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google_ad_client=”pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot=”5591521468″;google_ad_width=300;google_ad_height=250;Eight-speed, ten-speed; it wasn’t long ago that these were gears primarily found in mountain bikes. In the automotive industry, we’re reaching these levels with automatic transmissions though. While just a few years ago most cars had four- and five-speed units, a gear arms race has been started with the goal of improving fuel economy at the heart.
More gears means more ratios, some which can be ultra efficient ones for highway cruising and the like. It is part of the reason a lot of today’s cars idle at much lower levels once at speed on the highway. Producing automatics with a lot of gears began at the upper strata of the market, but it is spreading downmarket quickly. Want proof? Today, Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne announced the new 2013 Dodge Dart would be offered with a nine-speed (!) auto.

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Yes, you read that right. The tranny will be a new unit sourced by ZF and built at a factory in South Carolina. Rather than develop its own unit, Chrysler chose to partner with ZF.
The Dart won’t debut with the nine-speed though, but rather a six-speed dual-clutch unit from Fiat. The nine-speed should help the Dart achieve a fuel economy rating of over 40 mpg. Producing a 40 mpg car is highly important for Fiat. The U.S government is hinging a remaining 5 percent of Chrysler shares on a U.S-built car with a 40 mpg rating or higher. Pretty interesting, and that gives an added impetus for the Dart to arrive. The addition of 5 percent will take Fiat’s ownership in Chrysler to 58.5 percent, with the rest held by a UAW retirees fund.
Recently we heard about the Fiat MultiAir engine that was going to be used in the Dart, but Automotive News has shed some light on the rest of the engine lineup. The Dart will get 2.0 and 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines that Dodge has curiously branded “Tigershark.” Are they going to use that in marketing materials? We certainly hope not…..
Related posts:Dodge Returns To Compacts With 2013 DartChrysler Automatic Gearbox to Feature 9 Gears in 2013Dodge Challenger Gets Pentastar V-6 for 2011
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google_ad_client = “pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot = “5591521468″;google_ad_width = 300;google_ad_height = 250; So this is Christmas! With all due respect to the various readers of automoblog.net as well as to the truer meaning of togetherness and community on this December 25th day, this holiday can be regarded as the most valuable event commercially. Many of us have been honoured with much-wanted gift item under the Christmas tree. However, some of us tear open our gifts realizing we’re beholding products destined to be returned to stores. While a fair share of item returns will result in store credit, some automotive enthusiasts may become the lucky ones to obtain cash back.
Also relevant for those who have acquired their present in the form of money, motorheads can set their sights to a wide ranging assortment of official automotive-branded merchandise bringing post-holiday cheer.
BMW Snow Racer 
Price: £69.95 (7.97 US)
