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Report: Dodge Ram Runner kit will be street legal

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Truck, Etc., Chrysler, Off-Road

Ram Runner

Dodge Ram Runner Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s some big news buzzing around the Ram Runner Concept at the moment. We’ve known for a good while now that Chrysler is planning to offer a kit to convert any Ram 1500 pickup into the desert raiding beast seen above, but according to PickupTrucks.com, the company’s engineers have managed to pull a few stunts to make the vehicle completely street legal.

The biggest hangup was that the conversion kit widens the vehicle’s track from 68.2 inches up front and 67.5 inches out back to 77.5 and 74.5 inches respectively. In order to make everything right as rain with Jonny Law, Chrysler had to throw in a couple of illuminated fender markers in the name of safety.

That’s great news and all, but there’s more. It turns out Chrysler is mulling the notion of selling the Ram Runner as a turn-key vehicle instead of as a pile of parts available from your local dealer. If the automaker decides to go that route, you can expect the company to turn to an outside builder to convert standard Ram 1500 models into a full-blooded Ford F-150 SVT Raptor fighter.

Gallery: SEMA 2010: Ram Runner

Ram Runner

Gallery: 2011 Ram Runner

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Report: Dodge Ram Runner kit will be street legal originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AdSpotting: Dodge Charger gets the “Never Neutral” treatment

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Dodge

2011 Dodge Charger

2011 Dodge Charger Never Neutral ads – Click above to watch after the jump

Company: Chrysler

Brand: Dodge

Medium: TV Ad

Ad Agency: Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Oregon.

Product: 2011 Dodge Charger

Campaign: “Never Neutral”

What We Like: The re-do on the 2011 Dodge Charger turned a car that was one half of a two-suits-for-the-price-of-one deal into a slick, polished and nicely sprung sedan that now earns our respect. The “Never Neutral” marketing campaign debuted last week at the Chicago Auto Show and comes across in these ads as a decent tag-line for the Charger. We like the attitude that the Charger is a car for people who still enjoy real driving, don’t moan about pumping their own gas and aren’t necessarily swayed by the reputations of other brands that are now bigger than their current sheet-metal supports. In these two ads, Chrysler takes aim squarely at Google’s self-driving car and Mitsubishi’s online test drive “experience”, (though picking on Mitsubishi at this point is like taunting Urkel), as well as referencing the Matrix movies, which never hurts.

What We Don’t Like: Making a statement about the Dodge brand being for real drivers and sticking a thumb in the eye of a couple of competitors is all well and good, but could we get some edgier writing here? All they could come up with to ridicule Mitsubishi’s online test-drive is, “That’s absurd.” As we used to say in the newspaper biz, “Get me rewrite!”

Strategy: Dodge is positioning itself as the brand of vehicles for those who appreciate that Detroit is still the capital of car-making in the U.S., and that driving a responsive automobile is a fine American value. We absolutely loved the ad from 2010 showing George Washington leading his troops into battle against the British redcoats in Dodge Challengers, and we like the similar attitude on display here. But this approach to selling Dodge’s new image around Americana, American values and for people who relish having a real set of wheels is a bit of a high wire act dependent on the creative teams batting well above .500.

Grade: B-

What do you think? Watch the ads for yourself after the jump.

Continue reading AdSpotting: Dodge Charger gets the “Never Neutral” treatment

AdSpotting: Dodge Charger gets the “Never Neutral” treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T is spruced up, yet unsurprisingly sedate

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Dodge

2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T

2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T – Click above for high-res image gallery

Long ago, Chrysler told us that it would be launching a “manlier minivan,” and the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T looks to be just the ticket. Sort of.

Power still comes from the automaker’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, and while there’s nothing weak about 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque in a minivan, our own visions of a proper “man van” involved some sort of Hemi-spec power outputs. Nevertheless, the Grand Caravan R/T looks slightly more aggressive, wearing a unique set of 17-inch alloys, and employs design tweaks like body-colored side moldings. Inside, black leather seats are standard kit and red contrast stitching gives off an aura of sportiness, even though the family-hauler won’t impress your sports car-driving friends at parties.

Man van? Not so much. But even so, the Grand Caravan’s R/T trim package has a good chance of speaking to those consumers who need a minivan’s capability while still trying to play it cool. Scroll through our high-res image gallery of live shots direct from the Chicago Auto Show floor to see for yourself.

