2008-09 Dodge Challengers Recalled from Stop/Starting Too Easily

“Keyless Go” cars are a technological treat and these Dodge Challengers come packaged nice and neat, complete with a software bug.

Chrysler is recalling 6,636 2008-09 Dodge Challengers because their nifty stop/start button works a little too well. The engine will shut off if you push the little red button regardless of gear selector lever position. Also if you forget to set the car in park after shutting off the engine, your Challenger might just decide to challenge something else while you’re not around.

Chrysler dealers are ready to doctor your baby and the recall will begin this week. Call 1-800-853-1403 for more information.

2008 Dodge Challenger: SE and R/T are Pale Shadows of SRT8

The Challenger SRT8 may be the one that everyone got hyped about, but you're far more likely to see an SE or R/T variant on the road.

The R/T still gets a stout V8 to motivate, a 5.7 liter HEMI with 376 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque (with a manual transmission), and the ability to get to 60 in less than 6 seconds. Better still, the manual equipped cars can get the most Mopar of additions, a pistol grip shifter, though only with the Track pack, which also adds a lower rear gear.

The V6 SE has decent power as well as it has 250hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, it is only available with a 4-speed auto.

Both, unlike the SRT8, come equipped with brakes that are more pedestrian, not Brembo, and lend to a mediocre braking performance.

The interior is a bit of a letdown as well. Styling harkens back to the golden era of muscle cars, but it is executed in the modern theme of uniformly colored plastics and little brightwork. It just doesn't live up to what the exterior evokes.

Our take? Though the R/T and V6 may be the “lesser” models, they are not worse by any means. The Dodge Challenger in whatever trim is a solid performer and a looker as well. The Ford Mustang may finally have a fight on its hands in what was a segment of one.

2009 Dodge Ram Five-Star Safety Winner

Auburn Hills, Mich., Aug 4, 2008 - The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram is loaded with safety and security features.

“We engineered comfort and security into every single corner of our all-new 2009 Dodge Ram,” said Scott Kunselman, Vice President – Truck Product Development, Chrysler LLC. “With 35 safety and security features, our all-new Dodge Ram is designed to protect and perform.”

In addition to offering a standard four-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and standard Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Hill Start Assist (HSA) and Trailer Sway Control (TSC), all-new 2009 Dodge Ram safety and security features include standard advanced multi-stage front driver and passenger air bags, standard supplemental side-curtain air bags and available ParkSense® Rear Park Assist System.

Chrysler employs a two-fold safety approach: passive safety features including pre-tensioning and load-limiting seat belt retractors and supplemental side-curtain air bags, combined with active accident-avoidance safety features including responsive steering and handling and braking.

For the 2008 model year, Chrysler offers eight vehicles that earned five stars in governmental crash tests (front and side) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): Chrysler Pacifica and Town & Country; Jeep® Liberty and Grand Cherokee; and Dodge Nitro, Caliber, Dakota and Grand Caravan.

The 2008 Dodge Ram earned five-star ratings for front impact (driver and passenger).

Following are 35 safety and security features to look for in the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram:

