Dodge Challenger Hellcat vs Porsche 911 Turbo S vs Nissan GT-R - VIDEO

This is very simple: we have three great sports cars from three great car-making countries. And we want to know which is fastest in a quarter-mile drag race.

From the USA, we have the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. From Germany, we have the Porsche 911 Turbo S. And from Japan, we have the car that has so far out-dragged everything we've put it up against, the Nissan GT-R.

This time, though, the GT-R might have met its match. After all, the 911 Turbo S is four-wheel drive and rear engined. The Hellcat is neither of those ... but it does have 707bhp.

Which do you think will be quickest?

Dodge Dart, Chrysler 200 Get The Heave Ho From FCA

The first rule of business is to give the customers what they want. Right now, when gasoline costs less than Pepsi, what customers want are trucks, Really big trucks, the kind of heavily muscled, in your face trucks that make you feel you are in your own version of Mad Max as you commute to work every day. Such trucks are also excellent for picking up some finish nails at Home Depot or a quart of milk on the way home. People are also crazy for all sorts of SUVs — the bigger the better.

What people are not so crazy about are sedans. 4 door transportation modules are just not cool right now. Fiat Chrysler’s profits fell 40% last year, according to the Detroit Free Press. FCA boss Sergio Marchionne blames a lot of that on poor sales of its Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 sedans. So he has decided to throw them overboard and let the FCA banner be carried forward solely by trucks, SUVs, and assorted Jeep products. The only sedan Chrysler will sell from now on is the 300.

During a conference call with Wall Street analysts on Wednesday, Marchionne said, “There will be a number of things that will be put in place in the next 18 months — things that have been agreed and detailed, that will effectively withdraw the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart from the marketplace, for a long period of time, during which we will be continuing discussions with potential partners. We have decided to de-focus, from the manufacturing standpoint, to de-focus on the passenger car market. There are two cars in particular, the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200, which will run their course,” Marchionne said “Without creating additional capacity, in the United States, we need to … to try and deal with the development of both Jeep and the Ram brand.”

Part of the reason for this is that FCA has run out of factory space to build all the trucks, SUVs and Jeeps the market wants. Those vehicles make a lot of profit, sedans only make a little profit. The choice was easy; the sedans had to go. Marchionne has hinted they might return if someone else wants to build them. Both cars have gotten good reviews and won praise for their excellent styling. The news surprised investors. FCA spent $1 billion to overhaul its Sterling Heights Assembly Plant to build the Chrysler 200 midsize sedan that just went on sale in 2014. It also spent $600 million to launch the Dodge Dart compact car in 2012.

My old Irish grandmother would wonder whether Chrysler is cutting off its nose to spite its face. Yes, the market for trucks and SUVs is red hot at the moment, but what happens when the famously mercurial tastes of consumers change? And how will FCA make a fleet composed solely of behemoths comply with upcoming fuel economy standards? No doubt, Machionne, in his infinite wisdom, has a plan, but what it is remains a mystery.

Ford Invests $300 Million In New Diesel Engines

Ford has remained stubbornly defiant in its insistence that the American market isn’t receptive to diesel engines, but Europe is another matter entirely. Ford is investing an additional $306 million into its 100% wind-powered Dagenham factory in the U.K. to produce a new generation of diesel engines codenamed Panther destined for light commercial vehicles and passenger cars, reports Green Car Congress.

The new low-carbon 2.0 liter diesel engines follows a $462 million investment supported by the U.K. government, with the goal of introducing the engine in globally-available commercial vehicles by 2016, with production capacity of 350,000 units initially. The following year the motor will be tweaked for passenger car production, adding an additional 150,000 units of production annually for total capacity of 500,000 units. Though Ford hasn’t come out and said it, most of these engines probably won’t ever leave Europe; the Blue Oval hasn’t shown any indication to start offering its excellent portfolio of diesel engines in America.

Competitors like the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel have been in high demand while GM plans to offer diesels in its mid size truck offerings. It’s not that the EcoBoost engines aren’t great, but the extra efficiency offered by diesel motors more than offsets the higher cost over the often-long lifetime of pickup trucks.

Ford’s answer could be a compact unibody-based pickup, but unfortunately the Blue Oval doesn’t think diesels have a place in its American lineup. Instead it’s focused on EcoBoost and plug-in hybrids as a means to meet fuel economy standards. As great as that might be, I can’t help but feel they’re wrong for denying U.S. customers these coveted diesel motors.