Gallery: 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T: Chicago 2011

2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T

Chicago 2011: 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T is spruced up, yet unsurprisingly sedate originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Dodge commercial pokes fun at Snowpocalypse

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Dodge

2011 Dodge all wheel drive vehicle drives by other cars stuck in the snow

2011 Dodge all-wheel drive commercial – click above to watch the video

All-wheel drive is available in the 2011 Dodge Charger, Journey and Durango, and with all of the widespread snow this winter, Chrysler is hoping you’ll want every edge you can get.

To get the word out about its all-wheel drive lineup, Dodge is running a new TV commercial that pokes fun at the typically panicked behavior that ensues whenever the weather report calls for snow. After the local grocery stores have been stripped bare of milk and bread, you’re going to have to go out of your way to restock anyway, so you might as well have a secure, confident way to do it, right? Dodge thinks its AWD offerings turn epic winter weather into little more than flurries. Does Auburn Hills have another hit on our hands from a seemingly reinvigorated Chrysler advertising effort, or is this one a dud? Check it out after the jump, then let us know in ‘Comments.’

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Video: Dodge commercial pokes fun at Snowpocalypse

Video: Dodge commercial pokes fun at Snowpocalypse originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: 2011 Dodge Durango Heat lights our fire

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Crossover, Dodge

2011 Dodge Durango Heat

2011 Dodge Durango Heat – Click above for high-res image gallery

Dodge has lit up its new Durango Heat at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show. The mighty crossover wears the fancy dress of the R/T model, but comes without thirsty 5.7-liter Hemi V8 under the hood. Instead, buyers can expect to find the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 behind the headlights churning out 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. That’s an extra five ponies over the typical V6 Durango, and combined, Dodge says that the machine should be capable of 16 mpg city and 23 mpg highway. That’s a jump of two and three mpg, respectively, over the Hemi-powered R/T.

Outside, the Durango Heat wears the same front fascia, side skirts and monochrome treatment as the more powerful crossover, and it even comes packing the same low-slung suspension and 20-inch wheels. Don’t expect to find seating for seven indoors, though. Dodge has ditched the third row to save a few pounds to increase both performance and fuel economy.

If you like what you see, expect to shell out $30,295. All-wheel drive guise will set you back an additional $2,000.

Gallery: 2011 Dodge Durango Heat: Chicago 2011

2011 Dodge Durango Heat

Chicago 2011: 2011 Dodge Durango Heat lights our fire originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 is a 465-horsepower family sedan

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Sedan, Performance, Dodge

2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’re still wrapping our heads around the appearance of the new 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8, but we don’t need even a second thought regarding its performance specifications. Just about anything sporting a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 putting out 465 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque will find a welcome bay in our garages, and this Charger is no exception.

Yes, the five-speed automatic is a bit of a disappointment in this day and age, but something tells us a few 12-second trips down the good ol’ 1320 ought to ease that bit of pain, as would an autobahn blast at the Charger SRT8’s 175 miles per hour top speed. If those tantalizing little tidbits are enough to whet your appetite for more, we highly suggest you click here to read the rest of the impressive specifications.

Naturally, you’ll want to take a nice, long gander at the live photos from the 2011 Chicago Auto Show in our high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8: Chicago 2011

2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

Gallery: 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

Chicago 2011: 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 is a 465-horsepower family sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: Dodge Challenger goes Green With Envy

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Chrysler, Dodge

2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Green With Envy

2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Green With Envy – Click above for high-res image gallery

Dodge is spicing up the Challenger line with a new eye-searing paint color. The hue is called Green With Envy, and it’s supposed to pay homage to some of the wilder colors from the company’s past, including Sublime and Green Go. Buyers will be able to grab their new green Challenger in one of two configurations, including a new R/T Classic that serves up the company’s 372-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 engine with two A-line body stripes. The accents are available in either matte black or white.

For those who need a little more bite with their bark, Chrysler is also serving up the Challenger SRT8 in the new paint. In that trim, owners can enjoy the same 470-horsepower 6.4-liter V8 engine found in the Challenger SRT8 392, and the muscle bruisers will be differentiated by full-body black stripes. Likewise, the interior will enjoy Green With Envy accented seats.

Look to pony up around $35,785 for the Challenger R/T Classic Green With Envy and $44,875 for the SRT8 iteration. Both prices include destination. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Green with Envy

2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Green with Envy

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Chicago 2011: Dodge Challenger goes Green With Envy

Chicago 2011: Dodge Challenger goes Green With Envy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 01:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: Dodge gives Grand Caravan, Journey the R/T treatment for 2011

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Crossover, Dodge

2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T

2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T – Click above for high-res image gallery

As part of Chrysler’s giant product onslaught for the 2011 model year, The Pentastar has released new R/T trim levels of both the Dodge Grand Caravan and Journey crossover. Both models make their debut at the Chicago Auto Show this week, and while there aren’t any big power boosts, the spruced up exterior and interior designs speak of sportiness.

