If you’d like to see what the next generation of muscle cars will be like, look no further than the 2008 Dodge ZEO Concept. The four-passenger sport wagon was designed for driving enthusiasts and tree-huggers alike. It’s equipped with an all-electric, lithium-ion battery powerplant that can go up to 250 miles before needing to be recharged. And even though it doesn’t burn gas, it certainly can burn rubber, going from 0-60 miles per hour in under six seconds.

The 2008 Dodge ZEO Concept is a four-passenger, 2+2 sport wagon that embraces the bold, expressive look of the Dodge brand, exhibiting a new, youthful breed of muscle car for the 21st century. Built for driving enthusiasts, it features an electric-only propulsion system with a lithium-ion battery pack capable of at least 250 miles. Unlike other such vehicles, the 2008 Dodge ZEO Concept is a four-door, four-passenger model that delivers function as well as environmental responsibility.

We’ve finally seen an electric -powered vehicle that has our motoring mouths salivating to find a backcountry road. The Dodge ZEO Concept is sleek, aerodynamic and appears to be speeding—even sitting on a display turntable. This four-door coupe just may be the hit of the 2008 concepts.

Motoring enthusiasts are enviro-friendly too, and the electric only ZEO promises to be just what we’re wishing for. Powering the rear wheels is a single 200-kW (268-hp) electric motor that reportedly propels the ZEO to 60 mph in under six seconds. That is up near HEMI-land, folks.

The sleek front-end design is low and aerodynamic while sporting the trademark, albeit modernized, cross-hair Dodge grille. It is illuminated, according to principal exterior designer Bill Zheng ZEO, “to communicate the use of electricity as the power source.” Large, 23-in. alloy wheels fitted with low profile Goodyear tires fill the round wheel arches, which are moved far to each corner suggesting superior handling characteristics..

The front and rear scissor doors suggest a 2+2 passenger layout, however, we would not want to be relegated to the rear cushions. Like may four place sporty cars the rear seat is best left to inanimate objects. The scissor doors imbue images of much more exotic sports cars not a practical environmentally friendly vehicle such as ZEO.

The interior is designed to resemble a sculpture carved from a single piece of material. The fabric wrapped surface begins in front of the driver then flows to door and continues to the rear. It then rounds back to the passenger side where it ends in a sloping surface. The center console also displays this continuity, as it divides the cabin from windshield to rear panel creating and definitive dual cockpit.

The steering wheel sports two closely located vertical spokes that leave 80-percent of the rim open to allow the driver to view the freestanding instruments. Gauges are displayed on a thin blue acrylic screen, which adjusts with the steering wheel. The center hub containing the airbag remains stationary as the wheel rim rotates.

With performance nearing Hemi proportions and an advanced l-i battery pack said to be capable of a 250-mile range, the ZEO makes “going green” not much of a compromise. We can’t wait to put this to real world testing. We know just the backcountry road.

Dodge ZEO Concept Vehicle Specifications

Vehicle Type Battery Electric Vehicle, performance sedan

“2+2″ passenger seating

Weight and Dimensions
Weight/GVWR 2650 lbs./3400 lbs.
Length 172.8 inches/4390mm
Width at H-point 68.6 inches/1743mm
Height 50.8 inches/1290mm
Wheelbase 109.9 inches/2792mm
Couple 1-2 29.2 inches/742mm
Front overhang 32.8 inches/832mm
Rear overhang 30.1 inhces/765mm
Track front/rear 64.1 inches/1628mm 65.8 inches/1671mm
Approach angle 10.2 degrees
Departure angle 24.6 degrees
Turn circle 40 feet/12.2m
Maximum width 76.5 inches/1944mm

Powertrain and Suspension
Layout Rear wheel drive

Motor Single electric
Power: 200 kW (268 hp)
Regenerative braking

Battery 64 kWh Li-ion battery pack

Suspension Front – SLA
Rear – SLA

Wheels and Tires
Tire size front P225/40R23×8 30.1 inches/764mm
Tire size rear P255/40R23×9 31.0 inches/788mm
Tire manufacturer Goodyear

Color Scheme
Exterior Orange Metallic
Interior Super White

Key Performance Attributes
0-60 mph 5.7 seconds
Standing ¼ mile 11.0 seconds
Top speed 130 mph
All-electric range 250 miles
Equivalent mpg 120 mpg

Dodge brought back a famous model name from its muscle-car past for the 2006 model year with the launch of the Charger. From 1966 to the early 1970s, Charger coupes were among the most potent and most recognized muscle machines on the market. The Charger competes with other revived muscle cars, including the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Impala and Pontiac Grand Prix. For 2008, Dodge redesigned the instrument panel and added more standard features to the R/T and SXT models.

The 2008 Dodge Charger ranks 5 out of 10 Affordable Large Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 61 published reviews and test drives of the Dodge Charger, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The 2008 Charger is a power performer, with commanding exterior styling and a roomy, comfortable interior. The use of some low-quality interior materials, limited visibility and a lackluster base engine keep it from the top of our rankings.

The 2008 Dodge Charger creates buzz with its retro-muscle-car styling and the powerful engines offered at the top of its lineup. It’s the most muscular looking thing in its class, and it backs up the look with engine options that top out with a 6.1-liter Hemi V8 putting out 425 horsepower. Automobile Magazine calls the sedan “bargain-priced power.” The Charger also earns points for offering a range of trims and options, allowing buyers to get the car that’s just right for them.

The 2008 Dodge Charger is sold in four trims: the base SE, the SXT, the performance-oriented R/T, and high-performance SRT8. For 2008, Dodge has redesigned the Charger’s interior, upgraded the wheels, and offered enhanced entertainment options. Dodge has introduced a limited lifetime powertrain warranty on all of its products for 2008. If you’re considering the Charger, you might also want to test drive the equally distinctive Chrysler 300.

Dodge portrays the 2008 Charger as a high-performance option among family sedans. But he Charger is offered in four trim levels with four different engines, ranging from 178 horsepower all the way to 425. While the high-end models keep the performance promise, many reviews say the lower-end engines don’t. The Orlando Sentinel says, “Certainly the 5.7-liter, 340-horsepower Hemi V-8 in the Charger R/T is entertaining, but the SRT8’s extra 85 horsepower is icing. Expensive icing.” Continue with our full Performance Review to compare the many performance options.

The 2008 Charger’s exterior is a throwback to the Chargers of the 1960’s, with an aggressive, wide stance. U.S. News’ Rick Newman calls the Charger “Hot. Bold and bossy. Dodge developed an original exterior that is fresh.” See it for yourself in our Dodge Charger Photo Gallery, or continue with our full Exterior Review to read about a look that generated a lot of buzz in the automotive press and inspired future Dodge designs.

Dodge has upgraded the Charger’s interior for 2008 to address reviewer complaints, and the new cabin is an improvement. Road and Track says “The Charger’s cabin is tastefully designed and looks clean without appearing austere.” Still, it doesn’t offer the luxury of some of its competition, hurting its position in our rankings. View the cabin in our Dodge Charger Photo Gallery, or continue with our full Interior Review to read about new options like heated front seats and cabin air filtration.

Some safety concerns place the 2008 Dodge Charger at the bottom of its class. It performs well in federal government crash tests, and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety gives the 2008 Dodge Charger a rating of “good” for frontal offset test results. However, its side impact scores are below the class average, especially without optional side airbags. Continue with our full Safety Review for a complete discussion of the Charger’s crash test results, and visibility problems that reviewers consistently cite. continue
Charger Reliability – NA

We are still compiling data on the 2008 Dodge Charger’s predicted reliability. Dodge covers the Charger with a three-year/36,000-mile basic limited warranty, and a new lifetime powertrain warranty. Continue with our full Reliability Review for more.

Statistics

A typical American car dealership in Fremont, California. Between 2002 and 2003 alone the number of vehicles in the United States increased by three million.
The United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration as well as the National Automobile Dealers Association have published data in regard to the total number of vehicles, growth trends, and ratios between licensed drivers, the general population, and the increasing number of vehicles on American roads. Overall passenger vehicles have been outnumbering licensed drivers since 1972 at an ever increasing rate, while light trucks and vehicles manufactured by foreign marques have gained a larger share of the automotive market in the United States. In 2001, 90% of Americans drove to work in cars. New York City is the only locality in the country where more than half of all households do not own a car (the figure is even higher in Manhattan, over 75%; nationally, the rate is 8%).

According to the US Bureau of Transit Statistics for 2004 there are 243,023,485 registered passenger vehicles in the US. Out of these roughly 243 million vehicles, 136,430,651 (56.13%) were classified as cars, while 91,845,327 (37.79%) were classified as “Other 2 axle, 4 tire vehicles,” presumably SUVs and pick-up trucks. Yet another 6,161,028 (2.53%) were classified as vehicles with 2 axles and 6 tires and 2,010,335 (0.82%) were classified as “Truck, combination.” There were approximately 5,780,870 motorcycles in the US in 2004, which accounts for 2.37% of all registered passenger vehicles.
According to cumulative data by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) the number of motor vehicles has also increased steadily since 1960, only stagnating once in 1997 and declining from 1990 to 1991. Otherwise the number of motor vehicles has been rising by an estimated 3.69 million each year since 1960 with the largest annual growth between 1998 and 1999 as well as between 2000 and 2001 when the number of motor vehicles in the United States increased by eight million. Since the study by the FHA the number of vehicles has increased by approximately eleven million, one of the largest recorded increases. The largest percentage increase was between the years of 1972 and 1973 when the number of cars increased by 5.88%.

Age of vehicles in operation
In the year 2001, the National Automobile Dealers Association conducted a study revealing the average age of vehicles in operation in the US. The study found that of vehicles in operation in the US, 38.3% were older than ten years, 22.3% were between seven and ten years old, 25.8% were between three and six years old and 13.5% were less than two years old. According to this study the majority of vehicles, 60.6%, of vehicles were older than seven years in 2001. This relatively high age of automobiles in the US might be explained through gradually declining sales figures since 1998.
The median and mean age of automobiles has steadily increased since 1969. In 2005 the overall median age for automobiles was 8.9 years, a significant increase over 1990 when the median age of vehicles in operation in the US was 6.5 years and 1969 when the mean age for automobiles was 5.1 years. Of all body styles, pick-up trucks had the highest mean age (9.4 years), followed by cars with a mean age of 8.4 years and van with a mean age of 7.0 years. As SUVs are part of a relatively new consumer trend originating mostly in the 1990s, SUVs had the lowest mean age of any body style in the US (6.1 years). The average recreational vehicle was even older with a mean age of 12.5. The mean age has increased continuously for all body styles from 1969 to 2005.

Sales
In the year 2004, 7,505,932 passengers cars were sold in the United States according to the US Department of Transportation. This figure “Includes domestic and imported vehicles.” (Department of Transportation) The number of vehicles sold in the US has been decreasing at a gradual yet continuous rate since 1999, when nearly 8.7 million vehicles were sold in the US. Looking back at history however, reveals that such decline is only part of normal market trends and most likely only a temporary affair. Overall, 1985 was a record year with cars sales totaling just over eleven million. While imports have been gaining ground in terms of units sold during the 2000s and have regained roughly the same market share they held in 1992, the sales of domestic vehicles are still more than double those of imported vehicles. It should be noted however that the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics “Includes cars produced in Canada and Mexico” as domestic vehicles as both countries are part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In 2004 the sales of vehicles made in NAFTA states totaled 5.4 million, while the sale of imported vehicles totaled 2.1 million. 798,000 vehicles were imported from Japan, making it the greatest exporter of vehicles to the US. Germany was the second largest exporter of vehicles to the US, with 542,000 units exported to the US in 2004. Imports from all other nations, except Germany and Japan, totaled 809,000.

Pricing

Full-size SUVs such as the Chevrolet Suburban had an average sticker price of $42k, but were sold for an average 22% discount, bringing the net price down to $33k. Overall, large non-luxury SUVs featured the largest discounts in the SUV segment (Edmunds.com).
In July 2004, Edmunds.com published a report stating that the average sticker price on a vehicle sold in the United States was $29,746. However, in the US, passenger vehicles are commonly sold at considerable discounts and customers rarely pay the sticker price or MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price). The discount is commonly determined by the company’s marketing strategies and tends to be larger the slower selling a vehicle is. Due to what many American consumers have perceived as a declining quality among the automobiles manufactured by the “Big Three” and large fixed labor and capital costs, discounts tend to be larger on domestic vehicles. In 2003 the average discount on a domestic vehicle was 20.6% below MSRP. For Japanese and Korean vehicles the average discount was 10% and 12.8%. The lowest discounts were given on vehicles from European manufacturers, where the average discount was 7.7% below MSRP. Overall, the average discount in July 2004 was $4,982 (16.8%), meaning that while the average MSRP was almost $30,000, the average buyer of a new car paid only $24,764.[9] Dr. Jane Liu, the Vice President of Data Analysis for Edmunds.com further stated that, “New models are being introduced at higher price points, but the competitiveness of the market is dramatically pushing down net prices, resulting in a record average discount.” The lowest discounts among all car segments were given on luxury SUVs, where buyers received an average 10% discount, resulting in a $43,725 net price, versus the sticker price of $48,586.
Fuel economy

A Hummer H2, with an estimated fuel economy of 9 miles per gallon, is often criticized by environmentalist groups for its abysmal fuel economy.

A Toyota Prius Hybrid, features an EPA fuel economy rating of 55 miles per gallon (45% above national average). It was recently named the most fuel efficient vehicle in the United States by the Sierra Club, and has been cited as an example by environmentalists and celebrities to make a statement in favor of more fuel efficient vehicles.
The American automobile industry became notorious for the manufacture of gas guzzlers during the 1960s and 1970s when fuel prices and consumer awareness concerning fuel economy were at an all-time low. In the 1960s and 1970s, American-made cars took on enormous proportions as consumers placed their emphasis on comfort, power and style. Large sedans from this era came to be known as land yachts, often rivaling today’s largest pick-up trucks in terms of length and width. In 1977, the Lincoln Continental Mark V was reviewed by the German automobile magazine, auto motor und sport and still holds the record for the worst fuel economy of any vehicle ever tested by the magazine with an average of seven miles to the gallon.
Following the oil crisis of the early 1970s, however, smaller vehicles, often imported from Japan, became more and more popular with the American public as these vehicles featured better fuel economy ratings. In the late 1970s, the US government passed minimum fuel economy standards and in the 1980s American automobile manufacturers drastically downsized their cars, only a few vehicles, such as those using the Ford Panther platform retained their over-sized glory. The downsizing did, however, backfire in some cases. After downsizing nearly the entire Cadillac line-up in the late 1980s, General Motors scrambled to save its most prestigious marques. Many American manufacturers again increased the size of their vehicles in the 1990s, while better technology allowed for better fuel economy ratings among sedans.
According to the United States Department of Transportation, the average motor vehicle, including light trucks, in the US had a fuel economy rating of 17.1 miles a gallon or 13.8 liters per 100 kilometers. The average fuel economy for passenger vehicles in the United States has remained stagnant throughout the 1990s and 2000s, peaking in 2001 and 2004. Overall, the past decade has seen the slowest increase in fuel economy since 1960, with fuel economy increasing from 16.4 miles a gallon in 1990 to 17.1 miles a gallon today. This is in contrast to the 1980s when the average fuel economy improved somewhat more significantly from 13.3 miles a gallon in 1980 to 16.4 miles a gallon in 1990. The lackluster increase in fuel economy during the 1990s is largely due to the rising popularity of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), whose status as light trucks gains them exception from the fuel economy restrictions placed on sedans and other cars. According to the Sierra Club “In 1997 all three US automakers violated CAFE standards for light trucks.” The Sierra Club is one of many environmental organizations who warn of the low fuel economy of SUV and hold these vehicles largely responsible for the low average fuel economy of vehicles in the United States.

Average fuel economy in miles per gallon according to the US Department of Transportation.

Year 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
MPG 12.4 12.5 12.0 12.2 13.3 14.6 16.4 16.9 16.9 16.7 16.7 16.8 16.9 17.0 16.9 16.7 16.9 17.1 16.9 17.0 17.1
L/100 km 19.0 18.8 19.6 19.3 17.7 16.1 14.3 13.9 13.9 14.1 14.1 14.0 13.9 13.8 13.9 14.1 13.9 13.7 13.9 13.8 13.7
Vehicle and population ratios since 1960
Year Population Drivers Motor
vehicles Increase
in vehicles % Growth
1960 180 87 74 N/A N/A
1961 183 89 76 2 +2.72
1962 186 91 79 2 +2.63
1963 188 94 83 3 +3.79
1964 191 95 86 3 +3.61
1965 194 99 90 4 +4.65
1966 196 101 94 4 +4.44
1967 197 103 97 3 +3.19
1968 199 105 101 4 +4.12
1969 201 108 105 4 +3.96
1970 204 112 108 3 +2.85
1971 207 114 113 5 +4.62
1972 209 118 119 6 +5.30
1973 211 122 126 7 +5.88
1974 213 125 130 4 +3.17
1975 215 130 133 3 +2.30
1976 218 134 139 6 +4.51
1977 220 138 142 3 +2.15
1978 222 141 148 6 +4.22
1979 225 143 152 4 +2.70
1980 227 145 156 4 +2.63
1981 230 147 158 2 +1.28
1982 232 150 160 2 +1.26
1983 234 154 164 4 +2.50
1984 236 155 166 2 +1.21
1985 239 157 172 6 +3.61
1986 241 159 176 4 +2.32
1987 243 161 179 3 +1.70
1988 246 163 184 5 +2.79
1989 248 166 187 3 +1.63
1990 248 167 189 2 +1.01
1991 252 169 188 -1 -0.52
1992 255 173 190 2 +1.06
1993 258 173 194 4 +2.10
1994 260 175 198 4 +2.06
1995 263 177 202 4 +2.02
1996 265 180 206 4 +1.98
1997 268 183 208 4 +1.94
1998 270 185 208 0 +/-0
1999 273 187 216 8 +3.84
2000 281 191 218 2 +0.92
2001 281 191 226 8 +3.66
2002 288 195 230 4 +1.76
2003 291 196 231 1 +0.43
All numbers in millions;

SOURCE: US Department of Transportation
Since 1960, the number of passenger vehicles has steadily risen, and since 1972 has exceeded the number of licensed drivers. Considering the population in the United States of 293,655,404 during the 2004 economic survey,[14] there is one passenger vehicles for every 1.20 persons in the United States, meaning that there are 833.34 passenger vehicles for every 1,000 Americans. According to the Federal Highway Administration there were an estimated 196 million licensed drivers in the United States in the year 2003. Considering the slightly lower number of motor vehicles for 2003, there were an estimated 1.17 motor vehicles per licensed driver, meaning that there are more vehicles than drivers in the US, with vehicles outnumbering drivers 1.2 to one.
The number of motor vehicles in the US has risen by 157 million (212.16%) since 1960, while the population of licensed drivers grew by 109 million (125.28%). Between 1971 and 1972, the number of motor vehicles in the US increased by four million, a record at the time. Since then, the gap between the number of cars and drivers has continuously risen. While in 1972 there were only one million more motor vehicles than drivers, cars outnumber drivers by 35 million in 2003. This means that while there were 0.84% more motor vehicles than drivers in 1972, there are now 17.85% more vehicles than drivers.

Body style and size
Mainstream mid-size sedans such as the Toyota Camry or Ford Taurus are often perceived to be the typical and most common body style in the United States. While mid-size sedans are indeed among the country’s best selling vehicles, pick-up trucks currently hold the top positions, rivaling sedans in the terms of total numbers sold. In the year 2006, the best selling models were the Ford F Series with 796,039 units sold and the Chevrolet Silverado with 636,069 units sold. The Toyota Camry, Dodge Ram, and Honda Accord held the next three positions as the best selling cars

Manufacturing

The Mercury Milan, despite being manufactured in Mexico, is still considered a domestic vehicle.

The Saab 9-7X, despite being manufactured in the US by GM, is still considered an import vehicle.
The US was the largest producer of vehicles in the world in 2003, followed by Japan and Germany. While most vehicles sold in the US were manufactured by the Big Three, foreign corporations such as Japan’s Toyota Motor Company have starting manufacturing in the US and are now an integrated part of the US automobile industry. According to many sources, the extended US operations of foreign based companies now rival those of American automobile manufacturers. For example, Toyota Motor Company now operates twelve manufacturing plants in the US, producing 1.55 million vehicles, 61.66% of the roughly 2.5 million vehicles the company sells in the US each year.
A wide variety of vehicles are manufactured in the United States, from compacts to full-size luxury vehicles. The American automobile industry itself is probably best known for the manufacture of large cars, leading to the common public perception of American cars being larger than those from other countries and making the US well known for the production of so called land yachts. Currently, light trucks (including SUVs) of all sizes and full-sized sedans constitute the majority of vehicles made by workers of the United Auto Workers union (UAW).] The Lincoln Town Car is currently the most expensive and largest car made in the US by an American manufacturer, while the Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum is the most expensive SUV (This title used to held by the Hummer H1 until it was cancelled in May 2006). The largest passenger vehicle currently produced in the United States is the Dodge Ram Extended Cab.

Domestic vehicles
While the denotation of domestic vehicle includes all vehicles made in the United States, the term Domestic vehicle in the United States is usually only applied to vehicles made by the “Big Three” and their traditional marques. The term domestic vehicle does not include vehicles sold under marques who used to be headquartered outside the United States and are now owned by the Ford Motor Company or General Motors. Ironically, vehicles made outside the US by the traditional marques of the “Big Three” are considered to be domestic vehicles, while vehicles made inside the US by foreign manufacturers are not considered domestic, but rather import vehicles.

The Mercedes-Benz R-Class is one of many vehicles that is marketed as an import vehicle due to the national origin of its manufacturer, yet is manufactured in the United States.
Import vehicles
As with the term domestic vehicles, there is a legal definition for import vehicles but popular usage of the term, and popular views of what constitutes an “import” vehicle, vary widely.
For the purposes of Federal regulations, such as Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and the American Automobile Labeling Act of 1994 (AALA), vehicles produced in the United States, regardless of brand, are considered “domestic”, while vehicles produced outside the United States are considered “imported”.
However, many Americans view a Toyota vehicle made in Kentucky, or a Mercedes-Benz vehicle made in Alabama as an “import”, while others view a Pontiac vehicle made in Australia as a “domestic” vehicle. This perception is due to the respective brands’ longstanding association with their parent countries: Toyota with Japan, Mercedes-Benz with Germany and Pontiac with the United States.

The country of origin of any particular vehicle can be easily determined:
• The AALA requires that passenger vehicles manufactured after October 1, 1994 must have labels specifying their percentage value of U.S./Canadian parts content, the country of assembly, and countries of origin of the engine and transmission. These are typically part of, or adjacent, to the vehicle’s Monroney Label.
• Each vehicle sold in the United States carries a Vehicle Identification Number, as required by NHTSA regulation — Title 49, Part 565 of the U.S. Code. The VIN identifies the vehicle’s country of manufacture, and the company responsible for its production. Vehicles manufactured in the United States have VINs beginning with the numbers 1, 4, and 5 — regardless of where the company is based. Thus, a Toyota Camry made in the U.S. will have a 1, 4 or 5 at the start of its VIN, while one imported from Japan will begin with the letter J.
In the year 2000, according to an article in the magazine Motor BMW attempted to label its “X5″ Sport Utility Vehicle, made in Spartanburg, South Carolina with a VIN beginning with the letter W — indicating the vehicle was made in Germany. A spokesman for the Society of Automotive Engineers, the agency responsible for assigning the three-digit “World Manufacturer Identifier” that begins the VIN label, was quoted as saying “We assign (codes) according to the dirt the plant’s built on, not the headquarters of the company.”
The Big Three
“The Big Three” refers to the three largest automobile manufacturers headquartered in the United States. While there have been roughly 1,800 car manufacturers in the US over the course of the 20th century, only three large corporations with considerable sales numbers were left by the 1980s. The terms is applied to General Motors, the Ford Motor Company, and the Chrysler Corporation.
General Motors

The Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit serves as the global headquarters of General Motors.
See General Motors for a complete overview of the corporation

General Motors is the largest automobile manufacturer in the United States and the world. GM is headquartered at the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit, employs approximately 327,000 people, sold 9.17 million cars world-wide, and had a $192.6 billion revenue for the year 2005. The corporation sells its vehicles in the United States under the following divisions and subsidiaries:
• Buick
• Cadillac
• Chevrolet
• GMC
• Hummer
• Pontiac
• Saab
• Saturn

Ford Motor Company

A Ford assembly line in 1913, ten years after the company was founded in 1903.
See Ford Motor Company for a complete overview of the corporation

The Ford Motor Company (FoMoCo) was founded in 1904 by Henry Ford, and is America’s second largest and the world’s third largest vehicle manufacturer according to total sales volume. In 2005, the Ford Motor Company had a total revenue of $178.1 billion. The corporation sells vehicles under the following brand names and subsidiaries:
• Aston Martin (Ford retains a roughly 7.7% stake[27])
• Ford
• Jaguar (also has the rights to the Daimler brand in some markets)
• Land Rover (both Land Rover and Jaguar were sold in 2008 to Tata Motors)
• Lincoln
• Mazda
• Mercury
•

Chrysler

The Chrysler 300 has become one of the best selling American sedans and has marked Chrysler’s revival, according to many critics.
See Chrysler for more detailed description

Formed in 1925 by Walter Percy Chrysler, the Chrysler Corporation has since been one of the most important American automobile manufacturers, consistently ranking as the third-biggest for most of the post-war period.
In 1998, the Chrysler Corporation officially merged with Daimler-Benz of Germany, into a new entity, DaimlerChrysler (DCX), which is headquartered both in Stuttgart, Germany and Auburn Hills, Michigan (where the pre-merger headquarters of DaimlerBenz and Chrysler, respectively, were located). This raised a dispute on whether Chrysler (or, more specifically, the Chrysler Group within DCX, which consists of most former Chrysler Corporation operations and is headquartered in Auburn Hills) can still be seen as a domestic manufacturer. Nevertheless, the term “Big Three” still applied. Chrysler is once again an independent American corporation as of 2007.
In 2005, the Chrysler Group employed 83,130 people and sold 2.83 million vehicles globally, generating $57.4 billion in revenue. Chrysler manufactures and sells vehicles under the following brands:
• Chrysler
• Dodge
• Jeep
Other automakers with manufacturing operations in United States

The best-selling passenger car in the United States is not one from the Big Three, but the Toyota Camry, although it is also manufactured in the US
BMW
See BMW AG for a complete overview of the corporation
BMW opened its American manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1994, to manufacture the Z3 roadster, later replaced by the Z4 model. Since 2000, the plant also manufactures the X5 SUV. All those models are made exclusively at Spartanburg for both the domestic market and worldwide exports (not counting CKD operations in some countries).

Honda
See Honda for a complete overview of the corporation
Honda was the first Japanese automaker to build a factory in the United States. Following the success of the Accord, the company opened a new plant in Marysville, Ohio in 1982 to assemble the model, which went on to become the most popular car in the US in 1989. Honda expanded their operations and the scope of models manufactured in the US, building the Anna engine plant and East Liberty automobile assembly plant, and in 2001 opening Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln. Most models sold under the Honda and Acura brands in North America are currently manufactured in either the U.S. or Canada. Others, such as the Honda Fit, Honda S2000, Acura TSX, and Acura RL, are imported from Japan. Some vehicles, such as the older CR-V (in the eastern United States) and the Civic SI hatchback, were imported from the UK. Some Accord passenger cars were imported from Mexico in the early 2000s.

Hyundai
See Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama for more detailed description
Hyundai Motor Company started manufacturing in the United States in 2005, when their plant in Montgomery, Alabama started the production of the Sonata sedan. It was joined in 2006 by the new Santa Fe SUV.

Mazda
See AutoAlliance International for more detailed description
Ford Motor Company and Mazda Motor Corporation jointly operate an automobile assembly plant in Michigan that currently produces the Mazda6 and the Ford Mustang.

Mercedes-Benz
See Mercedes-Benz U.S. International for more detailed description
In 1997, a year before the merger of Damiler-Benz and Chrysler, the former Daimler-Benz followed the steps of their Bavarian competitor and opened a plant in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, to serve as a worldwide production location for the new M-Class. The M-Class has since then been replaced by a new generation and joined by the new R-Class and GL-Class, also manufactured exclusively in Alabama.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
See Diamond-Star Motors for more detailed description
Mitsubishi Motors entered the American market through a long-standing partnership with Chrysler Corporation, and later this partnership was extended into a 50/50 joint venture manufacturing operation named Diamond-Star Motors (DSM) in Normal, Illinois. In 1991, Mitsubishi took over Chrysler’s share in DSM and in 1995 renamed it Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) Manufacturing Division. The plant has produced a number of Mitsubishi models and their Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth and Eagle derivatives, and currently manufactures vehicles based on the American-designed PS platform – the Galant, Eclipse and Endeavor. Manufacturing of related Chrysler-branded vehicles was taken over by Chrysler Group, and while other related Mitsubishi vehicles are sold worldwide.

Nissan
See Nissan Motors for a complete overview of the corporation
Nissan opened their first factory in the 1980s in Smyrna, Tennessee, joined in the new millennium by another plant in Canton, Mississippi. Most models sold under the Nissan brand in United States, as well as Infiniti QX56, are currently manufactured there – contrary to Toyota or Honda, the company does not have any manufacturing operation in Canada. However, Nissan maintains manufacturing operations in Mexico, from which its smaller U.S.-market cars are imported from. Most North American models are specific to this market, although some models, like the Murano and Quest, are exported to other continents.

Subaru
See Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. for more detailed description
Subaru teamed up with fellow Japanese manufacturer Isuzu, forming a joint-venture called Subaru Isuzu Automotive to build and operate a manufacturing plant in Lafayette, Indiana. The plant made Subaru cars and Isuzu SUVs mostly for the American market until 2003, when Isuzu, facing faltering sales in America, decided to quit the venture selling their share to Subaru for $1. The plant continued to build Isuzu Rodeos under contract until the end of that vehicle’s production run. From then on, the production was limited to Subaru models such as Legacy and its derivatives Outback and Baja, as well as the new B9 Tribeca. The two latter models are only built in Indiana for all markets where they are sold. After Toyota acquired a stake in Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru, it shifted some of the Toyota Camry production to the Lafayette plant.

Toyota Motor Corporation

See Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America for more detailed description
Toyota’s first foray into automobile manufacturing in the United States was NUMMI, a joint venture with General Motors based on the latter’s production facility in California, which started in 1984 and has been manufacturing Toyota models and their versions branded as Geo, Chevrolet and Pontiac. Toyota went on to establish a number of wholly owned plants in states such as Kentucky, Indiana, California, West Virginia and Alabama, as well as in Canada. It does not, however, operate a plant in Mexico. More than half of Toyota-branded vehicles sold in the United States come from American plants. Conversely, all Scions are imported from Japan. Lexus-branded models are imported from Japan or Canada (RX only).

The snake’s out of the bag now, and the big news is a bump in displacement for the Viper’s V10 motor from 8.3 liters to 8.4, which is accompanied by a corresponding increase in power to the aforementioned 600 hp (up 90 hp) and 560 ft-lbs. of torque (an increase of 25). As many already know, McLaren Performance Technologies (the U.S. company, not the German one associated with Mercedes-Benz) assisted Dodge in massaging the V10, though one could still argue that with 8.4-liters of displacement, the Viper’s engine is still not reaching its full potential.

The only change to the car’s exterior is the new hood with six vents that will help dissipate the crazy amount of heat coming from below. Of course, heat will likely waft off the new Viper pretty fast considering its owners will be able to reach 60 mph even faster, sometime in the mid to high 3-second range, and return back to 0 mph in less than 100 ft.

There’s lots more to learn about the new Viper, so check out more info and the full press release after the jump, and don’t forget to gander at our mega high-res gallery of Dodge’s updated halo car with a total of 22 pics you can use as your desktop wallpaper.

Other improvements to the Dodge Viper including a beefed up Tremec T56 six-speed transmission and twin-disc clutch that replaces the current model’s single-disc unit. A new limited-slip diff supposedly allows the engine’s grunt to get to the ground more often than before, and the Viper’s tires are now longer run-flats, though they’re still the same size.

In the realm of style, customers can now order their Viper with three wheel designs and five new colors including Venom Red, Snakeskin Green, Viper Violet, Viper Orange and Bright Blue.
ven More Venom: Dodge Unleashes New 600-horsepower 2008 Viper SRT10
Additional 90 horsepower on tap from new 8.4-liter Viper SRT10 V-10 engine Dramatic new hood features restyled, functional air extractors 0-60 mph in under four seconds, 0-100-0 mph in just over 12 seconds, braking in under 100 feet,
New exterior, interior colors provide customers with increased customization options,
The new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 boasts more of what performance aficionados crave: kick-in-the-pants, throw-back-in-the-seat power, combined with benchmark braking, world-class ride and handling, a race-inspired interior and bold exterior styling.

While every SRT vehicle offers balanced, overall performance, the heart and soul of the new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 is its standout powertrain. For 2008, SRT ups the ante with a new, 8.4-liter aluminum V-10 engine that produces an astounding 600 horsepower and 560 lb.-ft. of torque.

“A legendary big-game hunter once said, ‘Bring enough gun!’ – and with the new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10, we’ve created some very powerful artillery for sports-car enthusiasts,” said Kipp Owen, Director – Street and Racing Technology (SRT) Engineering, Chrysler Group. “With 600 horsepower – 90 more than before – and 0-to-60 performance in less than four seconds, the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 sets a new benchmark for the ultimate American sports car.”

The new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 will arrive in Dodge showrooms in North America this summer with a new level of customization options, including five new exterior colors, four new interior color combinations and a new wheel design.

Standout Powertrain
When SRT powertrain engineers set out to get more venom from the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10’s powerplant, their objectives included not only increasing performance, but also complying with stringent regulatory requirements, such as federal Tier 2, Bin 5 and California’s Low Emissions Vehicle (LEV) 2 mandates.

Working with specialists from McLaren Performance Technologies and Ricardo, Inc., SRT engineers began by following the racer’s basic formula for more power: bigger displacement, more efficient breathing and higher engine speed.

The new Dodge Viper SRT10’s deep-skirted V-10 aluminum engine block was revised for a 1-millimeter larger bore, raising the displacement to 8.4 liters from 8.3 liters. With strengthened bulkheads and improved water jackets for better cooling, the block includes pressed-in iron cylinder liners and cross-bolted main bearing caps for strength and durability.

