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Chrysler, Nissan minivans earn 'dire' crash test results, says IIHS [w/video]

First introduced in 2012, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small-overlap frontal crash test has become the bane of many auto engineers' existence. It's a particularly steep design challenge because it forces just 25 percent of a vehicle's front end to take the brunt of a 40-mile-per-hour impact. The newly released results of four family-minded minivans underscore just how difficult the crash test is: only one scored an Acceptable rating, and the other three did very poorly. The 2008-2015 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, plus the 2011-2015 Nissan Quest, all received Poor ratings in the test, the IIHS' lowest possible score. The three of them showed significant crash intrusion into the driver's area. The dummy in the Nissan actually had to be cut out of the vehicle, with an IIHS spokesperson remarking, "the structure collapsed like a house of cards." In the Fiat Chrysler Automobile vans, the steering wheels moved out of the way, making the airbag less effective and letting the driver's head hit the dashboard. While it was not actually crashed, the agency is also giving the 2009-12 Volkswagen Routan a Poor score because it shares a structure with the FCA models. The newly released results of four minivans underscore just how difficult the small-offset crash test is. The refreshed 2015 Toyota Sienna (shown), conversely, earned an Acceptable rating and is also a Top Safety Pick+ because of its optional forward collision warning and automatic braking system. While the crash test dummy moved around during the impact more than the agency would have liked, sensors showed a low risk of injuries. The IIHS tested the Honda Odyssey last year, and it earned a Good overall score, the agency's best ranking. It's also a Top Safety Pick+ vehicle. The only member of the minivan segment left to test is the latest Kia Sedona, and the Institute is reportedly waiting a little longer for Kia to make changes to improve the model's performance. When reached for comment, Nissan spokesperson Steve Yaeger provided Autoblog with the following statement: "Nissan is committed to vehicle safety and believes that consumers should have information about crash protection so they can make educated buying decisions. Nissan is proud of the 2014 Quest's "good" rating in the IIHS front moderate overlap and side impact tests as well as a "good" head restraint rating.

Chrysler recalling 280k Dodge Ram 1500 pickups over axle seizures

Following a June investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will be recalling 280,000 Dodge Ram pickups from model year 2005. The issue, NHTSA told The Detroit News, centered on a loose pinion nut, which could cause the rear axle to seize and, potentially, the driveshaft to detach. The affected vehicles were built between January of 2004 and August of 2005, while of the 280,000 trucks, only 257,000 were sold in the US market. According to The News, the recall will begin on February 13, and will see owners report to dealerships to have "a retention feature" added to the pinion nut.

2014 Challenger R/T Shaker, Mopar '14 Challenger bring back iconic hood

Enamored of the Dodge Challenger but wish you could get one with a shaker hood? We've got good news, because Dodge and Mopar have teamed up to bring it back.
The 2014 Dodge Challenger R/T Shaker packs the same 5.7-liter Hemi V8 as the standard Challenger R/T, but upgrades the business end with a through-the-hood exposed cold-air intake system. The retro hood scoop protrudes from the center of the hood in satin black (matching the decklid spoiler) to feed the Hemi and shakes with the engine just like the original from 1970. The Shaker model also comes with a Super Track Pak that adds a new steering rack, brake linings, shocks and 20-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 Super Car rubber. You can also shut off the stability management system completely in this car. A series of interior and exterior trim enhancements round out the look. The whole package adds $2,500 to the price of a Challenger R/T Classic for an all-in MSRP of $36,995.
In case that's not enough, Dodge is also offering a limited-edition Mopar Challenger that follows the 2010 Mopar Challenger, 2011 Mopar Charger, 2012 Mopar 300 and 2013 Mopar Dart. Limited to just 100 examples, the 2014 Mopar Challenger gets the same Shaker hood intake, unique graphics and wheels, an enhanced interior and a long list of optional extras from the Mopar parts catalog. Dodge isn't saying just yet how much the Mopar Challenger will cost, but you can bet it will command a considerable premium for the exclusivity alone.