Both the Grand Caravan and Journey R/T use Chrysler’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, pumping out 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission. The minivan is only available with front-wheel drive, though an all-wheel-drive variant of the Journey R/T is available.

Outside, the Grand Caravan R/T gets new appearance tweaks like a “dipped” body-colored grille, body-colored side moldings and a new set of 17-inch alloy wheels. Likewise, the Journey R/T features the same sort of exterior treatment, but rides on larger 19-inch aluminum wheels with a satin carbon finish. Inside, both vehicles benefit from upgrades like black seats with red contrast stitching throughout, as well as the latest in Chrysler connectivity and infotainment.

The 2011 Grand Caravan R/T and Journey R/T will arrive at dealerships this Spring, priced from $30,595 and $28,995, respectively. Opting for the all-wheel-drive Journey R/T will set you back $30,695, and you can read the full suite of details in the automaker’s press release, after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T

2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T

Gallery: 2011 Dodge Journey R/T

2011 Dodge Journey R/T

[Source: Chrysler]

Chicago 2011: Dodge gives Grand Caravan, Journey the R/T treatment for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 01:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: Dodge brings 2011 Durango some Heat

2011 Dodge Durango Heat – Click above to enlarge

Dodge is lighting a figurative fire under its entire lineup of vehicles these days, and one vehicle that’s igniting the match is the redesigned-for-2011 Durango. Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that the automaker has just announced the new Heat package for the 2011 Durango, which is basically an R/T minus the Hemi V8 engine.

In place of the brawny V8 beast is a version of the new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine boasting 295 horsepower (up five ponies from other V6 Durangos) and 260 pound-feet of torque. Naturally, the main benefit is improved fuel efficiency, with the Heat earning EPA ratings of 16/23 (city/highway) for the rear-wheel-drive model and 16/22 for the all-wheel-drive model. That’s up from 14/20 with the more powerful V8.

Besides the engine, most everything about the Heat matches that of the R/T. Included among the changes over less sporting models is a body kit that includes a monochromatic front fascia with a lower air dam, suspension lowered by 20 millimeters, 20-inch wheels with all-season performance tires and a dual exhaust system. Dodge saves a bit of weight by ejecting the third row; the Heat is available as a five-passenger model only.

Pricing for the 2011 Durango Heat begins at $30,295 ($32,295 with all-wheel drive). Want to know more? Click past the break for the full press release.

[Source: Dodge]

Continue reading Chicago 2011: Dodge brings 2011 Durango some Heat

Chicago 2011: Dodge brings 2011 Durango some Heat originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 01:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Sedan, Performance, Dodge

2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Dodge has dropped the Street and Racing Technology motherlode on the eve of the Chicago Auto Show and first out of the gate is the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 – what Eminem should’ve rolled in during the Super Bowl.

As with anything birthed from Chrysler’s in-house tuning division, the Charger SRT8 is all about the engine, so the transformation begins with the new 6.4-liter HEMI V8 putting out 465 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque – a boost of some 80 lb-ft over the old 6.1-liter mill. That torquey wave comes on at 2,900 rpm and Dodge claims that with the fitment of its Fuel Saver tech, allowing the engine to run on four cylinders when its not under load, fuel economy will improve, although Dodge isn’t saying how much.

Chrysler’s W5A580 five-speed automatic transmission backs up the HEMI, and you can select your own gears by either slapping the AutoStick or thumbing the steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters.

All that adds up to an estimated top speed of 175 mph, a 0-60 mph time in the high fours and a quarter-mile run deep into the 12s.

In addition to the five-spoke, 20-inch forged aluminum and polished wheels, the SRT crew saw fit to equip the SRT8 with an adaptive damping suspension with Auto and Sport settings that process speed, steering angle, brake pressure, throttle application and lateral acceleration. Brakes are sized 14.2-inches up front and 13.8-inches in the rear, with a new front fascia, LED taillamps and four-inch dual exhausts rounding out the exterior mods. And naturally, the interior isn’t left out in the cold, with a flat-bottom steering wheel, heavily bolstered seats and a 900-watt, 19-speaker audio system courtesy of Harmon Kardon.

We’ll be on the floor tomorrow to snag live pics of all the SRT-fettled goodies, but in the meantime, peep the gallery below and get all the details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

[Source: Dodge]

Continue reading Chicago 2011: 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

Chicago 2011: 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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