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Certain Chrysler owners eligible for buyback program

Certain car owners whose Chrysler vehicles contain dangerous defects will soon have a way to get rid of their lemons without losing money. As part of an agreement with federal regulators, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has agreed to buy back more than 500,000 vehicles susceptible to veering out of control without warning at above market-value prices. The deal mainly covers certain models of RAM trucks, the Dodge Dakota pickup and Dodge Durango SUV. Further, owners of more than 1.5 million Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokees at heightened risk for lethal fires are eligible to trade in their vehicles at above market value or, alternately, get a gift certificate if they prefer to have repairs made. Chrysler has "a heavy responsibility to make sure the products they make are safe for the traveling public," said Mark Rosekind, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "... Here, we are sending an unambiguous signal to industry that if you skirt the laws or violate the law, or don't live up to the responsibility that consumers expect, we are going to penalize you." The buy-back and trade-in options for motorists come as part of an unprecedented penalty NHTSA slapped against Chrysler for violating federal motor-vehicle safety laws. Chrysler will pay a $105 million fine, the highest ever levied by the regulatory agency. In addition to the buy-backs, Chrysler also agreed to an independent monitor for three years. Investigators had outlined problems in the company's conduct in 23 recalls that affected more than 11 million defect vehicles. As part of a consent-order agreement, Chrysler acknowledged it did not notify vehicle owners of recalls in an effective manner and did not notify NHTSA of safety problems. Though those recalls affected millions of drivers, the buy-back and trade-in options are only for a small portion of the vehicles involved. Because Chrysler struggled to fix the problem and no repair was apparent, Rosekind said the buy-backs are reserved "for customers who didn't have a remedy." Buy-backs are for trucks and SUVs affected by three recalls that occurred in 2013 (recalls 13V-038, 13V-527 and 13V-529), that addressed a rear-axle pinion nut that could come loose and cause a loss of vehicle control. Those recalls covered 579,228 vehicles, including 2009-2012 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500 trucks, 2009-2012 Dodge Dakotas, 2009 Chrysler Aspen and the 2009 Dodge Durango.

Dodge Charger Hellcat makes 1,032 hp with Hennessey help

Sometimes you just want four doors. Earlier this week we brought you Hennessey's riff on the Dodge Challenger Hellcat. Now comes the Charger. Much like its two-door sibling, the Charger gets boosted to as much as 1,032 hp and 987 lb-ft of torque (at the crank) thanks to the addition of a twin-turbocharging setup that works with the factory supercharger. The turbo headers and downpipes are stainless steel, and there is a high-flow air-to-water intercooler and dual-turbo waste gates. Hennessey also beefs up the fuel injectors, fuel pump, and the rest of the fuel system. The engine management system and chassis are recalibrated to accommodate all of this. You also get numbered plaques signed by John Hennessey, the boss of the Texas tuning outfit, and the technician who does your build. Hennessey's additions result in zero-to-60 mph sprints in 2.7 seconds, and the big sedan can run the quarter mile in 9.9 seconds at 142 mph. Like the Challenger, the Charger has the same disclaimer: the lofty horsepower figure comes from an engine dyno, and it will be a 15-to 20-percent lower at the rear wheels. Related Video: Image Credit: Hennessey Performance Dodge Performance Sedan Hennessey dodge charger hellcat

2016 Dodge Charger and Challenger SRTs look juicy in Go Mango

The 2016 Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT models are ready to go with newly available Go Mango orange paint. The carrot-like shade is the latest in the brand's long line of vibrant, throwback colors like Plum Crazy purple and Sublime green. Dealers can start order the bright hue right now. Dodge originally introduced Go Mango on the 1970 Challenger and also offered the color on the 2006 Charger R/T Daytona and 2016 Dart. Now, it's available on the SRT 392 and Hellcat models. The orange shade highlights the vehicles' lines well and looks especially good with black stripes running from the front splitter to the rear bumper like in these photos. There's no way to blend into traffic in such a vibrant muscle car, so this hue is for extroverts only. Last year at the Woodward Dream Cruise, Dodge brought back Plum Crazy on most Challenger and Charger models. The deep purple is a nice enough color, but Go Mango seems like a better fit for the SRT's performance-oriented demeanor. Related Video: Go Mango: Dodge Launches Modernized Exterior Heritage Color for 2016 Challenger and Charger SRT Muscle Cars Dodge continues to answer enthusiast demand with the latest heritage-inspired exterior paint color Dealers can begin ordering Go Mango immediately on Charger and Challenger SRT models March 14, 2016 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - "Plum Crazy" purple, "B5 Blue" and "Sublime" green Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle cars have recently been streaming out of the FCA US Brampton Assembly Plant, bringing a sense of nostalgia and powerful bursts of high-impact paint color to highways and dragstrips across the country. Now, new for spring 2016 and shown for the first time this past weekend at the 11th annual Spring Festival in Irvine, Calif., Dodge is expanding its color palette with a new, modernized version of Go Mango exterior paint on 2016 Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT models. Dealers can begin ordering Go Mango immediately. Go Mango was first introduced by Dodge on the iconic 1970 Challenger. Following a limited production run in 2006 on specific Charger R/T Daytona models, and more recently featured on the 2016 Dodge Dart, the next generation of the legendary and limited-edition exterior hue combines orange and red tones into a high-impact color that showcases the legendary Dodge performance attitude.