Source: Ford

First Automaker To Build A 30 MPG Pickup “Wins”

American automakers know that pickup trucks are their bread-and-butter money-making machines, but increasing fuel economy standards are forcing a level of innovation not seen in decades. An executive for the Ram truck brand recently acknowledged that the first automaker to sell a legitimate, 30 MPG truck essentially “wins” the pickup wars.

That’s what Ram’s brand director Bob Hegbloom told to Automotive News in a recent interview. When asked if “30 MPG is attainable without re-engineering the truck”, Hegbloom responded by saying:

The first manufacturer that gets to 30 mpg wins. We are seeing that with our 28 mpg EcoDiesel as well as the 25 mpg on the Pentastar V-6 model that fuel economy is so important. We are seeing it in the share gains and the growth for the brand. That’s a number that is out there, but I don’t think you can stop there.

Earlier in the interview he claims that drivers of the new Ram 1500 EcoDiesel are regularly achieving in the low 30 MPG range with their oil-burning trucks. But there’s still the 2015 Ford F150 with its lightweight aluminum body and new small-displacement EcoBoost V6 to contend with, and it could match or exceed the 28 MPG rating of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. There’s little doubt that soon, possibly very soon, one of America’s Big Three automakers will sell a truck with a 30+ MPG fuel economy rating.

Whoever gets there first may indeed win some new customers, but there’s still brand loyalty and skepticism to contend with. Not every pickup owner is ready to embrace diesel engines or aluminum bodies…and for them there’s always the Chevy Silverado. This bold statement by Hegbloom makes you wonder just how close automakers are to a 30 MPG truck.

Which automaker do you think will be the first to build a 30 MPG pickup?

Source: Gas2

What American Muscle Car Will Go Hybrid Or Electric First?

I recently expressed my disappointment that the 2015 Mustang is really just more of the same, a fun but inefficient performance car longing for the days when gas cost a dime a gallon. The Mustang ignores a truth all automakers have begrudgingly accepted; electrification of the automobile is the future. Even Ferrari has figured that out.

If the Mustang and other muscle cars like the Camaro and Challenger are to survive as modern day performance machines, they’ll have to eventually embrace hybrid technology, or become such low-volume, high-cost vehicles that their emissions contribution no longer matters. I don’t like to think about that though, as it means the end of the affordable muscle car.

Instead I will wonder aloud…which Detroit automaker will be the first to deliver a hybrid or (gasp) electric muscle car? And no, the Mustang EcoBoost doesn’t count; I’m not convinced an engine running on premium fuel will actually deliver more than the 30 MPG of the V6, especially given Ford’s recent MPG snafus.  I’m also going to leave Tesla out of the equation here, and instead focus on the Detroit-based Big Three.

I’d make the case that the Chevy Camaro has the best chance of embracing electrification before either the Mustang or Challenger, and for one simple reason; the Chevy Volt. GM has made the Volt the centerpiece in their green car lineup, and the plug-in hybrid remains a top seller on the monthly green car sales charts. The Camaro would also be an exceptional platform to showcase a next-gen Voltec drivetrain, so long as it delivers adequate performances. Eventually, a hybrid drivetrain could replace the 305 horsepower V6 engine, though GM’s foray into the eAssist mild hybrid drivetrain seems to have ended with a whimper, not a bang.

A Chevy Camaro with a Volt drivetrain? It’s not as crazy as it sounds, as the Cadillac ELR has the same drivetrain, but 30% more power, up over 200 ponies. While there isn’t a performance version of the ELR planned yet, if GM can make the output more along the line of 300 horsepower, while exceeding the fuel economy of the base V6 engine, who would complain? GM has arguably been the boldest of the three Detroit automakers with its green car plans, and the Volt remains a top contender.

That’s essentially what Ford is trying to do with the 2.3 liter EcoBoost engine, and while there’s been talk of looking into diesel, hybrid, or even electric drivetrains for the Mustang, I won’t hold my breath. Ford has played its cards very conservatively with the 2015 Mustang, and I think a hybrid F-150 is more likely to come before a hybrid Mustang. Then again, Ford did downsize the Mustang in a big way between the 1973 anbd 1974 model years, and 1974 remains as the one and only year to not even offer a V8 engine. Yet the 1974 Mustang II was one of the best-selling model years ever. Ford surely remembers that as well, and it could make such a bold transition again.

