it must destroy the pre-production Dodge Viper that was donated to the school's automotive technology program ten years ago.
The Viper in question is said to be the fourth off the production line, based on its VIN, and has had its emissions controls disabled, allowing its ten-cylinder engine to produce 600 horsepower, according to a report from Yahoo! Autos. As one of the first Vipers ever produced, the school's AT instructors claim it could be worth $250,000 in a museum, while a local news report purports that Jay Leno once tried to purchase the car, but the sale was prevented by Chrysler.
As pointed out by our friends at Autobytel, though, there are a lot of things in this story that don't quite add up. Immediately noticeable from the news report embedded below - which shows the car at South Puget Sound Community College - is that the car in question is not a 1992 model. When the Viper went on sale in 1992, it was only available as an RT/10 with a (flimsy) soft top, like the red car shown above. But the car featured in the report from KING5 News (inset image) is clearly a hardtop Viper GTS, which didn't enter production until 1996. And even if, as reported by a local newspaper, the hardtop featured is a prototype, it doesn't explain the lack of another iconic feature of the first Vipers - their distinctive side pipes. This kind of pokes holes in the school's argument that this is the fourth Viper to ever roll down the line. At best, this appears to be a pre-production Viper GTS.

What is the fastest car in the world in 2024?

It wasn't that long ago that the notion of reaching 200 miles per hour in a car, on a road, seemed basically impossible. As you likely know by now, that time has passed. And once that threshold was crossed, the automotive world immediately began eying the next triple-digit benchmark: 300 miles per hour. It may have taken a little while, but the 300-mph line has been crossed, and some cars have moved well past that seemingly insane speed number. While some of these speeds have been achieved in simulations (including the fastest car listed below), there's little doubt that a driver with nerves of steel and a heavy right foot could indeed push several automobiles up to 300 miles per hour and beyond. Interestingly, it’s not just one car or automaker in the 300-mph club, as a handful of models have earned a place (sometimes claimed but not yet demonstrated) on the leaderboard. The fastest car in the world is: Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut (330 MPH) That title goes to the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut, which recorded a staggering 330 mph top speed earlier in 2023. The carÂ’s twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 lays down 1,600 horsepower and 1,106 pound-feet of torque, which plays a significant role in delivering that speed, but KoenigseggÂ’s engineers have given the car a lot more than mind-blowing power. The Jesko Absolut has a super-slippery 0.278 drag coefficient and a nine-speed transmission that shifts so quickly itÂ’s almost imperceptible. Koenigsegg calls it a Light Speed Transmission (LST), saying its shifts happen at almost light speed. While that might be a slight exaggeration, the gearbox is impressive, bringing several wet multi-disc clutches and a super lightweight construction. As Koenigsegg says, "the Jesko Absolut is destined to achieve higher, more extraordinary speeds than any Koenigsegg or any other fully homologated car before it." How expensive is the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut? If you were reading that and wondering how much the fastest car in the world costs, the price tag is just another dizzying number on the Jesko Absolut's spec sheet. All 125 Absolut cars offered sold out at a price of almost $3 million. Of course, being able to afford the Koenigsegg is just the first step in realizing its full potential. There are very few places on the map that can support a 300-plus-mph speed run, and the locations that do are not conveniently located.

Dodge Journey gets more SUV-like look with new Crossroad model

Looking to play up its aging three-row crossover, Dodge will introduce a new model for its Journey franchise at next week's Chicago Auto Show. The 2014 Dodge Journey Crossroad will be a new trim level positioned between the SXT and Limited, and it will be distinguished from other Journey models thanks to a handful of styling add-ons.
Plucking a page right out of the appearance playbook of the Ford Explorer Sport, the Journey Crossroad gets a meaner, more SUV-like demeanor. The Journey has often straddled the line between tall wagon and crossover, but this new trim goes a long way toward skewing its visuals toward the utility vehicle end of the spectrum. That's thanks largely to the Platinum chrome exterior trim on its roof rails and side sills, unique fascias, smoked headlights and taillights and, of course, those black 19-inch wheels. Inside, the Journey Crossroad will get a similar treatment, with darker, Liquid Graphite accents throughout the cabin, and the model will also come standard with leather seats (which Dodge says are a new design), and Chrysler's giant 8.4-inch Uconnect screen.
The 2014 Journey Crossroad goes on sale this spring with a starting price of $24,995 (*not including $995 for destination) for the four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive model, but Dodge says that the model will also be offered with more power and capability from the optional 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and all-wheel-drive. Scroll down for the full press release, and check back next week for our live coverage from Chicago.