* Advanced Multi-stage Air Bags: Inflates with a force appropriate to the severity of an impact. Meets FMVSS 208 advanced air bag requirements for small out-of-position occupants
* Anti-lock Brake System (ABS): Senses and prevents wheel lockup, offering improved steering control under extreme braking and/or slippery conditions – advanced ABS modulates each of the four brakes individually for optimum control and stopping performance
* All-speed Traction Control: Senses drive-wheel slip and applies individual brakes to a slipping wheel(s), and reduces excess engine power until traction is regained
* Auto-reverse Sun Roof: Advanced sensing system that automatically engages and reverses the sun roof to the open position when an object that restricts glass movement is detected
* Auto-reverse Window: Automatically engages and reverses the window to the down position when an obstacle that restricts glass movement is detected
* BeltAlert: Periodically activates a chime and illuminates an icon in the instrument cluster to remind the driver to buckle up if a vehicle is driven without the driver being properly belted
* Brake Assist: In a panic brake condition, the system applies maximum braking power, providing the shortest possible stopping distance
* Brake/Park Interlock: Prevents an automatic transmission or transaxle from being shifted out of Park unless the brake pedal is applied
* Child Seat Anchor System: Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH) is designed to ease installation of compatible aftermarket child seats
* Child-protection Rear Door Locks: Disables the rear doors’ inside-release handles via a small lever on the door-shut face
* Crumple Zones: Designed to compress during an accident in order to absorb energy from an impact, decreasing transfer of that energy to occupants
* Digressive Load-limiting Retractors: A two-stage load-limiting feature that limits the maximum force on the belt webbing in order to help absorb the energy of the occupant’s upper torso during an impact
* Electronic Stability Program (ESP): Enhances driver control and helps maintain directional stability under all conditions. Provides the greatest benefit in critical driving situations, such as turns, and is especially valuable when driving on mixed surface conditions including snow, ice or gravel. If there’s a discernible difference between what the driver asks through the steering wheel and the vehicle’s path, ESP applies selective braking and throttle input in order to put the vehicle back onto the driver’s intended path
* Energy-absorbing Steering Column: The manual-adjust steering column utilizes two hydroformed coaxial tubes that move relative to each other in order to allow the column to move forward for enhanced energy-absorption during an impact
* Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS): Makes it easier for emergency personnel to see and reach occupants in the event of an accident by turning on interior lights and unlocking doors after air-bag deployment. Also shuts off the flow of fuel to the engine
* Height-adjustable Front Seat Belts: Allows the driver and front passenger to raise and lower the shoulder belt. Encourages seat belt usage by offering a comfortable fit
* HomeLink® Universal Home Security System Transceiver: Stores three separate transmitter radio-frequency codes to operate garage-door openers, security gates, security lighting or other radio-controlled devices
* Hill Start Assist (HSA): Assists drivers when starting a vehicle from a stop on a hill by maintaining the level of brake pressure applied for a short period of time after a driver’s foot is removed from the brake pedal. If throttle is not applied within a short period of time after the driver’s foot is removed from the brake pedal, brake pressure will be released
* Inside Emergency Release: A glow-in-the-dark release handle, which may be activated in the event of an adult or child being inadvertently trapped inside of the RamBox
* Interior Head-impact Protection: Interior pillars above the belt line and instrument panel, including areas around windshield and rear window headers, roof and side-rail structures and shoulder-belt turning loops are 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 air bags to work effectively
* ParkSense® RearPark Assist System: Assists at low speeds in Reverse to detect stationary objects. Consists of visible (interior lights seen with rearview mirror) and audible warnings for the driver
* ParkView® Rear Back-up Camera: Provides a wide-angle view of the area immediately behind the vehicle, giving the driver greater peace of mind before backing up. Also aids in lining up a trailer to the vehicle’s trailer hitch, when so equipped. The image automatically displays on the navigation screen when the transmission is shifted into Reverse
* Power-adjustable pedals: Allows brake and accelerator pedals to move toward or away from the driver in order to achieve a comfortable seating position for improved vehicle control
* Remote Keyless Entry: Locks and unlocks doors, and turns on interior lamps. If the vehicle is equipped with a vehicle-theft security alarm, the remote also arms and disarms that system
* Remote Start: Conveniently starts the engine from outside the vehicle by using the Remote Keyless Entry fob while maintaining vehicle security
* Safety Cage Body Structure: Protects occupants by managing and controlling energy in the event of an impact
* Seat-belt Pretensioners (both front seat belts): During a collision, impact sensors initiate front seat-belt pretensioners to immediately remove slack from seat belts, thereby reducing the forward movement of occupants’ heads and torsos
* Sentry Key® Engine Immobilizer: Utilizes an engine key that has an embedded transponder with a pre-programmed security code to discourage vehicle theft. When the key is inserted into the ignition, the controller sends a random number to the transponder and the engine is allowed to start. If an incorrect key is used, the engine will shut off after only a few seconds
* Side Guard Door Beams: In front and rear doors, provides occupant protection during a side impact
* Supplemental Side-curtain Air Bags: Extends protection to all outboard front- and rear-seat passengers. Each side air bag has its own impact sensor which autonomously triggers the air bag on the side where an impact occurs. Available on Quad® and crew cabs
* Tire-pressure Monitoring (TPM): Pressure-sensor modules within the valve stems of all four road wheels send continuous radio-frequency signals to a receiver and the system informs occupants when tire pressure is too low
* Trailer Sway Control System: Reduces trailer sway and improves handling in adverse towing conditions caused by crosswinds and traffic. Software monitors the vehicle’s movement relative to the driver’s intended path, then applies brake pressure to slow the vehicle and increases the pressure on one front wheel to counteract sway induced by the trailer
* uconnect phone: Uses Bluetooth® technology to provide voice-controlled wireless communication between the occupants’ compatible mobile phones and the vehicle’s onboard receiver
* Vehicle Theft Security Alarm: Deters vandalism and theft, frequently lowering insurance premiums. System protects the vehicle from theft by monitoring door- and liftgate-ajar switches and the ignition circuit for unauthorized entry

Dodge Brand
With a U.S. market share of 6.2 percent, Dodge is Chrysler LLC’s best-selling brand and the sixth largest nameplate in the U.S. automotive market. In 2007, Dodge sold more than 1.3 million vehicles in the global market.