As for Chrysler? Well there’s no saying the Challenger is even going to be around long enough to embrace electrification, though Fiat-Chrysler has made it clear its not a fan of either hybrid or electric vehicles. A plug-in hybrid minivan is said to be in the works, but Sergio Marchionne is actually asking people not to buy the Fiat 500e EV. Ouch.

I think its fair to say that the Challenger, or whatever replaces it, will probably be the last holdout of an era long past.

Some people would rather seem nameplates like Mustang and Camaro die before they embrace green technology, but I’d much rather see these legendary cars adapt to a different time then to just disappear. If they are to survive though, it won’t be because of the big V8 engines that are becoming increasingly scarce as automakers find other ways to make performance cars perform. Other automakers like Toyota and BMW are toying with the idea of hybrid sports cars, while Porsche has gone all-in with hybrid tech.

Is America really ready to cede the performance crown like that? I say no, and I also say there’s nothing wrong with the idea of a hybrid muscle car. Eventually, somebody is going to do it sooner than later, though I expect the next generation of muscle cars to be the last of its kind. In other words, don’t expect any hybrid Mustang or Camaro announcement before 2020, and perhaps even beyond.

You can have your cake and eat it too, and as long as there is a V8 engine option, the purists can be kept at bay. For those of us willing to embrace something different though, the payoff could be huge. A 200 horsepower EcoBoost engine paired with a 150 horsepower electric motor that can deliver 40+ MPG and have a limited electric-only range? I’d be on board for that, and Ford might even win me back from Tesla.

Maybe.

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Chevrolet Camaro SynergyI recently expressed my disappointment that the 2015 Mustang is really just more of the same, a fun but inefficient performance car longing for the days when gas cost a dime a gallon. The Mustang ignores a truth all automakers have begrudgingly accepted; electrification of the automobile is the future. Even Ferrari has figured that out.

If the Mustang and other muscle cars like the Camaro and Challenger are to survive as modern day performance machines, they’ll have to eventually embrace hybrid technology, or become such low-volume, high-cost vehicles that their emissions contribution no longer matters. I don’t like to think about that though, as it means the end of the affordable muscle car.

Instead I will wonder aloud…which Detroit automaker will be the first to deliver a hybrid or (gasp) electric muscle car? And no, the Mustang EcoBoost doesn’t count; I’m not convinced an engine running on premium fuel will actually deliver more than the 30 MPG of the V6, especially given Ford’s recent MPG snafus.  I’m also going to leave Tesla out of the equation here, and instead focus on the Detroit-based Big Three.

I’d make the case that the Chevy Camaro has the best chance of embracing electrification before either the Mustang or Challenger, and for one simple reason; the Chevy Volt. GM has made the Volt the centerpiece in their green car lineup, and the plug-in hybrid remains a top seller on the monthly green car sales charts. The Camaro would also be an exceptional platform to showcase a next-gen Voltec drivetrain, so long as it delivers adequate performances. Eventually, a hybrid drivetrain could replace the 305 horsepower V6 engine, though GM’s foray into the eAssist mild hybrid drivetrain seems to have ended with a whimper, not a bang.

A Chevy Camaro with a Volt drivetrain? It’s not as crazy as it sounds, as the Cadillac ELR has the same drivetrain, but 30% more power, up over 200 ponies. While there isn’t a performance version of the ELR planned yet, if GM can make the output more along the line of 300 horsepower, while exceeding the fuel economy of the base V6 engine, who would complain? GM has arguably been the boldest of the three Detroit automakers with its green car plans, and the Volt remains a top contender.

01-2015-ford-mustang-1

That’s essentially what Ford is trying to do with the 2.3 liter EcoBoost engine, and while there’s been talk of looking into diesel, hybrid, or even electric drivetrains for the Mustang, I won’t hold my breath. Ford has played its cards very conservatively with the 2015 Mustang, and I think a hybrid F-150 is more likely to come before a hybrid Mustang. Then again, Ford did downsize the Mustang in a big way between the 1973 anbd 1974 model years, and 1974 remains as the one and only year to not even offer a V8 engine. Yet the 1974 Mustang II was one of the best-selling model years ever. Ford surely remembers that as well, and it could make such a bold transition again.