A tragedy as a youngster is to have an object of curiosity within our daily viewing. Seeing a BMW M3 or BMW 7-Series zooming down the road would fill a young mind (as well as the older children at heart) with a desire to one day control a product fronted by the creators of “the ultimate driving machine”. Made from weather resistant plastics, the 6 kilogram (13.22 pound) BMW Snow Racer provides excitement for children 4-10 years old as they storm down white, powdery hills in this stylish sled. Sorry to more mature readers, there is not an adult version of the BMW Snow Racer.
Mopar 2GB USB Storage Drive 
Price: .75
An excellent item for the tech savvy Chrysler fan, the 2 gigabyte-sized Mopar USB flash drive properly advertises fanaticism for the popular accessory brand. Shaped in the form of a Mopar ‘M’ logo, this custom-designed USB drive disassembles from its casing to expose the connection piece. A portable storage device, photos, music and other file formats can be saved on the cleverly-designed USB flash drive.
Mercedes-Benz 2010 Classic Ornament Set 
Price: .00
Never to early for some to think about the next Christmas season, a set of four ornaments features the image of 1970s and 1980s Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Depicted on painted glass ornaments, the classic Mercedes-Benz W123 sedan as well as the 1985 500 SEL coupe. This four ornament holiday grouping arrives inside a custom-fitted red box for extra-safe keeping.
Built Ford Tough Portable Grill 
Price: 9.00
The fully-equipped Built Ford Tough portable grill set includes the ideal outfitting for an impromptu barbecue. Composing of a mini propane-fueled grille (propane tanks sold separately) and a waterproof, insulated cooler and a 3-piece grilling tool complement. The Built Ford Tough portable tool makes anyone the most popular figure at tailgate parties.
Infiniti Essence Sculpture 
Price: 0.00
Unlike a standard die-cast and scaled-model, Infiniti’s automotive Essence Sculpture serves more as an artform rather than an accurate recreation of their design direction. Building only 300 complete examples, the body shell is made of solid resin. Completing the high-fashion presentation, a specially-suited bespoke carrying case for the limited edition sculpture is produced by renowned luggage and handbag Louis Vuitton. This collaboration follows-up on the full-sized concept coupe, the Infiniti Essence which featured custom-fitted Louis Vuitton luggage.
Information and photo source: BMW USA, Chrysler Group, Ford Motor Company, Infiniti USA and Mercedes-Benz
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In case you haven’t noticed, Chrysler has been busy updating its lineup for 2011. While the changes to the 2011 models may not be drastic on the exterior, underneath the hood and in the interior, big updates are happening that will help to make the the lineup much more competitive.
One engine, the Pentastar V-6, is serving duty in a whole host of the new products. Now Chrysler is turning to its entrant in the pony car segment, and it gets – you guessed it – the Pentastar V-6.
The segment has been heating up, with the Chevrolet Camaro still fresh on the market and Ford making a strong play with the 2011 model Mustang.
Unlike in the past, the V-6 models have been getting a lot of the attention. Historically, the V-6 models have been viewed mostly as underpowered also-rans to the main V-8 model. And for the most part, that is deserved. Who really desired the V-6 models of these cars in the past?