The Viper SRT10’s 8.4-liter engine breathes through new cylinder heads equipped with Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC)-shaped combustion chambers, larger valves and Variable Valve Timing (VVT). VVT electronically adjusts when the exhaust valves are open and closed according to engine speed and load, allowing the engine to “breathe” cleaner and more efficiently.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 V-10’s two-piece intake manifold combines a cast aluminum lower with smooth runners for better air flow, bolted to a die-cast aluminum upper plenum. A revised air-cleaner box with a low-restriction filter sends air through a dual electronic throttle control into the intake module.

The air-fuel mixture in the cylinders is ignited by platinum-tip spark plugs fired by new individual plug coils mounted on the cylinder-head covers.

Within the cylinders, pistons are equipped with larger-diameter floating pins with bronze bushings for high-load capability. Forged powder-metal connecting rods are secured with aircraft-quality fasteners for increased fatigue strength.

Engine lubrication is managed by a larger oil pump and a swinging oil pickup adapted from Viper competition engines, to improve oil pressure in high-rpm and hard-cornering conditions.

Spent gases exit through tubular air-gap headers, which not only improve exhaust flow, but also ensure quick catalyst light-off for improved emission control. The headers’ stamped stainless-steel outer shell acts as a thermal heat shield for the individual stainless-steel runners that contribute to better flow separation and exhaust tuning.

SRT engineers didn’t stop there. Upgrades were developed to handle the 8.4-liter V-10’s increased horsepower and torque levels, while improving traction, driveability – and durability.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10’s V-10 channels its power through a new, smaller-diameter, twin-disc clutch (a change from the previous larger-diameter, single-disc setup). The new clutch reduces rotating inertia by 18 percent, resulting in reduced clutch-pedal effort and improved engagement feel.

The transmission is the latest evolution of the Tremec T56 six-speed manual, known as the TR6060. It features 10 percent wider gears for higher torque capacity and a new synchronizer package. A new shifter system results in reduced shifter travel. Club racers will applaud a new provision for adding an external transmission cooler.

Benchmark Braking
Stopping power is another key attribute of the Dodge Viper SRT10 formula, with 14-inch brake rotors gripped by Brembo 44/40 dual opposing piston calipers in the front and Brembo 42/38 dual opposing calipers in the rear. An anti-lock braking system (ABS) prevents lockup during hard braking. This system results in a benchmark braking performance of 60-to-0 mph in less than 100 feet.

The ride and handling of the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 is defined by a race-bred, fully independent, four-wheel suspension featuring lightweight, high-performance aluminum control arms and knuckles, damped by lightweight coil-over shock absorbers.

Where the power goes right to the road, SRT engineers retained the tried-and-true Dana M44-4 rear axle and outfitted it with a new GKN Visco-Lok speed-sensing limited-slip differential for improved traction.

The Dodge Viper SRT10 rides on polished, forged aluminum, 18 x 10-inch front and 19 x 13-inch rear wheels now available in three styles: the five-spoke, the H-spoke and the all-new Razor wheel with five U-shaped spokes. The wheels are clad in Michelin® Pilot® Sport PS2 tires. The four-groove tread-design tires provide maximum grip, reduced road noise and superior handling in both wet and dry conditions.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 remains available in two body styles – Roadster and Coupe. Both feature a dramatic new hood with a larger, more efficient hood scoop for air induction and larger, functional hood louvers to facilitate a greater cooling effect for the more powerful 8.4-liter, 600-horsepower V-10 engine underneath.

Eight exterior colors will be introduced throughout the model year – five of which are all-new including Venom Red, Snakeskin Green, Viper Violet, Viper Orange and Bright Blue. Racing stripes continue to be an option with six dual painted stripe colors available: white, black, silver, graphite, blue and red.

Several exterior differences exist between the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 Roadster and Coupe. In fact, the only body panels they share are front fascia and fenders, hood and doors. However, all of the iconic Viper SRT10 design cues have been maintained including the signature crosshair grille, deep-cut side scallops, swept-back fenders and lowered hood lines.

The Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe’s hard top with its “double bubble” styling makes it even more torsionally stiff than the Roadster. The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe offers increased downforce and high-speed stability with its sloping roofline and deck-lid spoiler. Plus, the Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe has an additional 6.25 cubic feet of trunk space than the Viper SRT10 Roadster, for a total of 14.65 cubic feet. The roof and headliner structure offer more room to accommodate a safety cage, while maintaining as much headroom as possible.
The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 Roadster and Coupe cockpit retains its characteristic red push-button starter and performance-oriented, highly functional instrument panel with center-mounted tachometer and 220-mph speedometer.

Five interior colors will be available in 2008: black, and four new color combinations in black/red, black/blue, black/slate or black/natural tan. A choice of bezel finishes on the center instrument panel and console adds to the increased level of customization.

“The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 delivers die-hard performance enthusiasts a perfect combination of outrageous power, exceptional performance and stunning good looks,” said Mike Accavitti, Director – Dodge Motorsports and SRT Marketing and Product Planning. “And now with a whole new range of interior and exterior colors and options to choose from, the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 redefines how a customer can personalize their Viper.”
The following safety and security technologies are featured on the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10:
Adjustable Pedals: Allow brake and accelerator pedals to move toward or away from the driver to help driver achieve a safe and comfortable seating position for improved control
Advanced Multistage Front Air Bags with Occupant Classification System (OCS): Inflates with a force appropriate to the severity of the impact. The OCS measures the conditions for activation or deactivation of the passenger side front air bag based upon the weight of the occupant
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS): Senses and prevents wheel lockup, offering improved steering control under extreme braking or slippery conditions.
BeltAlert: Periodically activates a chime and illuminates an icon in the instrument cluster to remind the driver and front passenger to buckle up if a vehicle is driven without the driver being properly belted Center High-mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL): The shelf-mounted center high mounted stop lamp uses light emitting diodes (LEDs) for longer life Constant Force Retractors (CFR): Distribute force or load exerted on a seat belt, and then gradually release the seat belt webbing in a controlled manner Crumple Zones: Designed to compress during an accident to absorb energy, decreasing transfer of that energy to the occupants Energy-absorbing Steering Column.

The manual-adjust steering column uses two hydroformed coaxial tubes that can move relative to each other to allow the column to move forward for enhanced energy absorption during a crash. The power-adjust steering column employs a calibrated bending element that deforms during column stroke for optimal energy management Interior Head-impact Protection: Interior pillars above the beltline and instrument panel – including areas around windshield and rear window headers, roof and side rail structures, and shoulder-belt turning loops – specifically designed to limit head-impact force Knee Bolsters.

The lower instrument panel and the glove-box door are designed to properly position the occupant, enabling the air bags to work effectively Remote Keyless Entry (RKE): System enhances personal security by locking and unlocking doors and turning on interior lamps. The system also arms and disarms the Vehicle Theft Security Alarm Three-point Seat Belts with Pretensioners: Three-point lap and shoulder belt retractors incorporate a pretensioning feature to enhance occupant protection in an impact by managing occupant energy Tire-pressure Monitoring (TPM): Pressure-sensor modules within the valve stems of all four wheels send continuous radio-frequency signals to a receiver, and the system informs occupants when the pressure is too low.

Engine 2.4 Liter
Caliber hits the ground running with an available 2.4- liter DOHC 16-valve dual variable timing (VVT)4 cylinder engine propelling it forward.
With 172 horsepower and 165 lb-ft of torque, this engine moves while also boasting fuel efficiency.

No gears. No shifting. No looking back. The available second-generation
continuously variable transaxle (CVT2) uses a system of belts and pulleys instead
of gears for smooth, efficient driving performance.
Five-Speed Manual
Caliber`s Five-speed manual transmission, available on the 1.8-liter and 2.4-liter
DOHC 16-valve dual variable valve timing (VVT) engines, provides closely spaced
gear ratios which help to improve acceleration at low speeds.

Engine 1.8 Liter
Fuel efficiency doesn’t get much better with Caliber’s available 1.8 liter DOHC 16-valve dual variable valve timing (VVT) engine.
You’ll also get the power you want to achieve, with 148 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque.

Engine 2.0 Liter
Caliber ia as fuel-efficient as it is fast with an available 2.0 – liter DOHC 16-valve dual variable timing (VVT) engine.
This advance 4-cylinder engine offers the world class power and durability you seek behind the whell.

According to Ben Jones (”Cooter” in the show), as well as builders involved with the show, 309 General Lees were used to film the series. Approximately twenty-three still exist in various states of repair. Among survivors is the very first General Lee, known as Lee1. This car is seen in the debut episode and jumping a police cruiser at the end of the opening credits of every episode with John Schneider and Tom Wopat. On average, more than one General Lee was used up per show. When filming a jump, anywhere from 500 to 1,000 pounds of lead or concrete ballast was placed in the trunk to prevent the car from nosing over. Later in the series the mechanics would raise the front end of the car to keep it from scraping against the ramp causing it to lose speed, doing this also provided a cushion for the driver upon landing. Stunt drivers report enjoying the flights but hating the landings. Despite the ballast, the landing attitude of the car was somewhat unpredictable, resulting in moderate to extremely violent forces, depending on how it landed. (On a DVD player, using slower settings will reveal that on many of the jumps the cars literally bent upon impact.) All cars used in large jumps were immediately retired due to structural damage. From 1979 to 1985, Chargers of 1968 and 1969 vintage were sourced and converted to General Lee specifications. Despite popular belief, and according to all builders involved over the years, as well as the VIN list supplied to Wayne Wooten of all Chargers used on the show, no 1970 models were ever used.[citation needed] Obtaining cars was not an issue until later years. By that time, the car was the star of the show and Warner Bros. moved building of the cars in-house to keep the cars consistent in appearance. Late in the show’s run, when it got too hard and/or expensive to continue procuring more Chargers, the producers started using jump footage from previous episodes (something that had been done occasionally previously, but not to such an extent).

Episodes 1-5 were filmed in Georgia November and December of 1978. Georgia episode cars consisted of 6 Dodge Chargers. The first General Lees were built by Warner Bros and shipped to Georgia where John Marendi (picture car coordinator) labeled the first 3 cars LEE 1, LEE 2, and LEE 3 in no particular order for film editing purposes. Lee1[1], was a 2nd unit car with a full roll-cage. Originally a 383 V8-powered 1969 Charger equipped with air conditioning(A/C), gold body with tan interior, 3 speaker dash, and chrome rocker trim. The car is the only General Lee to have appeared in every episode. After the car had run its course, it was retired to a junkyard in Georgia, but later bought and restored. “LEE 2″ was also a 2nd unit car with a full roll-cage and black interior. “LEE 3″ was the closeup car. This car is the one seen in early promos with the doors open and no numbers on the doors. This car was a Charger R/T SE. It was powered by a 440 Magnum V8 and also had A/C with power windows. This car also had a tan interior and a removable roll bar that allowed installation of a camera for in-car shots. After the first 3 General Lees started to get badly damaged the crew had to start making more. The first General Lee built in Georgia was a 1968 Charger originally red in color and was converted to look like a 1969. The tail light panel, front grill, and front seats were taken from the wreckage of “LEE 1″ (after the famous jump over Rosco P. Coltrane at the end of the opening credits). The paint on these cars was 1975 Corvette Flame Red. Interiors not originally tan were sprayed with SEM brand “Saddle tan” vinyl dye. All of the 6 Georgia Lees had a set of crossed flags (a Confederate flag and checkered flag) on the panel between the rear window and trunk lid. The 3 surviving cars went back to California and had the crossed flags removed upon reconditioning. The wheels were 14×7 inch American Racing brand “Vectors” throughout the show and were mounted on P235/70R14 B.F. Goodrich Radial T/A tires with the blackwall side facing out.

Andre and Renaud Valuzet built General Lees for Warner Bros. from the start of the 2nd season into the 4th season. Viewers can also see two Georgia cars used often up into the early second season. Lee3 and a specially caged car never appearing (but built) in Georgia were used heavily in early California episodes. The Valuzets were very inconsistent in how they built cars, so this is when the most variations are found. Color tends to be 1975 Corvette Flame Red, just like Georgia cars, but there does appear to be some variance here: interiors were rather consistently dyed a brown color and sometimes SEM Saddle Tan. It has been said the Valuzet’s charged Warner Bros. $250 a week per car for rental and a lump sum of $2000-3000 upon destruction of the vehicles. This included police cars as well. Warner Bros. mechanics had to maintain the cars at company expense.

* Trivia: The money generated by building General Lees financed the Valuzet family project of restoring Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch. This ranch is where many classic Westerns were shot as well as Gunsmoke. It burned down in the 1960s. Today, it is a fully-functional movie ranch where shows like HBO’s Deadwood are filmed.

By 1983, Warner Bros. turned total control of building General Lees to a man named Ken Fritz because the Valuzets were caught selling back wrecked cars that had been somewhat fixed-up and tagged with forged VINs. Fritz didn’t have the job long before he too was fired and at this point Warner Bros. moved full production in-house. The General Lee was now the highlight of the series. Warner Bros. was receiving an enormous amount of fan mail that nit-picked the inconsistencies of the cars. Because the General Lee was now so famous, WB had their staff mechanics build the cars to a strict appearance, even on the underside. All graphics had to meet specifications, all side markers and undercarriage chrome was to be removed, and all roll bars and push bars had to match. However, some changes were made before the specifications were laid-out: the push bar became wider, the interior became a light beige color, and the roll bars were covered in a black foam padding. During this period, the only true way for fans to distinguish the 1968 conversions from the 1969 originals is by the shape of the dashpad. As the WB era rolled on, finding the cars became an issue: Piper Cubs were hired to search out 1968 and 1969 Chargers amongst the populace; the jumped cars were now no longer scrapped after one jump if deemed salvageable, and were patched up and used until they could no longer function; and, as part of a last resort, miniature models were also brought in toward the end of the series, replacing most of the big stunts, thereby saving more cars. Taking full control also saved some money as now WB had the ability to buy cars, recondition them, and use them without paying daily rental fees. Considering that there were often a dozen General Lees on the premises, this was far more economical than renting.

At the beginning of the movie, the General was a faded orange with a hand-painted “01″ on the doors, black steel wheels, standard front bumper, and no Confederate flag. Midway through the film, Cooter repairs the General after it’s vandalized by Boss Hogg’s hirelings. He repaints it a bright orange and adds the well-known trademarks (American Racing “Vector” 10-spoke “turbine” wheels, octagonal “01″, black grille guard, Confederate flag on the roof, “Dixie” horn, and “General Lee” above the door window openings). In an era of Political Correctness, the Confederate flag on the roof is made an object of conflict in the movie plot on two occasions when drivers passing by make remarks alternating between cheering the south and condemning racist rednecks, and when local African American youth are about to give them a physical opinion of their roof graphics and driving in blackface. The movie General not only flies and makes controlled landings, but in the age of The Fast and the Furious, also drifts with the aid of professional drifter Rhys Millen. During jump scenes, some stunt cars were jumped under their own power by stunt drivers; others had their engines and transmissions removed. The engineless Chargers were then launched without drivers by a gas-driven catapult similar in principle to those used on aircraft carriers. Approximately twenty-four 1968 to 1970 Chargers were used in the film.

Unlike the TV show era Lees, the movie cars used aftermarket graphic kits. Originally, die-hard fans shunned these decal kits for their inaccuracy. The movie gave them new credibility and are no longer considered to be an inaccurate choice. Otherwise, except for the white letters on the Goodrich Radial T/A tires, the exterior of the movie’s “close-up” General Lees varied little from the TV show style cars. The body paint was Big Bad Orange rather than Corvette Flame Red, the interior ceiling was blacked out rather than the tan headliner, a different style roll bar was used; a 3-spoke Grant wood steering wheel replaced the standard wheel, an AM/FM stereo radio with Compact Disc player was installed in the dashboard; and the interiors were a custom color vinyl fabric made to look like the dye/paint used in the later eras of the TV show. One still can differentiate the ‘68 Chargers by looking at the dash pad, but now 1970 Chargers were thrown in the mix. Overall the cars resembled an average General Lee clone car from the late 90’s to early 2000s, but the heart of The General Lee is still obvious.

Eleven of the cars used for the movie had been purchased from the Luedtke Auto Group. Many of the cars needed extensive restoration and most had been cut up to allow for inside camera views.

Two of the General Lees (one a 1969 R/T SE and one a 1970 made to look like a ‘69) were temporarily sold to Warner Brothers by Everett “J.R.” Barton of Wichita, Kansas. The 1970 Charger was used to make the freeway jump, his car jumped the longest and is in fact the one that appears on screen during the movie and in the “outtakes”. It is not the one that lands perfect, but veers off toward the guard rail. This Particular General Lee is up and running again it still wears it battle scars and can move decently under its own power, and can be seen at most mopar shows in the Midwest.

Engines in the TV show General Lees were all sorts: 318, 383,and 440 V8s were all used. The special purpose built “Ski Car” (the car that drives on the two-side wheels) had a 318, as it was lighter weight. Most of the workhorse stunt cars had 383s and 440s. The stunt drivers tended to prefer 440s (a higher performance engine) for jumps, which were often saved for the higher and longer jumps. Also, though early sound effects led many people to believe otherwise, only a handful of Chargers had manual transmissions; most had 727 TorqueFlite automatic transmissions.

The General Lee, except in the beginning of the movie, does not have opening doors. In the TV series, it is explained that racing cars have their doors welded shut. In the movie, the car has been repaired after being trashed, but the doors could not be fixed fast enough. The driver and passenger must slide in the window (as in NASCAR). For a running entry, Bo and Luke also slide over the hood rather than walk around the front of the car.

Exhaust systems were basic: some had glasspacks, but most had standard exhausts with the pipe cut just before the rear end. The sounds that can be heard in most of the California-era Lees is a glasspack/cherry bomb sound; the sounds came from the “close-up” Lees. However, the sounds were dubbed in after the scene was filmed.

THE STORY:

The Sixties was a Decade of Change. The First President born in the 20th Century, John F. Kennedy, called American’s to action as soon as he made his Inaugural Speech, January 1961. Young people were asked to join The Peace Corp. Others joined the Armed Services and went to War. Black American’s continued their struggle for Civil Rights while the term “Generation Gap” was used to describe the differences in political views between Young and Old American’s. Muhammad Ali defeated Sonny Liston in the first minute of their rematch while Vince Lombardi led the Packers to victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. Berry Gordy borrowed $800 from his family and started MoTown Records, while London based model “Twiggy” wowed the fashion world with the first seen short (mini ) skirts. Alan Shephard would be the First American in the Space Race and American Car Manufacturers would compete in their own race for horsepower with bigger and better motors offered in many models.

For my money, I would bet the Most Popular Car Of All Time would be the 1967 Shelby GT-500 in “Gone In 60 Sec’s” or the 1977 TransAm Pontiac driven by Burt Reynold’s in “Smokey And The Bandit” , or even the 390 powered 1968 Mustang Fastback driven by Steve McQueen in “Bullit”… But, it turns out a National Survey, by Haggerty Insurance and CNN, shows that John Schneider and Tom Wopat’s 1969 Dodge Charger “General Lee” beat out the competition – hands down. It is the most Popular (Star) Car Ever ! *

Now everyone knows America is the First Nation to find Heaven on the Highways and this story is no exception, as it found this mechanical star racing the back roads of this rural adventure in Hazzard County, Georgia. The series was dubbed ” The Dukes of Hazzard” and it ran, according to E! Entertainment to CBS’s “loathe and dismay”, from 1979 to 1985. In fact, it was originally panned so badly when introduced that even Cecil Smith of the Los Angeles Times said, ” After seeing this (show), the South may secede again !”. It replaced “The Incredible Hulk” on CBS Friday, Jan.26,1979, and it was powered by three handsome players, a bumbling Sheriff (JAMES BEST), a kindly Deputy ( SONNY SHROYER: AKA: ‘ENOS’), who previously appeared as a motorcycle Highway Patrolman in “Smokey & The Bandit”). But, one of the chief reasons for it’s popularity was the feature player….. A Big Block Powerplant from the Golden Age of American Muscle Cars…… a 1969 Dodge Charger. Despite the banter from Warner Bros. (see below): some 1970 Charger’s were modified but, the base car indeed used was a 1969 Dodge Charger with a 383 cubic inch motor. Several cars with the 318 and 440 block (especially for high jumps) were utilized but, all had one thing in common, they were painted “Hemi Orange” ( not Hugger Orange as reported on at least 2 websites and one mis-informed book). All had a Confederate Flag on the roof and Racing Numbers on the door. Legend has it: “0″ (Zero) was used “because they started out with nothin”; and “1″ (One) because: “they were going all the way”. Some carried a special horn, which played the 12 notes of the Southern Classic “Dixie” (the balance had the horn ‘dubbed in’). It also carried a CB Radio as, if you remember, Citizen’s Band radio’s were ‘the big rage’ in the late Seventies ( actually the precursor to Internet Chat rooms). C.B.’s were a Hot Rod Pop Culture fixture…in fact, even First Lady, Betty Ford had a ‘handle’: “First Mama”. History has it: The original “General Lee” was a black, dented hulk found in a Capitol City junkyard when discovered by the shows stars: ‘Lucas Tray’ and ‘Beauregard Duke’ (Tom Wopat and John Schneider). They rescued it , and then put in a 440 engine with the help of scruffy-looking “Cooter”, the local Mechanic. Supposedly, the doors were welded shut for safety (they never were) and that caused the Dynamic Duo to have to jump in the window ( NASCAR STYLE) every time they headed off to an adventure. One story had Tom Wopat receiving a 4″ gash in his arm after his first jump over the hood , catching the radio antenna mount. The original General Lee was to be named “Traveler” in honor of the real General Lee’s horse but, it was changed at the last minute by the Studio. It’s also rumored the original car was intended to be a Firebird but, it received too much ‘airplay’ in “Smokey & The Bandit”. Second choice was a Mustang but, it was “not big enough” so, the Transportation Dept. mandated the final choice…a ‘69 Charger. One of the first episodes saw the “General Lee” enter the Hazzard County Road Race Championship sponsored by ‘ Boss Hog’ (Sorrell Booke) and win the purse of $10,000.

Published records now show that this car was chosen because the producers felt ” that Chrysler produced enough Dodge Chargers (69,100) to always provide enough donor cars” for the shoot … but, despite legend ( and fabrication) only 229 were actually used / abused (SEE FOOTNOTE) during the filming over the course of 6 years….not the thousand’s ( or even 10,000) that people want to believe. The second figure may be closer to reality for the Police Cars (600) sacrificed but, not the Chargers. The first 150 were ‘grenaded’ in the 145 episodes. The balance in Reunions and films. By 1985 (the end of filming), 210 were totally destroyed, flipped over, dumped in lakes / streams, crashed into barns, jumped over trains, crushed or burned. The sacrificial Warner Bros.1st and 2nd Unit (abused) cars were all numbered on the glass “GL01″ and up** after 1981. Some feel the highest value is in the ‘abused’ cars that were left…the nineteen (19) real, General Lee’s that survived… including the last one built, which is still owned / shown and driven by the shows star, John Schneider…. but, that matter is still open for discussion. Part of the reason for the popularity of the car is that the 1969 Dodge Charger won 22 of the 54 major stock car NASCAR Races in 1969. The Dodge Charger went on to live in infamy and be a Top Movie Car in many other movies (*see below).