As for Chrysler? Well there’s no saying the Challenger is even going to be around long enough to embrace electrification, though Fiat-Chrysler has made it clear its not a fan of either hybrid or electric vehicles. A plug-in hybrid minivan is said to be in the works, but Sergio Marchionne is actually asking people not to buy the Fiat 500e EV. Ouch.

I think its fair to say that the Challenger, or whatever replaces it, will probably be the last holdout of an era long past.

Some people would rather seem nameplates like Mustang and Camaro die before they embrace green technology, but I’d much rather see these legendary cars adapt to a different time then to just disappear. If they are to survive though, it won’t be because of the big V8 engines that are becoming increasingly scarce as automakers find other ways to make performance cars perform. Other automakers like Toyota and BMW are toying with the idea of hybrid sports cars, while Porsche has gone all-in with hybrid tech.

Is America really ready to cede the performance crown like that? I say no, and I also say there’s nothing wrong with the idea of a hybrid muscle car. Eventually, somebody is going to do it sooner than later, though I expect the next generation of muscle cars to be the last of its kind. In other words, don’t expect any hybrid Mustang or Camaro announcement before 2020, and perhaps even beyond.

You can have your cake and eat it too, and as long as there is a V8 engine option, the purists can be kept at bay. For those of us willing to embrace something different though, the payoff could be huge. A 200 horsepower EcoBoost engine paired with a 150 horsepower electric motor that can deliver 40+ MPG and have a limited electric-only range? I’d be on board for that, and Ford might even win me back from Tesla.

Maybe.

Source: Gas2

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Gets New Diesel, Could Dodge Dart As Well?

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta has added a powerful new 2.0 liter turbodiesel engine, and corporate cousin the Dodge Dart should be in line for a diesel as well. With the success Chrysler is having with the sales of other diesel models, an efficient and torquey diesel compact could give struggling Dart sales a much-needed jolt. It’s a no brainer, but I’m not sure it’ll happen soon enough.

The Giulietta and Dart share the same platform and engines, though the trio of optional motors in the Dart seems redundant and unimpressive to most reviews. However, Chrysler and Fiat are committed to bringing diesel engines to America, and so far sales are mounting at an impressive rate. In the first three days of 2014 Ram 1500 sales, over 8,000 orders for the new EcoDiesel model were placed. A 28 MPG highway rating in a full-size pickup can do that.

From the sounds of it, the new 2.0 liter turbodiesel in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta has everything the Dart needs; 173 horsepower, 258 ft-lbs of torque, and fuel economy over 53 MPG on the European testing cycle. In America it’d work out to more like 45 or 46 MPG, which would put the Dart at the top of the compact heap in terms of fuel efficiency, and it’d also be among the most powerful compact cars as well. Right now the Dart’s most powerful engine is a 1.4 liter MultiAir turbo engine delivering 160 horsepower and 184 ft-lbs of torque, which just doesn’t make for a very fast ride. 0 to 60 MPH in the fastest Dart takes  about 8.2 seconds, while the turbodiesel Giulietta manages the same sprint in just 7.8 seconds.

But if Fiat’s plans to bring Alfa back to America after decades of absence goes through, the Dart might be starved out while the Giulietta gets all the good stuff. There’s been no mention of a Dodge Dart SRT, nor of adding a diesel engine under the hood. I mean, it makes sense to me, but what do I know? I’m just one of those people with a bull’s eye on my back that the Dodge Dart marketing can’t seem to hit. And forget anything electric; the only EVs Fiat is building are the ones it has to build.

LED taillights and big touchscreens are nice, no doubt, but I’m one of those rare fools who gives a damn what’s under the hood. The Dart is a good looking car to me, but it lacks the oomph to back up its sporty styling, and there’s an awful lot of overlap between the three optional engines. A torquey, efficient diesel would help the Dart stand out in a crowded segment, and it sounds like the kind of cake I could keep and eat at the same time. Ya dig?

Source: Alfa Romeo

8,000 Orders For Ram 1500 EcoDiesel In The First 3 Days

Proof that Americans want diesel trucks, Chrysler announced  it got more than 8,000 orders for the 2014 Ram 1500 diesel in the first 3 days of ordering. Now Ford and GM have no choice but to return fire in-kind, if they know what’s good for their bottom line.

