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2024 Dodge Charger, the Apple Car and the 5 worst car brands | Autoblog Podcast #822

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They lead off with the 2024 Dodge Charger reveal, followed by various EV startup news including the reported death of the Apple Car; rumors of a tie-up between Fisker and Nissan; and when we'll finally see the Tesla Roadster. That's followed by rumors of sporty EVs from VW group possibly including an Audi TT and the five worst car brands according to Consumer Reports. Road Test Editor Zac Palmer pops in to discuss Formula 1 at Bahrain, and Migliore and Stocksdale wrap up the podcast with the cars they've been driving: the Toyota Prius, Kia EV9 and Infiniti QX50. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #822 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown News 2024 Dodge Charger Reveal Apple Car reportedly dead Fisker and Nissan rumors Tesla Roadster production target Electric VW group sports coupes Five worst car brands Formula 1 at Bahrain What we've been driving 2024 Toyota Prius 2024 Kia EV9 (Road trip to Chicago) 2024 Infiniti QX50 Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video:

Will the Dodge Charger keep a gas engine? It's always been a possibility

The automotive rumormill has been working at a frenetic pace ever since images of what's thought to be the upcoming Dodge Charger Daytona body-in-white hit the internet a week or so ago. When we initially posted the pictures, which had been uploaded to various social media channels and web forums, we took immediate note of the presence of an unmistakable transmission tunnel. We wondered out loud (virtually, at least) "if there have been some changes to battery and component layout, or if this is to allow for an internal-combustion powertrain option early on." Well, if you believe a report from "a source connected to a supplier with firsthand information of Dodge's production plans" who reportedly "agreed to speak about the next-gen Charger program in exchange for anonymity" to The Drive, that transmission tunnel is for — you guessed it! — a transmission. An upcoming and updated version of the eight-speed automatic currently in use in any number of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles, to be specific, hooked up to the Hurricane-branded inline-six-cylinder engine that debuted under the hood of the Jeep Wagoneer. That engine is destined to replace the Hemi-branded V8 engines that have admirably served across the Stellantis portfolio for just about as long as anyone can remember. Here's where things get tricky. There's actually zero reason to be surprised that there's a transmission tunnel buried inside the Dodge Charger Daytona. Dodge boss Tim Kuniskis basically said there would be a transmission tunnel a year ago. "I've been very transparent that our next cars are built on the STLA Large platform, and the STLA Large is a multi-energy platform," he said. He further reinforced the point, adding, "I can put an ICE engine in there. Doesn't mean we're going to. We're certainly not launching with anything like that." Removing all further doubt about the matter, Kuniskis concluded, "We're launching with full battery-electric and we think that by the time we get to that point the offering we're going to have is going to be really attractive in the marketplace. If some day we want to add ICE to that car, could we? It's totally [possible], but maybe we'll never get there." Is there any way to reconcile the information anonymously provided to The Drive with the statements made earlier by Dodge honchos? Sure. It's entirely possible that we don't know all the vehicles, or the names of those vehicles, that will be built atop the STLA Large platform.

Hero gets his truck back better than new thanks to community support [w/video]

You ever hear a story and start cringing before you hear the end because you know how it's going to turn out? That could very well have been the case with the story from a few weeks ago in West Valley City, Utah, where a 14-year-old kid stole his grandfather's Hyundai Veloster and took it for a joyride - through a park full of children. But instead it turned into a heart-warming tale of heroism and a community banding together to do what's right... and then some.
Bryson Rowley was that hero who identified the danger and, rather than sit idly by and watch the joyrider potentially run over a child, got into his truck and drove it into the menacing runaway hatchback. The collision caused some $7,500 to his 2008 Dodge Ram 2500, but instead of getting stuck with the bill - one which his insurance may very well have refused to pay since the crash was, technically speaking, intentional - his community pitched in a helping hand.
Bryan Ellison, who owns West Valley Carstar with his brother, saw the news on television and wanted to help. So he brought Rowley a rental car, picked up his truck and brought it back to his auto repair shop. People from around the community donated parts, and when all was said and done, some $15,000 of work and upgrades were performed on the Ram that was returned to an overwhelmed Bryson Rowley better than new. Watch the video below for the full story.