The Dodge brand’s first crossover vehicle — the all-new 2009 Dodge Journey — arrived in dealer showrooms in the first quarter of 2008, and is now available outside North America in petrol and diesel powertrains in both left- and right-hand drive. The limited-edition 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 with a 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 engine that boasts 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque started hitting the streets this past spring. Later in 2008, Dodge will add three more vehicles to its product lineup – the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram with game-changing exterior and interior design, innovations, best-in-class features and craftsmanship; the all-new 2009 Dodge Challenger, a modern interpretation of the American muscle car; and the 2009 Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid, a hybrid electric vehicle that combines fuel-efficient advance hybrid technology with full-size SUV performance and capability.

Last fall, America’s best-selling minivan, the all-new 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, was introduced with 35 new or improved features including the newest innovation, the Swivel ’n Go™ seating system. In 2007, Dodge sold 33,500 commercial vehicles, a 285 percent increase over 2003 when the company returned to the commercial vehicle market and is now the sixth largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles sold in the U.S. Also in 2007, the Dodge Avenger and Nitro entered key volume segments outside North America, joining the Dodge Caliber, the highest sales volume vehicle for the company outside of North America.

Dodge Challenger Mopar Package To Debut at Mile-High

Center Line, Mich., Jul 7, 2008 - This year marks the 40th anniversary of the factory-built drag race package cars from Dodge and Plymouth.

To commemorate those HEMI®-powered drag cars, Mopar® announced it will unveil its new Dodge Challenger Drag Race Package Car at the 29th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo. on Sunday, July 13.

Featuring separate paint schemes, the first two Challenger Drag Race Package Cars built by Mopar will be revealed at approximately 2 p.m. MDT, following Sunday’s Mile-High race eliminations and before the final rounds. Mopar, Chrysler LLC’s original equipment parts manufacturer and distributor, announced its Challenger Drag Race Package Car at the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Oct. 2007.

The first drag-race-only, factory-prepped package car built in 40 years, the new Challenger Drag Race Package Car by Mopar builds on the heritage of the 1968 HEMI®-powered Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas. The limited-edition ’68 package cars represented a significant point in Mopar’s history—solidifying the brand as a quarter-mile force. A watershed moment in drag racing history, they were also a major milestone in the evolution of the second-generation HEMI powerplant (426 HEMI engine). Some of drag racing’s biggest names drove the crowd-favorite ’68 package cars —like Ronnie Sox, “Dandy” Dick Landy and Jack Werst, just to name a few. Mopar’s popular HEMI Challenge racing series, operated in conjunction with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), features these ‘68 package cars in quarter-mile competition all over the country today.

Based on the Challenger SRT8®, Mopar’s modern, factory-prepped Challenger Drag Race Package Car will begin with a special Body-in-White (BIW) from Chrysler’s Brampton, Ontario, Canada assembly plant. It has been updated for modern racing conditions. Special weight-reduction modifications were made by eliminating unnecessary components and systems. To accentuate the weight savings, it will also feature added composite, polycarbonate and lightweight components designed for drag racing. The engine was repositioned and the wheelbase was shortened to improve the driveline angle/clearance and weight distribution.

“Mopar worked with the NHRA—the world’s largest and loudest auto racing organization—to approve our race-prepped Challenger for drag race competition,” said Sunil Lahoti, Senior Manager - Mopar Marketing and Brand Strategy, Chrysler LLC. “Engineered to race, our Package Car has what an NHRA drag racer needs to thunder down the strip in competition. It’s made for straight-line, drag-strip acceleration—and is prepped to score victories off the Tree.”

Drag racers will have a choice of three engines to power the Challenger Drag Race Package Car for race competition. Mopar will build a minimum of 100 Package Cars to meet NHRA requirements. Each will carry an identification plate with sequential serial number.

Mopar built the first two Challenger Drag Race Package Cars for development and testing. Each Package Car ran successfully in June as proof-of-concept and for NHRA certification.

At the Mile-High reveal, Mopar will announce details including vehicle modifications, engine options, NHRA/IHRA categories and class eligibility, pricing, availability and distribution. A build book/owner’s manual will be available as well as a collector’s “coffee table” book.

70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.

Originally used in the 1920s, Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It was also widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s—the muscle car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “Special Parts” for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.

Today, Chrysler LLC’s Global Service & Parts division is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of nearly 250,000 authentic Mopar replacement parts, components, restoration parts, accessories and performance parts for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles sold around the world. To assure quality, reliability and durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to Chrysler engineering standards.