In effect, the original series was nothing more than a live adaptation of a Road Runner Cartoon shot in the backwoods of Lake Sherwood, on the Disney Ranch, in the Northwest section of Los Angeles (before being asked to move to Valencia, CA. “after wiping out too many sprinkler heads”). But, the first 5 episodes were filmed in or around Covington, Georgia (not Kentucky as some websites claim). The first few Dodge Chargers that became “General Lee’s” were purchased from used car lots in Georgia. During one temporary shortage, employee’s of Warner Bros. Studios even took to leaving “Help!” notes on windshields of Charger owners in supermarket parking lots. After that, Warner Bros. hired Renaud Veluzat , who specialized in hiring / renting vehicles to studios. The highest jump recorded was Episode #85 – “The New Dukes” – 9/24/82 ( thanks to Nitrous Oxide) and the longest jump recorded was Episode 129 ( that was done utilizing a ‘tweaked’ 440 engine). The unique “Dixie” horn was heard for the first time (and copied according to legend) by two different stories: One story has it: The show’s producers, Gy Waldron and Paul Picard were out shooting a Georgia highway scene when a car passed going the opposite direction and’ tooted’ the horn. They made a “Bootlegger Turn”( which requires a rigged handbrake, over inflated tires and a competent driver) and chased the car for 3 miles before finally catching it. They paid the owner $300 for the horn, only to find it, two months later, at a local Auto Parts Store for $70. The ‘other story’ has it …that it was ‘borrowed’ from another one of Burt Reynold’s films “W.W. and The Dance Kings”. Episode 129 (”Happy Birthday General Lee” – 9/21/84) featured the origin of this great film star and, now, American Legend. Episode #3 is the only time the General Lee did not make an appearance on screen.

The most humorous part of this series was not just the great interplay between Roscoe P. Coltrane (James Best) and Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) but, the fact of how many story lines and outrageous ‘action sequences’ came to supposedly pass exclusively through Hazzard County. Let’s be serious !! Counterfeiter’s, illegal slot machines, stolen mob money, bank robber’s and even a Presidential Limousine all, somehow mysteriously pass through little old, Hazzard County. Yet, this burg only had six small buildings, a bar ( The Boar’s Nest), a crummy little house and barn (Duke Farm) , 2 goats and a couple of chicken coops. Maybe the criminal element was attracted by the inept Police Dept. and the characters “Roscoe”, “Enos” and “Cletus”….or just maybe, it was that bombshell…..Daisy?

The biggest attraction, at least for me, was not only the Dodge Charger but, the beautiful “Daisy Duke” ( It sure wasn’t “Cooter”, the cars mechanic). The character’s were metaphorically named after sexual body part’s: ‘Daisy’, ‘Cooter’ , ‘Enos’, and ‘Cletus’…. but, this well known fact just possibly escaped the censors. 25 years ago viewers were all probably too naive or innocent to sort it all out. All I know is, that the mystery of the relationship between a girl with killer legs, and a gorgeous body “in various states of undress” engaged with these two wild men was the stuff Wet Dreams were made of. After all, if you remember, in the very first Episode (”One Armed Bandits”), Bo Duke approached Daisy (from behind) at the Boar’s Nest Barbecue & Saloon , and whispered, ” If we weren’t Cousins’, I’d marry you”. Daisy eagerly replied, “That never stopped anybody in this family before”. It’s hard to deny, but in her prime, “Daisy” was ‘a major looker’. One things undeniable, Catherine Bach made Short Shorts ( or “Daisy Shorts”) a ‘household word’ in the Late Seventies and well into the Early Eighties. She was ’supposed’ to create an outfit with a matching mini-skirt to the tablecloths from the Boar’s Nest but, instead designed her own outfit after visiting several Georgia Roadhouse Grilles. Today, almost 26 years later, Ol’ Daisy is still a ‘hottie’ as she makes personal appearances for events like “The Annual Dukefest” in Tennessee. Back then, she was every man’s ‘ dream girl ‘ : a Deputy in one series, a Champion For Women’s Rights in another , the perfect Bride, and even a NASCAR Driver in another. After all, like ‘Uncle Jesse’(now deceased) said in the Premiere Episode…”the 200 year (Duke) Family Tree ended with Daisy”.

Waylon Jennings, also deceased ( with diabetes complications), was the show’s Narrator and Song Singer / Composer ( Theme Song: “Good Ol’ Boys” ) so, if you ever met him ( I promoted two of his concerts and have two sets of Backstage Passes) it was clear by his lyrics the Duke’s roots were not exactly sophisticated. He sang:

“Just Good Ol’ Boy’s, Never Meanin’ No Harm, Beats all you ever Saw, Been in trouble with the Law, since the day they was Born, Straightenin’ the Curves, Flatenin’ the Hills, Someday the Mountain may get ‘em, but, the Law never will. Makin’ their way, the only way they know how, but that’s a little bit more than the Law will allow. Just Good Ol’ Boys, wouldn’t change if they could, Fightin’ the System, like two Modern Robin Hood’s.”

Despite their distillery business, the Dukes acquired ‘good fellow’ billing in nearly every series. Remember, ‘breaking or beating the law’ was a reoccurring theme in all “Good Ole Boys” Movies. Boss Hogg ( who wore padding to achieve his 52″ waist) would invariably add someone else’s Rag’s to his Riches, Bo and Luke would get thrown in jail trying to help, Uncle Jesse would bail them out ,The Sheriff (James Best ) would get called “dipstick” (kew-kew-kew), Bo, Luke, and Daisy would chase down the bad guys in the General Lee and / or Daisy’s Roadrunner ( also destroyed Episode #27, “The Runaway”) or Jeep, Crash a dozen Cop Cars, Foil the plot and give the profits to the local orphanage. That sums up 145 episodes: The story was weak..but, the cars, the girls, and the action were all hot !!

If you remember, Southern Fried Television was the Hot Lick in the Late Sixties and into the Mid-Seventies. Even Country Music Radio Stations flourished, all across the United States, with Country Rock groups like “Alabama”, “Hank Jr.” and “Tanya Tucker”. Country Music was never more popular. Before the Dukes, you had Barney Fife and Gomer Pyle on “Andy Griffith Show”, Jethro of the “Beverly Hillbillies”, “Green Acres”, “Dallas” and “HeeHaw” so, the Sheriff, Boss Hogg and the Dukes were left with the responsibility for refining the role of homespun humor and Country programming…they just took it up a notch in quality…. kind ‘a like :”Three’s Company”… with Cars. Primary influence when the series was created was said to have been not only the rebellious Biker Movies of the 50’s but, Robert Mitchum’s movie “Thunder Road”, Burt Reynold’s 1977 film ” Smokey and The Bandit” (worthy of copying since it earned $250mil Worldwide) , “In The Heat of The Night” and “White Lightening”…all of them set the tone for this hit series.

The ending may not be as predictable as you thought though…as it is rumored (according to TVGuide.com and Hollywood Reporter), that Warner Bros. has already cast a new movie for release in 2005. It is indeed funded by Warner Bros. Film release and directed by Jay Chadrasekhar (’Super Trooper’). It stars Jessica Simpson ( Rock Vocalist & MTV’s “The Newlyweds”) as “Daisy”, while first rumor was that Ashton Kutcher ( “That 70’s Show”) and Paul Walker (”Fast & Furious”) were cast as ‘Bo’ and ‘Luke’…. with, Anna Nicole Smith as ‘Boss Hogg’ (really) but, as you must have read by now, she may be stoned but, she dropped a ton of weight. The latest news is (Rueters/Hollywood Reporter) that Seann William Scott and Johnny Knoxville will instead be cast as ‘Bo’ and ‘Luke’ (respectively). A recent issue of People Magazine states Burt Reynolds will be cast as ‘Boss Hogg’ ( pg.77.Sept.20.’04 issue) while AOL News announced (Oct 16) Willy Nelson was cast as ‘Uncle Jessie’. Shooting rapped up in Baton Rouge, LA. with the surprisingly news that one of the keynote players, James Best (Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane), was not even asked to be in the movie and he is not only the last surviving ‘oldsters’ from the original series but, clearly was the funniest character! Rocker / Rapper Kid Rock ( Bob Richie) even recently sought out a “General Lee” for his car collection, which only goes to exemplify his Hillbilly, Hooligan, Southern Fried Hell Fire Preacher Roots ( God Love him). Chrysler will re-introduce the new Dodge Charger 4-Door Coupe at the Detroit Auto Show in Summer 2005 (source: Auto Express: June 15, ‘04, Issue). That should spike further life into the vintage Dodge Charger Market. So, just when you thought it was over Bubba…it’ aint’ over!

This language actually appeared on postcards mailed out as “Autographed” by The General Lee. Each 3 1/2″ x 5″ postcard contained a photo of the General Lee in mid-jump with a Tire Tread mark printed laterally across the bottom of the card. The back was labeled:

“The General Lee rolled off a Detroit assembly line in 1968 as a 1969 Dodge Charger, Ten Years later, Warner Bros. producers-looking for such a stock car that Bo Duke (John Schneider) and Luke Duke (Tom Wopat) would wheel and fly through every episode of “The Duke’s Of Hazzard” Friday nights on CBS-TV- purchased the car for the new series. Bestowing gender and rank, they named him the General Lee, changed his color to a brilliant orange, put a confederate flag on his roof and painted a distinctive “01″ on the side of both his doors. Equipped with a horn that toots the first twelve notes of “Dixie”, the General Lee is powered by a 440 cubic inch Chrysler engine with an automatic transmission, chromed headers and valve cover with a 4-barrel carburetor and an aluminum intake manifold to boost acceleration. The frame is weighted at four strategic points and has been fitted with gas-type shock absorbers to keep the car level during impact landings and 180-degree turns. The General Lee sports 30″ Glass pak mufflers and Shelby rims that hold new radial tires with special inner tubes inserted. Since finding the General , Warner Bros.’ band of mechanics have completely rebuilt him from the ground-up. Because he has become such a visible car on primetime television, with viewers writing in regularly for his picture, the General is probably the most famous automobile in America. All the actors and crew who work on “Dukes” at Warner Bros. fell affectionate toward ‘him’, as if he were a living being”. Hallmarked “Warner Bros. Television”. The front of the postcard was labeled: “A genuine autographed (Tire Track) photo of the “Dukes of Hazzard’s General Lee”

Post from http://www.classicdreamcars.com

It might not have a V8, but it doesn’t need one; the rear wheel drive Dodge Razor hits 60 mph in under six seconds, goes faster than 140 miles per hour, and has a six-speed manual. The 2.4 liter turbo engine, also used in the Neon SRT-4 – which is equally fast – motorvates this new concept car, but probably will not make it into the production version, if there is one. Instead, the similarly powered turbocharged 2.4 liter world engine would be used.

To keep the Dodge Razor affordable should it ever reach production, many ‘off-the-shelf’ corporate suspension and underbody components were used. Germany is of course supplying the six-speed manual, but the engine is Chrysler’s own, with an intercooled turbo and 250 horsepower (230 lb-ft of torque).

The targeted price was an amazing $14,500 when introduced in 2004. With inflation, that would most likely end up as $20,000 by 2008.