The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel has a 28 MPG rating on the highway, putting it head-and-shoulders above the current competition. It’s unlikely even Ford’s mostly-aluminum 2015 F-150 will be able to beat the EcoDiesel’s sedan-rivaling fuel economy. Meanwhile, the 3.0 liter EcoDiesel engine still cranks out 240 horsepower and, more-importantly, 420 ft-lbs of torque in a very-usable powerband. Is it any wonder that truck buyers are chomping at the proverbial bit to get one of these new Rams for themselves?

Production of the 2014 models has just begun, and the first deliveries are scheduled for March, with Chrysler figuring, at most, 30% of customers will opt for the diesel engine. But intial orders account for some 50% of all 2014 Ram 1500 sales. No doubt much of this is from pent-up demand, but with the EcoDiesel engine costing just $2,850 more than the gas-chugging HEMI, it’s easy to see why people would make the jump to diesel.

In just a few short years, the truck market has shifted dramatically due to customer demands and government regulations. The Ford EcoBoost engines has become a reliable replacement for displacement in  vehicles like the F-150, and GM is bringing a turbodiesel “compact” truck to the American market as well. But Chrysler definitely has the advantage for now, and the two other Detroit automakers had better follow suit.

Source: Chrysler

2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel nets 28 MPG Rating

For years, Americans have longed for a powerful-but-fuel-efficient pickup truck using a small turbodiesel engine, and the Ram brand delivered. The 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will get a 28 MPG highway rating, making it the highest rating ever for any pickup truck in the U.S. right now. While we’re sure competitors will have something to say, for now, Ram is riding high.

The 3.0 liter EcoDiesel engine gots an official rating of 28 highway and 20 city, for a combined rating of 23 MPG, while still delivering 220 horsepower and over 400 ft-lbs of torque. This one-two punch of fuel economy and torque is sure to make the Ecodiesel engine popular with pickup buyers, especially since the price difference between the HEMI V8 and EcoDiesel engine is less than $2,000.

It’s just the latest salvo in a bid to win the fuel efficiency war, as Ford, Chrysler, and GM all pursue different means of achieving better MPG ratings. While Ford has dabbled with hybrids, the Blue Oval is betting big on a 2015 F-150 made mostly of aluminum. Meanwhile, GM is going down-market with smaller, diesel-powered versions of the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon.

But for my money, Chrysler is on the right path with the 2014 Ram 1500 diesel.. Modern diesel motors are efficient, powerful, and fun in the right hands. Chrysler now has the two most fuel efficient pickups in America right now, just in time for the summer gas price surge. No wonder there’s talk of adding a third Chrysler truck factory.

Source: Gas2.0

2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Unveiled: 240 HP, Higher Fuel Economy

Chrysler-Fiat took the wraps off its long-anticipated 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, the first light-duty pickup truck to be offered with a diesel engine in many years.

The new diesel pickup uses the same 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 already fitted to the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel utility vehicle.

In the pickup truck, it's rated at 240 horsepower and a substantial 420 pound-feet of torque.

The turbodiesel V-6 powers the truck through a new eight-speed automatic transmission, also fitted to most other Ram 1500 models (including the base 305-hp 3.6-liter V-6 and optional 395-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 gasoline engines).

Other fuel-saving elements of the Ram 1500 line include active grille shutters, engine stop-start technology, and aerodynamic panels underneath the truck that give it what Chrysler says is the lowest coefficient of drag among all full-size pickup trucks.

The new diesel Ram pickup will have what Chrysler terms "best-in-class fuel economy," but final EPA ratings have not yet been released.

The price of the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is $2,850 higher than a comparably equipped Ram 1500 fitted with the Hemi V-8 gasoline engine.

Chrysler says that the truck will pay back the increased cost in three years or less.

The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will arrive at Ram truck dealers this fall.

Source: Green Car Reports

Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Option To Cost $2,850 Over HEMI V8

The Chrysler 3.0 liter EcoDiesel engine, which debuted in the Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel, has made its way into the Ram 1500 pickup. While official MPG figures have not been released, Ram does say that it will only cost $2,850 more than a similarly-equipped HEMI V8 model.