google_ad_client=”pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot=”5591521468″;google_ad_width=300;google_ad_height=250; But with the 312 horsepower V-6 in the Camaro and the 305 hp unit in the Mustang, that perception is changing. They also provide fantastic fuel economy numbers to match. In this environment, the Challenger has been falling behind.
For 2010 it has the highest base price and weight, as well as lowest power output. Looking at it by the numbers, the Challenger ends up the clear loser.
As far as styling goes, the Challenger continues to impress, but it needs new life to compete. The Pentastar V-6 helps to do that for 2011, bumping up the power level by 55 hp and 18 lb-ft over the 2010 model, with the total coming to 305 hp and 268 lb-feet.
The question now is pricing and fuel economy. We think a price reduction would be a good idea to help the Challenger gain traction. Fuel economy figures? Those are up in the air for now.
The likely result is the Challenger will retain its distant third position in the sales race. However, it’s nice to see all three becoming increasingly competitive. It’s like the pony car wars all over again – and now the V-6 models are playing a big part too.
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Related posts:2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 ReviewDodge Challenger Drag Pak Remains For 20102009 Dodge Challenger R/T Review

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Through the 1990s, Chrysler had a flair for new product introductions. One of those more memorable roll-out occurred in the 1991 Detroit Auto Show when they sent their Jeep Grand Cherokee (significantly their first new SUV designed under Chrysler’s guidance) through a wall of glass. Equally as important during this era of flash were the vehicles introduced through what was Chrysler Corporation’s last, great renaissance. As Chrysler struggles to rebuild from their major restructuring, the auto company is working diligently to promote themselves among the living.
Chrysler’s Dodge division has shown some real life recently staging the unveiling of the revitalization of the 2011 Dodge Durango. Expressing a desire to wet vehicle buyers’ appetites to the new Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), Dodge has been strategically feeding snippets of the upcoming Durango. Starting this past Sunday, the release of web video gave the first peek to Dodge’s new truck-like product. Showing only an isolated set of design features belonging to the 2011 SUV, some still images were released a few days later providing little more than to decrypt the appearance.
Assembling the provided still and motion images as an unfinished puzzle, we’ll see the 2011 Dodge Durango wearing a more mature look. Cleat lens front headlamps and a large chrome grille are styled to resemble the Ram pickup line even featuring the distinct hood lip overhang. Obtaining its platform from the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the new Mercedes-Benz ML-Class, we should expect the latest Durango to supply a considerably refined ride. Unlike the Grand Cherokee, the 2011 Dodge Durango will feature third row seating allowing a larger family to take stock in the comfortable stride on and off-road.
As many of us would know, Dodge’s popularly on Youtube has reached a fever pitch recently. Dodge removed a trained chimpanzee from their latest sales advertisement on the protest of PETA. Replacing Suzie the chimpanzee with a so-called ‘invisible monkey’, the original ad is still present on the video posting website with over 200,000 views. Being Sensitive to animal rights groups and the claims of abuse against trained monkeys, Dodge released release Tuesday saying in part “Dodge is firmly committed to never using great apes in our advertisements again”. Dodge also added “We released a new commercial. The footage is identical, only this time you won’t see Suzie. There’s a twist you won’t miss. Make no mistake – we’re not making light of the issue.”
Dodge plans to continue this media taste-testing session through the next few weeks until the complete 2011 Dodge Durango is finally pieced together.
Information and Photo Source: Chrysler Group
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Filtering their trucks into an individual division late last year, Chrysler allowed the new-formed Ram brand to ride off with the 16-year old Dodge logo. For a brand now focused solely on car-based platforms, Dodge received a chance to refresh their image. Within the upcoming summer advertising barrage, Dodge’s vehicles will now be featured with a subtle new logo.
Certainly not to gain too most study in graphic design circles, the division new badge elected not to be mistaken. However, before mocking the simplicity of Dodge’s new identification, keep in mind that the the outgoing ram head badge has probably been Dodge’s most elaborate marking since the auto brand was recognized as the ‘Dodge Brothers’ prior to the 1930s. Deciding to only to accent their Dodge name with silver lettering, two red stripes sweep horizontally just beyond the ‘E’. Relating to auto racing and high-performance built in the company’s past, these racing stripes kindly coordinates with the current SRT badges found on Dodge’s power-leading vehicles.
Harping back to Dodge’s old logo, the ‘ram head’ served the division well in asserting more enthusiastic qualities of their vehicles as Dodge entered the 21st century. Using the slogan “Grab Life by the Horns” from 2001 to 2007, Chrysler’s best-selling division flaunted their gritty attitude with a dual-offense on the auto market. Capitalizing on the than super stardom of large pickup trucks such as the Ram and the V-8 powered Dakota, the return of the HEMI named V-8 engines elevated corporate intensity to a level not seen since the original muscle car era wrapped.
Stated by Dodge as embodying a “forever young attitude and performance-driven history will drive the brand into the future”, the division clings to a lineup which hasn’t received a new product since the 2009 Dodge Journey was added in the 2008 year. Discouraged by the bankruptcy restructuring of the Chrysler Group through the past year, There should be a heavy influx of refreshed products complimenting the new logo. In the pipeline, the Charger is scheduled for a redesign with replacement vehicles on tap for the Dodge Avenger and their Viper supercar.
Photo and Information Source: Chrysler Group
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Related posts:Dodge To Sell Viper (sob)Viper Receives a Snakebite: 2010 Dodge Viper Final Edition2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Review

