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Thieves stealing Dodge and Ram vehicles right off factory lots

Stellantis-operated storage lots in and around Detroit have been hit by a wave of thefts in recent weeks. Thieves are getting their hands on new, high-end models such as the Dodge Challenger Hellcat by going straight to the source, helping themselves, and driving off. Detroit news channel WDIV Local 4 reported that over half a dozen new cars and trucks have been stolen from various storage lots since the beginning of 2022. On March 10, five Ram trucks were taken from a secured facility in Shelby Township. Several more Ram trucks were stolen on March 8, and one smashed into a semi truck's trailer as it attempted to get away. On March 3, thieves took three Dodge Challenger Hellcat models from a lot in Auburn Hills. And, on February 28, a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and a Dodge Challenger Hellcat were stolen from a lot near the Jefferson North assembly plant. Many of the vehicles that thieves are targeting cost nearly $100,000. Stealing a new car from a storage lot is reportedly easier than it might sound. Citing anonymous sources, WDIV explained that the keys are normally left inside of the vehicles while they're parked on the storage lot, waiting to be dispatched to dealers. Security guards patrol the property, yet the thieves are finding ways to sneak into the lot, hop in a car, and drive off by ramming through the gates. Stellantis told the news channel that the Sterling Heights Police Department is investigating the thefts, and that at least one of the lots is managed by a third-party company. It declined to comment on the number of vehicles stolen or the methods used because the investigation is ongoing. In the meantime, the Sterling Heights Police Department plans to send extra patrol cars to the areas around the storage lots. There's no word on whether the missing cars have been found. And, this isn't the first time that thieves have stolen new V8-powered Dodge and Ram vehicles in the Detroit area. In October 2021, thieves stole four cars from a Dodge and Ram dealership about an hour away from Detroit; one was a rare 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat. All four cars were recovered, though the Durango was stuffed into a wall. And, in May 2018, eight Ram trucks were stolen from a factory in Warren, Michigan, by thieves who got away by driving through the main gates.

Toyota Corolla Cross, Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron and which beers are like which cars | Autoblog Podcast #635

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. They're thirsty this week, but first, they talk about the Subaru Forester and Lexus NX they've been driving. They dig into the news about the Toyota Corolla Cross, Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron and J.D. Power's surprising Initial Quality Study results. A longtime Autoblog Podcast listener suggested our editors try to relate some of their favorite beers to their favorite cars, and they happily oblige. Finally, they help a listener choose a new car in the "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #635 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving Long-term 2019 Subaru Forester 2020 Lexus NX 300h News Toyota Corolla Cross is headed our way Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron concept revealed Dodge and Kia lead J.D. Power 2020 Initial Quality Study Cars and their beer counterparts Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Show full video transcript text - Hey, everybody. This is Autoblog Podcast producer Eric here. I'm just hopping in quickly at the beginning of the episode to let you know that this episode of the Autoblog Podcast is brought to you by these SoFi Daily Podcast. Reaching financial independence starts with having the right information. So every weekday morning, SoFi keeps you up to date with important business news and stock market happenings and how they affect your financial life. So get your money right and search for SoFi-- that's S-O-F-I-- wherever you get your podcasts. On with the show. [THEME MUSIC] [ENGINE REVVING] [CAR DRIVES AWAY] GREG MIGLIORE: Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Autoblog Podcast. I am Greg Migliore. We have a great show for you today on this hot, sizzling Thursday afternoon in July. Joining me today is senior editor for all things green, John Snyder. What's up, man? JOHN BELTZ SNYDER: Hey. Just trying to beat the heat with some iced coffee today. GREG MIGLIORE: Sounds good, sounds good. My coffee is just cold because I haven't microwaved it in a while. And chuckling at that remark-- charitably, I guess-- is consumer editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. How you doing? JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: I'm doing good. I-- I mean, unlike you guys, I stopped drinking coffee about an hour ago.

New Dodge Charger SRT Widebody likely teased in brief video

This morning, we saw a new, extremely brief teaser for a new version of the Dodge Charger SRT. We don't know exactly what the car is, but rumors and spy shots suggest that the big sedan could be getting the same treatment as the multiple Dodge Challenger widebody models. The teaser of course cuts just before you can see anything truly telling, but there are a few details we can glean. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for the full reveal. The car appears to be painted B5 Blue, one of a number of knockout colors in FCA's portfolio. Through the cover we can see that the car gets the upgraded grille that we saw last summer. A pair of inlets helps feed more air into the engine bay. The lower intakes on the front bumper appear to be all new and much larger than anything else we've seen on the Charger so far. It's unclear what exactly that means, but it does give an already bold design an even more aggressive appearance. Over the past couple of years, Dodge revealed widebody versions of the Challenger R/T Scat Pack, Hellcat, Hellcat Redeye and the widebody only Dodge Demon. Each car is faster and more powerful than the last. The bulging fenders allow for a revised suspension setup, wider wheels and tires and a wider track for more stable handling. It makes an already big car even bigger, though you do get genuine improvements when it comes to performance handling.