Dodge Razor’s only ornamentations are the chrome bumpers, the racing-style billet-aluminum gas cap, the classic door handles and mirrors and the jewel-like lamp design.

dodge razor conceptLike the Road Runner – a moniker which we can only hope will be applied to the production version – the Razor offers the necessities for driving, nothing more. No power windows or mirrors, no radio or leather power seats, no frills whatsoever. Dodge Razor offers its two occupants lightweight, competition-style seats, four-point racing harnesses, storage behind their seats and the pure joy of driving. “Razor’s interior is like a clean canvas. Our vision is that you would be able to get additional features through MOPAR to paint your ideal driving setting,” said interior designer Schuttera.

The Dodge Razor’s instrument cluster has an integrated tachometer/speedometer with analog reading of the revs and a digital read-out of the speed. This compact unit is flanked by easy-to-read gauges for temperature/oil pressure and fuel/battery. The interior is finished in body color and extruded aluminum.

The Razor was styled/designed by Akino Tsuchiya, Kevin R. Verduyn, and Thomas G. Tremont.

The Razor may well be related to the Dodge Scooter; a picture of a small, low-slung vehicle by that name was shown recently. The most likely current incarnation is the Dodge Demon.

Dodge Razor concept specifications

Engine: 2.4-liter I-4 turbocharged w/intercooler
Estimated Power: 250 bhp. (187 kW)
Estimated Torque: 230 lb.-ft. (312 Nm)
Transmission: Six-speed manual transmission
Drive: Rear-wheel drive
Structure: Lightweight steel unibody
Front suspension: Independent MacPherson setup
Rear suspension: Multi-link independent with coil-over-shock setup
razorFront wheels: 19″ x 7″
Rear wheels: 20″ x 7″
Length: 147.8 in. (3754 mm)
Width: 68.8 in. (1748 mm)
Height: 47.8 in. (1214 mm)
Wheelbase: 98 in. (2489 mm)
Track: Front: 58 in. (1473 mm)
Track: Rear: 60 in. (1524 mm)
Front Overhang: 27.3 in. (693 mm)
Rear Overhang: 22.4 in. (569 mm)
Est. Weight: 2500 lbs. (1134 kg)
0-60 mph. (0-96 km/h): estimated at 6 sec.
Estimated Top Speed: 140 mph. (225 km/h)

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Some vehicles lead their segments; others even revolutionize them. The Dodge Caravan, however, invented an entirely new one: the minivan. Offering an especially useful amount of room in a surprisingly easy-to-drive package, the Caravan quickly became the new synonym for family transportation and spawned competitors from all sides.

The Dodge Caravan has traditionally stayed a step ahead of the herd. It was first to market with the sliding door, then the first with two. It pioneered the integration of safety features like airbags. And for many years, it was also regarded as being the most versatile and pleasant-driving minivan. Given all this, it should come as no surprise that the Caravan, along with its longer relative, the Grand Caravan, became the top-selling minivan year after year.

However, today’s minivan scene is much different from the one of the 1980s or ’90s. Though other American automakers have essentially given up trying to make competitive minivans, Japanese and Korean automakers have raised the bar considerably in the past few years. As a result, the Caravan has fallen behind in terms of power, driving refinement, interior design and safety content.

Though the current Dodge Caravan is affordably priced and distinctive due to its shorter length, people interested in a new or recent-vintage minivan will probably be better served by other choices. Alternately, one might wait for the redesigned Grand Caravan that’s set to arrive for 2008, though it’s unknown at this time whether Dodge will offer a regular Caravan version as well.

Current Dodge Caravan

Today’s Dodge Caravan currently represents the vehicle’s fourth generation. Whereas most “minivans” these days extend to the 200-inch mark, this Dodge measures a slightly tidier 189 inches from bow to stern. Combined with a likewise shorter 113-inch wheelbase, the Caravan is among the easiest vans to maneuver and park.

It’s also one of the most affordable. Dodge speaks of the Caravan being the “lowest priced minivan” — no doubt a reference to the base Caravan SE, which comes with a 150-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. The SE has bench seats in the second and third rows, air-conditioning and a CD stereo but is otherwise sparsely equipped.

The more desirable Caravan SXT (known as Caravan Sport until ‘04) comes with a 180-hp 3.3-liter V6, a four-speed automatic transmission, an optional power sliding passenger door, dual-zone air-conditioning, second-row bucket seats, full power accessories, a tilt steering wheel, cruise control and keyless entry. Since 2003, the Caravan has also come in a V6-powered Cargo Van version targeted for business use.

As long as the underpowered four-cylinder is avoided, the current Dodge Caravan is quite capable. While lacking the famous fold-into-the-floor seats of its “Grand” sibling, the Caravan has adequate room for seven adults (and plenty of room for five) or 129 cubic feet of cargo with all rear seats removed. Just note that this conversion takes patience and strength, as the rear bench seats are quite heavy.

It’s on the road where the Caravan falls short. We once found it to be the most fun-to-drive minivan, citing its precise steering and substantial feel. However, the latest competition makes its pushrod V6 engine and four-speed automatic transmission seem outclassed for both performance and fuel economy. In addition, compared to newer competitors like the Mazda 5 and Kia Sedona, the Caravan’s ride is on the wallowy side and its brakes are a bit weak.

We also take issue with its cheap interior finish, and the fact that an important safety feature like side curtain airbags must be purchased as an option. Stability control is unavailable altogether. Finally, its reliability record has been spotty, as with all past Caravans.

Since the current Caravan’s debut for 2001, there has been only one substantial change: In 2005, Dodge eliminated its optional front-seat side airbags in favor of optional curtain airbags protecting all three rows. That’s an important upgrade, but considering the Caravan wasn’t tops in its class to begin with, it’s hard to recommend except as a budget buy. Those consumers who do decide to buy a used Caravan would be wise to expand their search to include the nearly identical Chrysler-badged versions — the short-wheelbase, base-model Town.

Newer Dodge Caravans trace their basic design to the third-generation model, which was produced from 1996-2000. (Note that for this generation as well as all previous ones, a near-identical version called the Plymouth Voyager was also sold.) Compared to the current model, this Caravan was an inch or two smaller in most dimensions, and the engine roster was much different.

Back then, the 3.3-liter V6 only made 158 hp. The 2.4-liter engine still made 150 but was paired to a lowly three-speed automatic transmission. This generation of Caravan also had access to the Grand Caravan’s top-of-the-line 180-hp, 3.8-liter V6. Plus, there was a fourth engine: a Mitsubishi-built 3.0-liter V6 with 150 hp.

Initially, the Caravan’s trim lines consisted of base, SE, LE and ES models, though Dodge subsequently moved to position the regular-length Caravan as a budget minivan, resulting in the discontinuation of the top-of-the-line ES for ‘98. The midrange LE lasted until 2000. The base model came with only the four-cylinder and 3.0-liter V6 at first, then added the choice of the 3.3-liter V6 in 1997, only to lose it again after ‘99. The SE started with the same three choices, but dropped the four-cylinder after ‘97 and the 3.0-liter V6 after ‘98. The upscale LE and ES stuck with the bigger 3.3- and 3.8-liter V6s.

Consumers looking at used Dodge Caravans would be wise to zero in on SE and LE models, as both came with essentials like antilock brakes, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel and 15-inch wheels. The LE also provided standard air-conditioning and power windows and locks. (A/C was also standard on ‘99 and ‘00 SE models.) The high-line ES added 16-inch alloy wheels and a driver-side sliding door (an item that later became standard on lower-line models). Depending on the trim level, major options included second-row captain’s chairs, an upgraded Infinity CD stereo and a self-leveling rear suspension. However, the most important thing for used Caravan shoppers to look at is the engine under the hood: Either the 3.3-liter or 3.8-liter V6 is a must for adequate performance.

The late-’90s Caravan was regarded as the state-of-the-art minivan, setting the standard for spaciousness, comfort and convenience while offering a carlike driving feel. It was first in the class with dual sliding doors, and we found its interior flexible and easy to configure despite the always-heavy removable rear seats. A redesigned version of the Honda Odyssey edged out the Caravan by the end of its run, but it was always competitive.

Our only real hesitation, aside from its never-great reliability, concerns safety, as this van’s crash test scores were mediocre all around. Note also that like most minivans of this era, the Caravan had only two airbags. Making partial amends is the availability of traction control starting in 1997 and the switch to depowered airbags in 1998.

The second-generation Dodge Caravan was produced from 1991-’95. Derived from the infamous Chrysler K-platform of the 80s, the Caravan’s trim lines were base, SE, LE and ES. Three engines were offered: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 100 hp (paired to a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic), a 3.0-liter V6 with 142 hp (three- or four-speed automatic) or a 3.3-liter V6 with 162 hp (four-speed automatic). All-wheel drive was newly available for this Caravan, as were antilock brakes.

Seating was still comfortable in all rows and the rears were still removable. Note that only the front seats had head restraints. The Caravan’s most major update came in 1994 when a second airbag, better side-impact protection and more dashboard revisions were added; all-wheel drive was dropped. For 1995, Caravan lost the stickshift as well.

While we definitely recommend sticking to newer Caravans for better engineering, safety and convenience, this was the only generation in which Dodge offered all-wheel drive on the regular-length Caravan. Just be sure to exercise caution when shopping for models of the early ’90s; the four-speed automatic found in most was known for its extremely high failure rate.

2008 Dodge Dakota – Truck Pictures

The 2008 Dodge Dakota truck comes standard with a V-6 engine, but a V-8 is still an available option. The new engine has the same displacement as last year’s model, 4.7-liters, but with an improved intake manifold, a new cylinder head design, and lighter weight pistons and connecting rods. Horsepower has been increased about 25-percent, to 290, and torque to 320 lb.-ft., about 10-percent more than the 2007 engine.

Compact and midsize trucks aren’t exactly flying off the dealer showroom floor right now. To combat that, Dodge has changed the Dakota’s philosophy for 2008 by no longer competing with full-size trucks on every level. The Dakota attempts to carve its own niche by appealing to younger guys with active lifestyles. Dodge added power, refinement, and versatility, and redesigned the exterior and cabin.

“This year’s concept vehicles are all designed for the millennial generation,” said Dave McKinnon, Vice President for Design at the Chrysler Group. “We found that one of the products that the market lacks for this group right now is what they call ‘a real hot pickup truck, just for me, a friend, and our gear.’ The Dodge M80 concept is like ’son-of-Power Wagon,’ an in-your-face pickup truck, now light, lean, agile, with four-wheel drive and a powerful engine.”

Designers John Opfer and Jeff Gale borrowed cues from the prewar series of Job-Rated half-ton pickups so popular with Dodge Truck aficionados. Together, this duo was able to translate honest simplicity of the 1939 TC and 1941 WC half-ton pickups into a fresh and contemporary design that builds upon the recent Dodge truck concepts, especially the 1999 Power Wagon, while illustrating a direct link to the new-for-2002 full-sized Ram.

An active off-roader, designer John Opfer said, “When we first conceived the design for the M80, we were looking for fresh proportions. In the M80, we have a truly American style of vehicle. We adopted the high cowl, short front overhang, a more vertical windshield, simple fender forms on the bed and body. It’s an honest design and most of all, elegant in its simplicity.”
Looking at the two vehicles, the prewar half-ton and the M80, it’s clear that there is a direct relationship. Both offer simple lines with short overhangs, the M80 design updated by new interpretations of classic elements like the fender vent vanes and push-button door handles. Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is employed for the integrated side-storage lockers, while dual spin-off fuel-filler caps with a satin-stainless-steel-look match the grille, and simple stamped-steel 20-inch wheels suit the M80’s design.