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When it comes to potential safety hazards, it looks like car makers aren’t taking any chances after the Toyota Sticky Gas Pedal fiasco. After a month’s investigation by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, Chrysler is issuing a voluntary recall on the potentially sticky gas pedals put into 90 Jeep Compass and 34,631 Dodge Calibers from the 2007 model year. No reports of accidents or injuries have been filed, which means they’re trying to correct the problem before it starts – exactly what should have been done with Toyota.
Although the issue is similar to the Toyota deal, the underlying issue isn’t the same. The problem with the Chrysler pedals are due to a manufacturing issue from CTS – the supplier for the parts in question. Chrysler says only about a third of the recalled vehicles will have problems, so owners are encouraged to have a free inspection done at their local dealer to see if the pedal needs to be replaced.
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Since 2008, Chrysler Group has been playing mongoose  to the iconic Dodge Viper. In recent weeks, the end appears near for the American supercar as Dodge has announced a highly-limited 2010 offering known as the Dodge Viper Final Edition. While this is not the first that the Dodge Viper is being delivered in a Final Edition package (360 cars are sold in 2002 as the Viper transitioned to the 2003 model), the 2010 Viper SRT10 Final Edition will arrive with uncertainly for the supercar’s future.
Reflecting the somber occasion, the final 50 Dodge Viper SRT10s (20 Coupes, 18 Roadsters and 12 ACR-prepped cars) will share a dark coloured interior and exterior treatment. Outer panels wear a graphite clear coat with a black stripe running lengthwise down the center of the hood. A subtle red striping  accent frames the black center striping of the Viper SRT10 Final Edition. For the interior, a deep satin black floods the two-seat Dodge Viper cabin. A handsome use of red through the seat stitching and around the instrument cluster gauges provide a fitting contrast to the black.
Fitted as an appearance package only, the Viper SRT10’s beloved 8.4 liter V-10 engine is left untouched. Exploding to produce 600 horsepower and 560 pounds-feet of torque, should there be any additional expectations from the race-proven powerplant.
Put into production in 1992, the Dodge Viper served as a beacon to American performance. Even before its official release the Viper to showrooms, the Chrysler supercar combed over what was a controversial choice even the Dodge Stealth was originally slated to be the 1991 Indy 500 pace car. Conceding to opposition over the choice of the Japanese-built Stealth, a prototype version of the Dodge Viper was readied to lead the world famous race. The shear beauty of Dodge’s American supercar stole the show on race day and instantly earned fanfare. Thanks to the high-profile appearance, the Viper also drew eyeballs to the  entire Chrysler auto company which was undergoing a radical revamp of their lineup. With the LH cars, Ram pickup and Neon, these vehicles anchored by the Dodge Viper sparked a brief resurgence of the Chrysler Corporation.
Also becoming a championship fixture within auto racing through GT series competition, the Viper sports car holds victories at the 24-hour races of Daytona, Le Mans, and the 12-hours of Sebring. Away from the racetrack, the Dodge Viper would find itself to be an idolized figure in American culture. In fact, a crime-fighting show in the 1990s called “Viper” chronicled an highly-advanced version of the supercar. The Viper TV Series lasted 4 seasons and 78 episodes (much longer than the rebooted 2008 Knight Rider series).
Sending the glorious American production supercar on its way, Chrysler Corporation is going to let the loud, thundering exhaust of the Dodge Viper trumpet the departure the current production run. Besides the Final Series, a race track-only Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR-X are just now moving out of the factory for 10-race Dodge Viper Cup Series slated to start in July.
Without even as much as a recent concept car available to judge supercar, there has yet to be an official pledge by Dodge to a new high-performance sports car. However, the press information clearly defines the Final Edition is “To celebrate the final year of production for the current-generation Dodge Viper”.
Photo Provided by Chrysler Group
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Warms the cockles of my heart it does. The fact that Chrysler saw fit to even make a drag strip version of the reborn Dodge Challenger in the first place was great. And it seems that they were enough of a success for the company to continue to offer them in 2010.

In 2009, the company created 100 of the drag-strip specials. For 2010 the will be making even more of the cars and they’ve said the price will be ,999. The intent is for them NHRA Stock, Super Stock and Comp Eliminator racing and indeed, they are already sanctioned by the NHRA, so they’re good to go. I know you’re probably thinking the same thing I am, but sadly, the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak is not street legal. So you can just stop that line of thought right now.

The 2009 version of the car was offered with three engine options: A 5.7-liter Hemi, a 5.9-liter Magnum Wedge and a 6.1-liter Hemi V8. The company says 90 percent of the 2009 cars were ordered with the 6.1-liter plant, so there was little point in continuing with the other engines. Which mean that the 2010 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak is offered only with the 6.1-liter Hemi V8. You do get a choice of trannies though. The 2010 car can be ordered with a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission.

And that’s an interesting option. Do any of you strip guys out there know why you’d go with an automatic versus a manual? My experience is that autos are only good over a certain level of horsepower, and that a manual will always be quicker initially off the line. But there must be some good reason for running an automatic.

Just like the 2009 version, the 2010 will batch of cars are about 1,000 pounds lighter than the street Challenger and will include such sweet goodies as a composite lift-off hood with scoop, Viper-style front seats, polycarbonate door windows, a light-weight cooling module with electric fan, manual rack-and-pinion steering, light-weight front brakes and a special cable-operated throttle linkage and pedal assembly. I know, but DAMN, wouldn’t that be a sweet set of options for the street version?

Mopar will only be manufacturing 70 Drag Pak cars for 2010, so get in line and submit your application to Mopar (the only way obtain one of the beasts).

Source: Edmunds

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