1990 Dodge Ram Van 250 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Pony-car sales war: Mustang vs. Camaro vs. Challenger [UPDATE]

Update: An earlier version of this story misstated the 2015 Mustang's weight when compared with previous models. Additionally, we have added comments from Chevrolet in the text. The Ford Mustang has blown past the Chevy Camaro as America's best-selling pony car, and in June, it wasn't even close. The 'Stang outsold the Camaro 11,719 to 8,611 cars. The Camaro remained ahead of the Dodge Challenger, which sold 6,845 units. Even though the Camaro did post an 11.5-percent sales improvement in June, the competition is arguably stronger than at anytime since the 1970s muscle-car era. The Mustang's sales leapt a whopping 53.6 percent, while the Challenger saw a gain of 56 percent. Several factors are weighing down Camaro sales, including its lame duck status. Chevy is launching a new generation of the Camaro this year that's more than 200 pounds lighter, offers a new turbo four-cylinder engine option, and has a nicer interior than the outgoing model. Put simply: wait a few months and you can get a better car. It's also unlikely Chevy will jack up the price much, as it's historically kept the Camaro within reach of everyday enthusiasts. While Chevy fans wait in anticipation for their new sports car, Ford and Dodge have downshifted. The new Mustang, which went on sale last year, is faster and more sophisticated than its predecessor. It also offers a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, which Ford has credited for the Mustang's recent uptick and makes up 36 percent of the car's sales, Ford analyst Erich Merkle said. View 17 Photos June's performance allowed the Mustang to widen its sales gap with the Camaro this year. Through the first five months, Ford sold 68,290 Mustangs, a 54.4-percent increased compared with 2014. Chevy sold 42,593 Camaros, an 8.7-percent decrease. The Challenger – long the No. 3 pony car in sales volume – has seen its sales surge 41 percent this year to 37,011 units. Spokesman Monte Doran said Chevy expected that 2015 would be a "relatively soft year" for the Camaro. "Mustang is taking advantage of years' worth of pent-up demand for an independent rear suspension," he said. "When Camaro introduced an IRS, in 2009, it helped make us the best-selling performance car in America.

FCA cuts powertrain warranties to 60k miles

FCA US is cutting back the mileage of its powertrain warranty on some 2016 model year vehicles. Rather than the current five years/100,000 miles of coverage, the new amount is five years/60,000 miles for gasoline-fueled models from Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram. In March 2015, General Motors made a similar switch to five-years/60,000-miles of coverage for Chevrolet and GMC, and FCA US seems to be citing this as part of the reason for the shift. "Following changes already made by competitors, FCA US is adjusting powertrain warranty coverage for 2016 model year vehicles to be more consistent with industry practices," the automaker said in a portion of its statement. The bumper-to-bumper warranty for these vehicles is unchanged at three years/36,000 miles. According to Automotive News, Fiat's warranty is remaining at four years/50,000 miles. When it changed the mileage limit, GM also halved the number of free service visits for Chevy, GMC, and Buick to two from the previous four. The automaker claimed that the reason for the adjustments to its coverage was that a long warranty was seldom a reason for customers to buy a vehicle. Related Video: Response to Query: 2016MY Powertrain Warranty Adjustment Following changes already made by competitors, FCA US is adjusting powertrain warranty coverage for 2016 model year vehicles to be more consistent with industry practices. For 2016MY, Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck vehicles with gasoline engines will be covered by a 5 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty. The basic coverage, also known as "bumper to bumper," remains at 3 years/36,000 miles. # # # News Source: FCA US, Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Car Buying Maintenance Ownership FCA warranty fca us powertrain

2016 Dodge Viper ACR priced from $117,895

Fancy getting your hands on the all-new Dodge Viper ACR? Prepare to shell out at least $117,895, not counting destination or gas-guzzler tax. Those two add $1,995 and $2,100, respectively, for an out-the-door price of $121,990. That's $32,900 more than a base 2015 Viper, or the equivalent of a Challenger with a few options. As we explained previously, the ACR model doesn't do much for outright power – the 8.4-liter V10 offers up only five more ponies than before – but it does add suspension and aerodynamic upgrades that make this particular Viper far more potent on the track. The order books are officially open for the ACR, so if you've got the coin, get in touch with your local dealer. Until then, head into Comments and let us know what you think of the ACR's pricing. Would you shell out $118,000 for the ultimate Viper? DODGE OPENS ORDER BANKS FOR NEW 2016 DODGE VIPER ACR The fastest street-legal Viper track car ever offers a tremendous value for performance May 12, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Viper enthusiasts with the need for ultimate handling, performance and road course domination, as well as the ability to drive their Viper home from the track, can now place their orders for the fastest street-legal Viper track car ever. The Dodge brand has announced pricing and opened order banks for the recently introduced 2016 Dodge Viper ACR. Unveiled last week at the revamped Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit, the American Club Racer model of the iconic, hand-built American supercar will have a starting U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $117,895 (excluding destination and gas guzzler tax). "Bringing our street-legal Dodge Viper ACR back is going to arm our track enthusiasts with the ultimate weapon to dominate road courses across the country," said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO - Dodge and SRT Brands, FCA - North America. "This is without a doubt the best Viper ACR ever. The latest in aerodynamic, braking and tire technology will ensure its legendary performance reputation around the world." Originally introduced in 1999 and last available for the 2010 model year, the Viper ACR has a long-standing legacy as the ultimate street-legal track car for club racing. The new 2016 model honors that performance legacy with significant aerodynamic and suspension upgrades, new Carbon Ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers and high-performance tires specifically designed for ACR.