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Dodge muscle cars, armored Jeep to star in Furious 7 [w/video]

We're less than a month away from the smorgasbord of speed, stunts and shooting that is Furious 7, and it arrives in theaters on April 3 as one of the first big films of the year. Starring Fast and Furious regulars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, plus Jason Statham as the big villain, this entry looks to be another exciting addition to the franchise. With such a major movie that features cars as much as the actors, it shouldn't be a surprise that an automaker is getting in on the action as a promotional partner. FCA US supplied nearly 30 vehicles for the film, including prominent roles for a 2015 Dodge Charger, Challenger R/T and armored Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. To really play up the connection, the automaker has laid out a global advertising campaign featuring its models. The marketing includes a variety of unique spots with the cars appearing online and in music videos. Among them in the US is a TV ad called Flash to the Future (embedded below) for the Challenger. Hopefully, Furious 7 can live up to all its pre-release hype. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Cars, Movies and Music Come Together as Dodge Partners with Universal Pictures and Atlantic Records on 'Furious 7' 'Furious 7' opens April 3 and features 2015 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger R/T and 'armored' Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited Dodge launches multitier marketing initiative to promote action-thriller, including 'Flash to the Future' television ads for U.S. markets and across international countries, and Furious 7 web landing page at www.dodge.com/en/furious-7 Dodge vehicles also showcased in new music videos of songs from Atlantic Records 'Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack,' available in stores and at online retailers March 17 March 9, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Dodge, which has been a part of the blockbuster Fast & Furious franchise since its inception, announced today a promotional partnership with Universal Pictures for "Furious 7," in theaters April 3, and a first-ever partnership with Atlantic Records on music videos that support the label's "Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack," available March 17 and available now for pre-order at http://smarturl.it/furious7.

Lexus gets top brand marks from Consumer Reports; Ford, Jeep hit hard

Consumer Reports has released its 2014 Car Brand Report Cards, with Lexus again reigning at the top and doing so with the same industry-topping score of 79 that it registered in last year's Report Cards. This year, the institute credited its lineup for being "usually quiet, comfortable, and fuel-efficient," noting it's the only brand on the list "to achieve an excellent average overall reliability score." The Car Brand Report Cars list is meant to rank the best all-around vehicles based on CR testing and reliability results tallied by subscribers it surveyed. Each brand included must have sufficient test and reliability data for at least three models, a standard which left out 11 marques including Fiat, Jaguar, Land Rover and Porsche.
This 2014 Brand Report Cars edition is the first of a new format in which sub-brands have been broken out from their parent brands, with Acura using this year to move up the leaderboard into second place with a score of 75 for its "reliable, well-finished and somewhat sporty models." The top three was rounded out by Audi, climbing from eighth to third by scoring a 74 for "well-crafted interiors, nice handling and good gas mileage." Audi scored highest in the road-test portion, its improved reliability aiding its rise. The top nine was completed by Subaru, Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz.
Ford and Jeep weighed in at the other end of the rankings, Jeep taking the lowest overall score in the road tests and hampered by "a mix of spotty reliability." Ford was sunk by reliability issues with its MyFord Touch infotainment system which consumers found troublesome enough to negate its cars earning "solid test scores" for being "very nice to drive." Perhaps the rumored switch from Microsoft to Blackberry's QNX for the next generation SYNC will help them out. Cadillac's score also took a hit for infotainment reasons after it was the leading US brand last year, the CUE system in the XTS dragging Cadillac to the bottom of all General Motors brands.

Chrysler recalls small number of 2013-2014 cars and trucks over engine debris

Chrysler is recalling a small number cars over issues with their 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines. The recall, which affects 522 examples of its 2013 Dodge Avenger and Chrysler 200 models, as well as 2014 Jeep Compass and Patriot CUVs has to do with potential debris in the balance shaft bearings.
The abrasive stuff can cause the oil pressure to drop, which could lead to the engine stalling or outright failure. This situation could at best leave drivers stranded and at worst lead to a crash.
Chrysler will begin notifying owners, who will need to report in to have the balance shaft module replaced. All repairs are naturally free of charge. Scroll down for the bulletin from NHTSA.