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Performance doesn't matter anymore, it's all about the feel

We've just had a week of supercars and high-end EVs revealed. Many of them boast outrageous performance specs. There were multiple vehicles with horsepower in the four-figure range, and not just sports cars, but SUVs with 0-60 mph times under 3.5 seconds. And it's not just a rarified set of supercar builders, comparatively small tuners are also building this stuff. Going fast is easy nowadays and getting easier. So what will distinguish the greats from the wannabes? It's all about how a car feels. This may seem obvious. "Of course it matters that a car should have good steering feel and a playful chassis!" you say. "Why are you being paid for this stuff?" But a lot of automakers have missed the memo. This past week I spent some time in a BMW M4 Competition convertible, and it's a perfect example of prioritizing performance over experience. It boggles my mind how a company can create such dead and disconnected steering; the weight never changes, there's no feel whatsoever. The chassis is inflappable, but to a fault, because it doesn't feel like anything you're doing is difficult or exciting. The car is astoundingly fast and capable, but it feels less like driving a car and more like tapping in a heading on the Enterprise-D. I also happened to drive something of comparable performance that was much more enjoyable: a Mercedes-AMG GT. It was a basic model with the Stealth Edition blackout package, and even though it had a twin-turbo V8 instead of a six-cylinder, it only made 20 more horsepower. The power wasn't the big differentiator, it was (say it with me) the feel. While not the best example, the steering builds resistance as you dial in lock, giving you a better idea of what's happening up front. Pulses and vibrations come back to you as you move over bumpy pavement in corners. The chassis isn't quite as buttoned down, either, providing a little bit of body roll that tells you you're pushing it. It's also easier to feel when the car is wanting to understeer or oversteer, and how your throttle and steering inputs are affecting it. The whole thing is much more involving, exciting and fun. 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Stealth Edition View 8 Photos That's also to say nothing of the Merc's sounds. That V8 is maybe not the best sounding engine, but its urgent churn through the opened-up exhaust gets your heart racing. It also seems like it's vibrating the whole cabin, so you feel it as much as you hear it.

Mopar highlights wild SEMA creations, AWD Challenger Concept

Thanks to 15,345 square feet of display area, FCA US' Mopar division certainly has ample space to display its parts and accessories at the SEMA Show. To lure attendees to check out all of those cars and components, the company is now revealing ten tuned vehicles for this year's aftermarket event. This isn't even the brand's whole fleet for the show, but it includes some major highlights for Dodge and Ram fans. A lack of traction traditionally makes rear-wheel-drive muscle cars dismal to drive when the weather gets slippery, but the Dodge Challenger GT AWD Concept (above) solves that age-old problem at SEMA. In addition to powering all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic, it boasts an angry-looking, wide-body kit with aggressively flared wheel arches. The asymmetrical stripe with Header Orange accents also adds some extra panache to the Destroyer Grey and Matte Black color scheme. The coupe can back up the macho look thanks to the Scat Pack 3 Performance Kit that adds 75 horsepower and 44 pound-feet of torque to the 5.7-liter V8. However, before you get too excited about driving one this winter, FCA US spokesperson Ariel Gavilan tells Autoblog: "It is only a concept." Mopar isn't done tuning Dodges for SEMA. The Charger Deep Stage 3 shows what's possible with the company's catalog by packing the Scat Pack 3, strut tower braces, coilover suspension kit, and bigger brakes. Meanwhile, the blacked-out Dart GLH Concept tries to harken back to the style of the famous Omni GLH by fitting a red-accented body kit, including a Mopar Performance aluminum hood. If the standard Ram 1500 Rebel is somehow too subdued, check out the Rebel X (right) in a vibrant shade called Copper. To be ready for anything offroad, it wears some muscular flares to fit 17-inch beadlock wheels and 35-inch Toyo tires. A concept, two-piece front skid plate protects the front. Drivers should also be comfortable no matter where they drive thanks to prototype Katzkin leather seats and a concept air-ride suspension. Chrysler enjoys some mods, as well. The 300 Super S has suave style with Matte Cerulean paint, concept 22-inch wheels, and a grille with little Mopar Ms dotted around it. Performance also sees a boost with a tuned engine, bigger brakes, and coilover kit. The gray 200 S Mopar is similarly stylish with a complete body kit, including a conceptual, dual-vented hood. Fiat and Ram's commercial models aren't left out of the SEMA fun, either.

Chrysler recalling 67k trucks with manual transmissions

Earlier this month, Chrysler announced the recall of some 280,000 pickup trucks over concerns that their axles could seize up. Now the automaker has announced an entirely separate recall of another 66,819 trucks over the springs that could break in the clutch ignition interlock switch. The recall affects Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups, as well as the Dodge Dakota and Mitsubishi Raider. The issue is relevant only to those trucks fitted with manual transmissions, from the 2006 and 2007 model years and manufactured between July 1, 2005, and July 31, 2006. Since a broken spring could, according to statements issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and FCA US LLC (previously known as the Chrysler Group) prevent the vehicle from starting, or cause it to move unintentionally once the ignition kicks over, the automaker will begin notifying owners of the affected vehicles just before Valentine's Day to bring their trucks into their local dealers to have the clutch ignition interlock switch replaced. FCA emphasizes, however, that the unintended movement would only occur "in rare cases" and only "if recommended starting procedures are not followed." Only one such case is known to have occurred, but it did regrettably result in a fatality. Statement: Clutch Ignition Interlock Switch December 29, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is launching a voluntary global recall of an estimated 66,819 older-model pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions. The Company will replace their clutch ignition interlock switches at no charge to customers. An investigation by FCA US engineers discovered switches in certain model-year 2006 and 2007 pickups may be equipped with spring wire that differs from wire used in previous switches. The alternate wire may break and, as a result, the vehicles may not start. In rare cases, a vehicle may – if recommended starting procedures are not followed – exhibit unintended movement when its ignition key is turned. The Company is aware of one fatality related to this campaign. It stemmed from the single known accident involving this population of vehicles. The recall covers certain Dodge Dakota, Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, 3500 and Mitsubishi Raider pickups. Switches with the alternate wire were not used in any vehicles produced before July of 2005, or after June of 2006. The Dakota and Raider are no longer in production.