2009 Dodge Ram: Trucks Pack HEMI Power. Will Consumers Buy?

Chelsea, Mich., Jun 26, 2008 - This morning, Dodge will showcase its new 2009 Dodge Ram powertrain lineup at the company’s proving grounds. Powertrain choices in all-new 2009 Dodge Ram models will offer improved fuel economy plus more power, torque and refinement than ever before.

Engines available in all-new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 models include the all-new, best-in-class, 390-horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI®, flex-fuel 4.7-liter and 3.7-liter gasoline engines. The 2009 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty models (with current 2008 design) are available with either the 5.7-liter HEMI or the 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine, which already achieves 2010 NOx emission standards, making it the cleanest and best-performing heavy-duty pickup truck in the market.

“While the all-new HEMI engine maintains the key characteristics that makes HEMI a household name in powertrains, we added new technologies, including Variable Valve Timing, that substantially improve fuel economy and refinement and maximize performance,” said Bob Lee, Vice President – Powertrain Product Engineering Team, Chrysler LLC.

“Our all-new Dodge Ram also offers best-in-class aerodynamics to go hand-in-hand with Chrysler’s fuel-saving technologies,” said Mike Accavitti, Director – Dodge Brand and SRT Global Marketing and Communications, Chrysler LLC. “And, with Dodge Ram’s first-ever crew cab, first-in-segment coil-spring rear suspension, industry-first RamBox cargo management system and more than 35 new or improved features, we’re changing the game in the truck market.”

All-new 5.7-liter HEMI to Offer Best-in-class Horsepower and Torque
For 2009, Dodge offers a new generation of the famous 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 in its Ram trucks, with best-in-class horsepower and torque. The new HEMI powers the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram to best-in-class performance: the R/T regular-cab 4x2 model equipped with a short bed and 4:10 gears can accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than 6 seconds.

While the all-new engine maintains many of the basic features that make “HEMI” synonymous with “power,” several technologies were added or improved:

* Variable Valve Timing (VVT)
* Expanded operating range of the fuel-saving Multiple Displacement System (MDS)
* Increased compression ratio
* Active intake manifold with long runners for low-end torque and short runners for high-rpm power
* Improved cylinder head port flow efficiency
* Reduced-restriction exhaust and induction systems

The result is improved idle quality and overall refinement, more horsepower (13 percent), more torque (8 percent) and better fuel economy (4 percent).

“The all-new 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine will offer our customers better fuel economy, improved idle quality and overall refinement, along with more horsepower and torque,” said Lee. “HEMI has always been synonymous with power, and now – thanks to VVT, expanded four-cylinder mode in our MDS system, and a host of other technologies – Chrysler’s new HEMI delivers more fuel efficiency and refinement, along with even more power.”

The new 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 delivers best-in-class 390 hp (291 kW), a 13-percent improvement, and 407 lb.-ft. (552 N•m) of torque, an 8-percent improvement, while providing an estimated improvement of 4 percent in fuel economy.

The HEMI’s new VVT improves fuel economy under some conditions in two ways. First, it reduces the engine’s pumping work by closing the intake valve later. Second, it increases the expansion process of the combustion event. This allows more work to be transferred to the crankshaft instead of being rejected out of the exhaust port as heat. Essentially, VVT optimizes engine breathing, which improves engine efficiency and power.

Dodge’s fuel-saving MDS system seamlessly alternates between smooth, high-fuel-economy four-cylinder mode when less power is needed, and V-8 mode when more power from the new 5.7-liter HEMI engine is in demand. An expanded MDS operating range in the new-for-2009 HEMI — aided in part by the Ram’s best-in-class aerodynamics — will allow customers to realize an even-greater fuel economy benefit. When MDS is operating, it is indicated by the fuel-economy-mode readout in the 2009 Dodge Ram’s Electronic Vehicle Information Center.

Chrysler estimates that since its inception of MDS in 2005, nearly 100 million gallons of gasoline have been saved, along with reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of close to a million metric tons.

4.7-liter V-8
An available 4.7-liter V-8 delivers 310 horsepower (231 kW) and 330 lb.-ft. (447 N•m) of torque.

The 4.7-liter V-8 shares some of the HEMI engine’s combustion technology with its twin spark plugs per cylinder. It also makes use of increased compression ratio, improved cylinder head port flow and a new slant/squish combustion system designed to optimize fuel economy, power and torque.

This engine is also compatible with E85 fuel, earning the Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) designation that provides customers the option of operating their vehicle on mixtures of gasoline and ethanol.

3.7-liter V-6
Unlike some others in the marketplace, Dodge will continue to offer customers a V-6 engine.