Bed protection plays a part in both designs. The vintage Job-Rated pickups employed a wooden bed floor while the M80’s useful five-foot bed is protected by a durable TPE liner and bulkhead and incorporates myriad tie-down cleats compatible with MOPAR bike, ski, and surfboard racks. The tailgate features ’stamped-through’ lettering for the Dodge and 4×4 emblems. Oversized, performance-tuned dual exhaust pipes and jewel-like round taillamps complete the exterior highlights.

Slightly longer than the current Dakota’s standard cab, the back of the M80 cab features a full-width “flipper” glass. Opfer explained that if you’re carrying gear that’s too long for the pickup bed, the glass can be raised and the cargo, such as a surfboard, can be positioned through the open the glass to take advantage of the cabin to add load length.

Chassis and Powertrain
Fitting the 210-horsepower V-6 introduced in the Jeep Liberty into a vehicle with a projected 2500-pound curb weight would seem to portend great performance numbers. DaimlerChrysler seeks performance targets of 8-seconds 0-60 mph with a top speed of 100 mph. These numbers are not too far off from a current 5.9 Dakota R/T, which admittedly is almost 1500 pounds heavier.

The rest of the drivetrain and chassis components are lifted from the Dakota parts shelf. The frame features independent short-and-long-arm front suspension and a solid axle with leaf springs in the rear. The V-6 is matched with a five-speed manual transmission and a two-speed transfer case.

The Dodge Challenger convertible concept produced for SEMA 2006 is at this link.

According to sources, Chrysler is trying to decide on which strategy to follow: a high-price, low-volume run, or a high-volume, lower-price run. Also in flux is the question of engines – restricting to just the Hemi, or allowing both the Hemi and at least one V6. Chrysler announced a manual transmission will be available along with an automatic, each having five speeds; an SRT-8 version will have the 6.1 Hemi while the stock Challenger will have the 5.7 Hemi (no, they will not have the new crate Hemi, nor did we expect them to). At this point we believe there will be a first-year run of about 50,000 Hemi equipped Challengers, possibly with automatics, followed by a smaller run of Hemi Challenger SRT-8 cars with manual transmissions. Rumors are flying about a 6.6 liter Hemi, but we believe that is speculation at this point.

One possibility was just sent to us: the Challenger start out in SRT-8 form for model-year 2008, with both a manual and automatic, built on the LC (shortened LX) platform. Following that will come the standard Challengers.

When and where will it be built? “DCAutoWorker” wrote that customers cars would be built starting in April 2008, with a 30-day hold to get some supplies built and perhaps handle any last-minute issues without a recall; hence it would be given to dealers in May 2008 as a 2008 model (in the near past, Chrysler would have called that a 2009). Brampton has not yet been officially named as its home, but the three-week model changeover is longer and later than normal.

CanadianJeepYJ wrote that, according to a Chrysler rep talking informally: “Cars should start rolling off the line in January-Feburary of 2008, hitting the dealers by March. There will be a SXT model with either a V-6 or a 4.7 V-8. The first hemi R/T’s will be all autosticks. The SRT-8s will be the 6.4 Hemis putting out 500-505 HP. The story right now is the manual trans is still up in the air, he said there is a faction that wants only autosticks, and another wants the 6 speeds. He’s backing the 6 speed availability.”

Buddy (of Mighty MoPars of Orlando) wrote: “At the MoPar Nationals, they were conducting a survey asking what you would like your Challenger to have. Color, dual exhaust, muscle car graphics, complete gauge package, type of transmission, must it have a Hurst shifter, type of engine (3.5L V6 was an option), if autostick which direction – side to side or front to back, must it have 20 inch wheels front and rear, etc. Seeing the car in pictures does it justice but seeing this thing in person is UNREAL! Check out the detail on the brake caliper. Notice the name “Challenger” on it?” (Buddy’s photo)

LY is the platform code for the second-generation LX cars (an unfortunate designation!); this basic platfom, which like the LX uses a Mercedes-style suspension with Chrysler engineering for better driving dynamics, higher reliability, and strong cost savings, will be used on the Mercedes E, CLS, and R classes, starting in, depending on the model, 2010 to 2012 (according to a supplier).

The Challenger may ride a shorter wheelbase to decrease weight, but on the other hand, it may simply be a two-door variant, much as the original Dodge Charger was a two-door version of the Coronet.
The concept car has a 116 inch wheelbase, while the other LXs use a 120 inch wheelbase; but it’s a custom-made, carbon-fiber-bodied one-off concept car. The 1970 Challenger was 191 inches long (with a 110 inch wheelbase); the concept is 198 inches, and two inches wider than the original. Built by Metalcrafters, it weighs 4,160 pounds.

The original Challenger rode a unique platform (shared only with the Plymouth Barracuda) designed to handle any Mopar engine, including the fearsome 426 Hemi and 440 Six-Pack. The name was later applied to a Mitsubishi import.

The Dodge Challenger was styled primarily by Michael Castiglione, a 15-year Chrysler veteran, based on what people see in the original Challenger – a car with a huge, long hood and a short rear deck. While the LX series have longer hoods than most modern cars, the proportions are very different from the old E-bodies (current designs are much more practical for both cornering and space usage). However, Castiglione used some perceptual tricks, such as increasing the size of the front overhang, moving the rear-view mirrors back, and using a steeper windshield angle coupled with an angled cut in the door to make the hood seem longer. Making the car wider than the LX series (and the original, for that matter) and moving the rocker panels in made the Challenger look more like the original, with its tucked in rocker panels. Despite very different hard points in the design, Castiglione’s interpretation looks so much like the original to the human eye that many thought it was the original car and not a new version!

Mike Castiglione was up against two other competing designs, both of which were more “sports car than muscle car;” he was told that his design (the one you now see) that wasn’t going to go forward. Mike said that he procured a Popular Hot Rodding lamented the appearance of the Dodge Charger and presented his case to Trevor Creed, showing that Chrysler’s best fans wanted something resembling his ideas. That made the difference, and Creed agreed.

The concept car itself was built very quickly by Metalcrafters, which builds Chrysler’s concepts; the body is made of carbon fiber, not steel or fiberglass. The car is wider and shorter (in both length and wheelbase) than the Dodge Charger. The wheels are far larger than those of the original cars, though styled to look similar: 20 inches up front and 21 inches in back. The color is original for the concept, though the Hemi has authentic orange paint. The Dodge-provided 13.0 second quarter mile time and 4.5 second 0-60 would not apply to actual production cars, since it comes via dual Flowmaster mufflers with no catalytic converters.

“During the development of the concept car,” says Micheal Castiglione, principal exterior designer, “we brought an actual 1970 Challenger into the studio. For me, that car symbolizes the most passionate era of automotive design.”

The two-door model Challenger takes many cues from the 1970 model (the most sought after by collectors), including floating headlights, ribbed black seating, a hood with black trim, a 6.1-liter Hemi engine with six-speed manual transmission and a pistol grip shifter, and the general look and feel; designers had a 1970 model in the studio as they created a concept. “We wanted to do a muscle coupe that connects with the American heritage,” said Tom Tremont, Vice President—Advance Product Design, “but instead of merely re-creating that car, the designers endeavored to build a Challenger most people see in their mind’s eye—a vehicle without the imperfections like the old car’s tucked-under wheels, long front overhang and imperfect fits. As with all pleasurable memories, you remember the good and screen out the bad.”
The designers considered the essential attributes of a muscle car to be distinctly American; mega horsepower; pure, minimal, signature lines; aggressive air-grabbing grille; and bold colors and graphics.

The signature side view accent line is higher up on the body, running horizontal through the fender and door and kicking up just forward of the rear wheel. The upper and lower body surfaces intersect and fall away along this line, which has just a whisper of the original car’s curved surfacing. “We wanted to stay pure,” said Castiglione, “with simple, minimal line work, but with everything just right.”

The five-spoke chrome wheels are set flush with the bodyside, giving the car a muscular stance. Wheel openings are drawn tightly against the tires, with the rearward edges trailing off. One of the key characteristics of the original car was the wide look of both the front and back ends. To achieve this the designers increased both the front and rear tracks to 64 and 65 inches respectively, wider than the LX, wider even than the 1970 model. To realize the long horizontal hood the designers deemed essential, the front overhang was also increased. (These could be problematic if the Challenger goes into production.)

Both the hood and the deck lid of the Challenger concept vehicle are higher than the 1970 in order to lift and “present” the front and rear themes. The front end features the signature Dodge crossbar grille and four headlamps deeply recessed into the iconic car-wide horizontal cavity. Diagonally staggered in plan view, the outboard lamps are set forward, the “six-shooter” inboard lamps slightly rearward. At the rear, the car-wide cavity motif is repeated, encompassing a full-width neon-lit taillamp. Both the grille and the front and rear lamps are set into carbon-fiber surrounds. Like the original, slim rectangular side marker lamps define the ends of the car.

The hood reprises the original Challenger “performance hood” and its twin diagonal scoops, now with functional butterfly-valve intakes. Designed to showcase the modern techniques used in fabricating the car, what look like painted racing stripes are actually the exposed carbon fiber of the hood material. Bumpers are clean (no guards), body-color, and flush with the body. “This is something we would have loved to do on the original Challenger,” said Jeff Godshall, a Plymouth Owners’ Club contributor who was a young designer when the first Challenger was created, “but the technology just wasn’t there.”

The Challenger concept is a genuine four-passenger car. Compared to the original, the greenhouse is longer, the windshield and backlite faster, and the side glass narrower. All glass is set flush with the body without moldings, another touch the original designers could only wish for. The car is a genuine two-door hardtop with the belt line ramping up assertively at the quarter window just forward of the wide C-pillar. Exterior details one might expect, like a racing-type gas cap, hood tie-down pins, louvered backlite and bold bodyside striping, didn’t make the “cut,” the designers feeling such assorted bits would detract from the purity of the monochromatic body form. But tucked under the rear bumper are the twin-rectangle pipes of the dual exhausts.

The interior is black relieved by satin silver accents and narrow orange bands on the seat backs. “Though the 1970 model was looked to for inspiration, we wanted to capture the memory of that car, but expressed in more contemporary surfaces, materials and textures,” said Alan Barrington, principal interior designer. As with the original car, the instrumental panel pad sits high, intersected on the driver’s side by a sculpted trapezoidal cluster containing three circular in-line analog gauge openings.

“We designed the gauge holes to appear as if you are looking down into the engine cylinders with the head off,” relates Barrington. These are flanked outboard by a computer, allowing the driver to determine top overall speed, quarter-mile time and speed, and top speed for each of the gears.

With its thick, easy-grip rim, circular hub and pierced silver spokes, the leather-wrapped steering wheel evokes the original car’s “Tuff” wheel, as does the steering column “ribbing.” The floor console, its center surface tipped toward the driver, is fitted with a proper “pistol grip” shifter shaped just right to master the quick, crisp shifts possible with the six-speed manual transmission.

As the original Challenger was the first car to have injection-molded door trim panels (now common practice), the doors received special attention. “We imagined that the door panel was a billet of aluminum covered with a dark rubberized material,” Barrington relates. “Then we cut into it to create a silver trapezoidal cove for the armrest.”

The Hemi has 425 hp, 420 lb-ft of torque, and a six-speed manual transmission. With its 4,100 pound weight, it can do 0-60 in 4.5 seconds (with 20 inch wheels on front and 21 inch wheels on back), and runs the quarter mile in 13 seconds flat; top speed is 174 mph (limited by wind resistance), while gas mileage is estimated at 14 city, 20 highway, very good compared with the original Challenger and roughly the same as today’s smallest, most underpowered Hummer. Brakes are more effective than the original – stopping from 60 mph can be done in 133 feet.