13 Dodge Challenger Srt8 Automatic Sunroof Navigation on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Nine cars we wish were convertibles

The snow has melted, the sun is shining, and the days are getting longer. At the Autoblog Detroit office we feel like our winter hibernation is finally over. And with warmer temperatures come visions of opening up a convertible roof and cruising. You know, just turn up the bass and let the Alpine blast. There are plenty of droptops on sale in the US, and more on the way (like the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata). That said, we always want more. More! More! More! In that spirit, we cooked up a list of nine cars aren't currently sold as convertible, but ought to be. Check out our picks, below. Summer's just around the corner. Subaru BRZ / Scion FR-S In some parallel universe, this car actually happened. Toyota showed us a FT 86 Convertible concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013, and we immediately started licking our chops over the thought of a rear-wheel-drive convertible based on the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S twins. These days, the MX-5 Miata is our only option for affordable roadster fun. A competitor to the Mazda seems like a no-brainer to us, especially since we have naught but good to say about the BRZ/FR-S as-is. Unfortunately in our present timeline, this car is as likely for production as a BRZ STI. Which is to say, not very. Dang. Lexus RC F Unlike the FR-S, a convertible from Toyota's luxury division might actually see the light of day. The current IS convertible is about to be phased out, and the Lexus LF-C2 concept from the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show is really a thinly veiled look at a possible RC convertible. A droptop RC would be plenty good, but let's reach for the starts. What we really want is to run topless in an RC F, complete with that powerful, loud, 5.0-liter V8 engine. Lexus says the RC F is a true competitor to the BMW M4. If that's true, it only makes sense for Lexus to mimic the Germans and offer its performance coupe in a folding hardtop form. Maybach Landaulet Maybach is bach back, recast as an upper crust trim level for Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-Maybach S600 is seriously awesome, and more luxurious than a trip to the spa. But why not go a step into the truly ridiculous levels of extravagence and bring back that open-top Landaulet? We think your local princess will love this idea, and with better S-Class bones underneath, Jeeves will have a pretty enjoyable ship to steer, too. Besides, with that slick new Mercedes design language, a Landaulet redux wouldn't be nearly as hideous as the old model, pictured here.

Ford, Stellantis workers join those at GM in ratifying contract that ended UAW strikes

DETROIT — The United Auto Workers union overwhelmingly ratified new contracts with Ford and Stellantis, that along with a similar deal with General Motors will raise pay across the industry, force automakers to absorb higher costs and help reshape the auto business as it shifts away from gasoline-fueled vehicles. Workers at Stellantis, the maker of Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles, voted 68.8% in favor of the deal. Their approval brought to a close a contentious labor dispute that included name-calling and a series of punishing strikes that imposed high costs on the companies and led to significant gains in pay and benefits for UAW workers. The deal at Stellantis passed by a roughly 10,000 vote margin, with ballot counts ending Saturday afternoon. Workers at Ford voted 69.3% in favor of the pact, which passed with nearly a 15,000-vote margin in balloting that ended early Saturday. Earlier this week, GM workers narrowly approved a similar contract. The agreements, which run through April 2028, will end contentious talks that began last summer and led to six-week-long strikes at all three automakers. Shawn Fain, the pugnacious new UAW leader, had branded the companies enemies of the UAW who were led by overpaid CEOs, declaring the days of union cooperation with the automakers were over. After summerlong negotiations failed to produce a deal, Fain kicked off strikes on Sept. 15 at one assembly plant at each company. The union later extended the strike to parts warehouses and other factories to try to intensify pressure on the automakers until tentative agreements were reached late in October. The new contract agreements were widely seen as a victory for the UAW. The companies agreed to dramatically raise pay for top-scale assembly plant workers, with increases and cost-of-living adjustments that would translate into 33% wage gains. Top assembly plant workers are to receive immediate 11% raises and will earn roughly $42 an hour when the contracts expire in April of 2028. Under the agreements, the automakers also ended many of the multiple tiers of wages they had used to pay different workers. They also agreed in principle to bring new electric-vehicle battery plants into the national union contract. This provision will give the UAW an opportunity to unionize the EV battery plants plants, which will represent a rising share of industry jobs in the years ahead.

2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat gets some Demon goodies

The 2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat has been revealed, along with details on the rest of the range. Though the new Charger doesn't look a whole lot different, there are a number of special upgrades, especially for the Hellcat. The least interesting changes are on the outside. The Hellcat and the R/T Scat Pack get a new grille with twin air intakes next to the headlights. The regular RT and GT get some sportier additions such as a hood scoop, rear spoiler, and some other revised body work. The Hellcat also now gets a matte black hood option, as seen on the gray car above. Under the skin are more interesting upgrades. The Hellcat raids the Demon parts bin for its "After-Run Chiller" that continues providing cooling to the intercooler after the engine has been shut off. This way you'll still get cool air for another run when you come back and fire it back up. The Charger Hellcat also gets the Demon's fancy "Torque Reserve" system to start generating boost right at launch. Both the Hellcat and the R/T Scat Pack also come with line lock for big smoky burnouts and "Launch Assist" for minimizing wheel hop and maximizing grip. Both cars have the same power and torque as last year's iterations, though. Dodge hasn't left out its lower-rung Charger models, either. The R/T now gets standard performance suspension and shift paddles, along with a 2.62 rear axle. The GT model is now available in rear-wheel drive, and it's being marketed as more of a performance-oriented trim for the V6. As such, it also gets the performance suspension as standard, a 3.07 rear end and shift paddles. The SXT rounds out the base of the lineup and now has an all-wheel-drive option. Output remains the same with these vehicles, and the GT continues to make 300 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque while the SXT makes 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet. 2019 Dodge Chargers will start showing up on dealer lots in the third quarter of this year. If you're really eager to get one, dealers will be able to start ordering them by the end of June. Pricing hasn't been announced yet for the big sedan. Related Video: