Loaded! 2008 Dodge Ram 3500 Resistol Laramie Megacab Pickup 4-door 6.7l on 2040-cars

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China own a Detroit automaker? Would the U.S. let that happen?

The news that several Chinese automakers want to buy Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and that one has even made an offer, elicits some mixed feelings. On one hand, as some have pointed out, it could be a win-win both for China and for FCA's American workers, ensuring the company's survival and opening new markets. On the other hand, this is China, whose trade relationship with the U.S. is the source of considerable scrutiny from the Trump administration — and whose not-a-friend, not-an-enemy status is particularly difficult to gauge right now during heightened tensions with its client state North Korea. So would such a deal pass regulatory muster? One reason that springs to mind for blocking any sale has to do with national security. Chrysler's role as a military supplier dates back to Dodge trucks used by Gen. Blackjack Pershing to chase Pancho Villa in Mexico, and shortly thereafter by American forces in World War I. The Detroit Three automakers were, of course, mainstays of the Arsenal of Democracy of World War II. Even before U.S. entry into the war in December 1941, America's industrial machinery went into overdrive, and Chrysler was one of the biggest cogs. It engineered and built the M3, Sherman and Pershing tanks and trucks for Gen. George Patton's Redball Express. It helped develop a radar-guided antiaircraft gun that knocked German bombers and V1 rockets out of the sky — on one day, shooting down 97 of 101 V1s headed for London. On D-Day, the radar system helped thwart Luftwaffe counterattacks on the beaches of Normandy, and it later helped Allied forces break out at the Battle of the Bulge. Chrysler redesigned the Wright Cyclone engines used by the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the plane that firebombed Tokyo and dropped the atomic bombs that ended the war. Chrysler even played a secret role refining uranium in Oak Ridge, Tenn., that was used in the Hiroshima bomb and in the ensuing Cold War arms race. It worked on military missiles and was NASA's prime contractor for the Saturn V rocket that put men on the moon. More recently, Chrysler produced the M1 Abrams tank. And of course Chrysler is the keeper of the flame for Jeep, a 75-plus-years military legacy handed down from Bantam and Willys to Kaiser to AMC to Chrysler. The point of this history lesson is to note that in times of war or national emergency, America's industrial might has been called to serve, and may well be called on again.

Dodge Challenger Shakedown: '71 body, new guts

While Jeep has created a number of vintage-bodied custom vehicles with modern components, this year's SEMA show plays host to Dodge's take on the idea. The Shakedown concept began life as a 1971 Challenger and ditched almost everything in it, including the engine and chassis. What's left is a modern car with a retro look. The chassis was a particularly complicated part of the job, since the Challenger was originally a unibody car. However, Dodge chose to separate the Challenger's iconic body from its structural parts, and moved it onto a custom, one-off chassis from which the body can be removed as needed. The chassis also carries lowered suspension, Challenger Hellcat brakes, and a 6.4-liter 392 Hemi V8 connected to a six-speed manual transmission from the Viper. Dodge also installed the engine using the new Hemi engine swap kit from Mopar. With the shaker cold-air intake and custom exhaust, the Shakedown's powerplant makes 485 horsepower. View 13 Photos The body itself received plenty of tweaking as well. Dodge shaved off the drip rails, door handles, and turn signals for a cleaner look, and also fitted the grille, headlights, and taillights from a 2017 Challenger. The whole thing is finished in matte black paint with a "vibrating" stripe offset on the left side. The Shakedown also gets 20-inch Slingshot rear wheels and a pair of custom 19-inch versions for the front. On each fender is a bright red "392" decal that uses the same font as the labels on classic Mopars 360 cubic-inch V8s. Inside, the Shakedown gets the same radical upgrade as the chassis. Two Viper seats accompany a Viper steering wheel, and the rear seats are gone altogether. The Viper gearbox is shifted with a Challenger Hellcat gear knob, and carbon-fiber accents and leather adorn the wheel, door panels, instrument panel and center console. Related Video: Image Credit: FCA, Joel Stocksdale SEMA Show Dodge Coupe Concept Cars Performance

Redonkulous Dodge Charger is ridin' high

We're a bit hazy on the styling of this particular donk, which was recently spotted hashing about by HotCarsTV at the Southern Heritage Classic Car show in Memphis. Sporting a dope paint job and some wheels that make a blunt statement about what the driver enjoys, it's a unique take on the popular customizing trend.
The owner may be kiefing it real with the theme on this Dodge Charger, but when your car looks like this, it's easy to weed out from the crowd. Chronic police stops must also make it a pain to drive on a regular basis, though. Even with the big wheels, we bet the driver still finds time to light 'em up. Take a look down below for a brief video of this outrageous mean green machine on the road.