Standard on all-new 2009 Dodge Ram two-wheel-drive regular cab and Quad Cab® models is a 3.7-liter Magnum V-6 engine, generating 215 horsepower (160 kW) and 235 lb.-ft. (319 N•m) of torque.

Similar to the 4.7-liter and 5.7-liter V-8 engines, the 3.7-liter V-6 is equipped with Electronic Throttle Control, which provides engine torque control while compensating for changes in engine load caused by the air conditioning compressor, alternator and power steering pump.

The 3.7-liter V-6 also offers fuel economy and performance benefits from technologies including exhaust gas recirculation, compacted graphite-iron bedplate and internal balance shaft.

6.7-liter Cummins Turbodiesel: Cleanest on the Market
The Dodge Ram Heavy Duty’s 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine already meets 2010 truck emissions standards in all 50 states, making the 2009 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty the cleanest diesel truck available on the market today.

The inline six-cylinder turbodiesel engine uses a diesel particulate filter (DPF) to virtually eliminate particulate matter emissions and an adsorber catalyst to reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by as much as 90 percent.

In addition to the NOx adsorber and the DPF, the 6.7-liter turbodiesel engine includes other technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce unburned hydrocarbons:

* A cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system combines with a uniquely designed piston combustion bowl and a high-flow, electronically controlled Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT™), matching boost pressure with the engine’s performance needs to reduce emissions and improve drivability
* Within the exhaust system, a self-cleaning DPF and an oxidation catalyst reduces particulate matter by a factor of 10. The emissions system is designed for a government-certified 120,000 miles
* A closed crankcase ventilation system eliminates crankcase fumes and oil carry-over, a common process with past diesels

As durable as it is powerful, the 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel has life-to-major overhaul intervals of 350,000 miles, providing more than a 100,000-mile advantage over the competition.

All-new Light-duty Cummins Turbodiesel
Dodge will introduce an all-new Cummins turbodiesel engine in its light-duty pickup trucks after 2009.

The new engine will provide a dramatic increase in low-end torque, up to a 25-percent improvement in fuel efficiency and a 20-percent reduction in carbon dioxide (C02) emissions when compared to an equivalent gasoline engine.

With new, clean, quiet diesel technology, the new diesel engine will meet 50-state emissions standards for 2010.

All-new Dodge Ram 1500 Hybrid
The Dodge Ram 1500 Hybrid, available after 2009, will be the latest addition to Chrysler LLC’s fuel-efficient lineup, joining clean diesel, HEMI and flex-fuel vehicles.

Combining Chrysler’s Multi-displacement System (MDS) and two-mode hybrid technology to greatly improve fuel economy, the 5.7-liter HEMI Hybrid V-8 offers performance and efficiency with up to 40 percent fuel economy improvement in the city and 25 percent overall. The two-mode hybrid system is currently being introduced in the company’s 2009 Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid and 2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI Hybrid.

The two-mode hybrid system uses electric motors to allow the HEMI V-8 to remain in four-cylinder mode more often, improving fuel economy.

In the first mode – at low speeds and with light loads – the vehicle may operate on electric power only, on engine power only, or any combination of the two. The Dodge Ram 1500 Hybrid may operate in electric-only mode during slow starts (city driving) up to 25 mph, further conserving fuel and reducing emissions. In addition, the HEMI V-8 can shut down when the vehicle comes to a stop or during deceleration, to conserve fuel and then seamlessly restart when power is necessary.

The second mode, used primarily at highway speeds, augments electric assist with full power from the 5.7-liter HEMI when conditions demand it.

The Dodge Ram 1500 Hybrid also features regenerative braking, which recycles electric energy that would normally be lost during braking or deceleration. This energy is reused to power the vehicle.

The Dodge Ram 1500 Hybrid will also benefit from Dodge Ram’s best-in-class aerodynamics, which allows a greater operating range of MDS.

Geneva Auto Show Dodge Hornet to be built by Nissan

Chrysler is looking to Nissan, with whom they've made an agreement to cooperate with, to build the Dodge Hornet at Nissan's Oppama, Japan factory.

Originally a concept car offering a sort of American interpretation of the MINI, the production model is set to developed off of the Nissan Versa compact platform. However, unlike the Versa, the Hornet is intended to be a premium small car offering ala MINI Cooper as opposed to another run-of-the-mill econobox.

The Dodge Hornet debuted at the 2006 Geneva Auto Show.

Our take? The Dodge Hornet is, politely, not the style icon that the MINI was, or currently is. It can however, become a force in the lower priced segments.

By the way, it's weird to think of Chrysler pairing no involving Mitsubishi