America seems to have finally gotten over its adversity to diesel engines, and Chrysler is taking full advantage. The EcoDiesel engine offers 240 horsepower and 420 ft-lbs of torque, which is less power but more torque than the 5.7 liter HEMI V8 engine, which offers 395 horsepower and 410 ft-lbs of torque. What that means is that while the EcoDiesel Ram won’t be as fast, it will be able to pull just as much, if not more.

Fuel economy should also be substantially better than the HEMI too, which manages just 14 mpg in the city and 20 on the highway. The 3.6 liter Pentastar offers better fuel economy at 17 city and 25 highway, thanks in part to a class-exclusive 8-speed automatic transmission, making it the most fuel-efficient pickup you can buy. But the EcoDiesel V6 should top even that, as in the Jeep Grand Cherokee the EcoDiesel engine manages 21 city and 30 highway mpg. A 30 mpg, full-size pickup? Yes please, and while you’re add it throw one into the Jeep Wrangler too.

The $2,850 price premium is substantial, but with perhaps as much as 10 mpg better on the highway, it could be a very cost-efficient option for anyone who needs V8 power, but wants V6 fuel economy. If you can afford the extra cost, the EcoDiesel option seems like a no brainer…though I’ll wait for the official mpg ratings before declaring it MPG King.

Source: Chrysler

2013 Dodge Dart Turbo -- Guest Review

I have six kids, so sedans aren’t high on our list of purchasable cars – after all, they tend to hold slightly fewer people than we typically transport. But my husband is Finance Director at a local dealership, and one of the perks of his job involves a demo of his choice. He’s driven many different cars, but recently chose the new Dodge Dart – and after driving it myself, I’m beginning to understand his motivation.

Named the Most Significant car at the Detroit Auto Show and MotorWeek Driver’s Choice Best Compact Car, the Dodge Dart doesn’t mess around. It’s about time that Chrysler rejoined this century – sedans represent 85% of all compact car purchases, and Dodge hasn’t had a legit player in the game since the Neon was retired (the crappy Caliber doesn’t count. – Ed.) With a new and updated profile aimed at millennials, (those born in the 1980-1990 decades) and based on an Alfra Romeo chassis, the Dart is the first Chrysler product to share a platform with a Fiat product – specifically, the Alfa Romeo Guiletta. The Italian roots are apparent in the design of the Dart.

 

I’m not a car person. I’m not versed in torque and differential, know virtually nothing about axles and my areas of expertise tend to revolve around technology and interior design. (My auto mechanic father just rolled his eyes and tossed a air compressor my way, incidentally.) Despite this lack of knowledge, I found that I did have a lot to say about this car. For the purposes of this review, I test drove the Dodge Dart with the 1.4 turbocharged MultiAir engine.

The Dart isn’t a fancy car – it’s not a car that is going to be pulling in those drivers who want sleek and sexy. It makes up for that in several areas. One of the biggest claims to fame that Dodge claims for the Dart is fuel efficiency. With a sticker claim of 27 city/39 highway, I was admittedly skeptical – but found that the Dart really is a fuel sipper. With stop and go, taking kids everywhere around the town, we averaged 26 mpg. Not bad at all.

One question that has been raised is how Dodge is able to get those numbers, and part of the answer is the Floating Dodge/Chrysler grille. This grille has an active shutter system, designed to improve air flow to and around the engine. Additionally, a full length belly pan runs under the car, streamlining air flow and decreasing wind resistance.

It makes for a smooth, powerful ride, although you do need to punch the gas for a speedy take off. Even with the 160 horsepower and 184 ft-lbs of torque from the 1.4 liter turbo engine, the Dart is somewhat slow to take off from a full stop and has a bit of a delay when attempting a two lane pass – giving new meaning to the phrase “Punch it.” The engine is available as a standard, automatic and a dual dry clutch on turbo models.

One of the most difficult things about carrying more than two people in a sedan is the lack of legroom. No one wants to be crammed into the back seat but the Dart does offer an additional bit of room – just a smidge over 35 inches. It’s a tight fit for 3 full sized grown men, but smaller adults won’t feel a lack of space.  I put two elementary kids (one still in a booster seat), one teenager, three book bags and a small instrument case in the back seat comfortably. The tuba went into the trunk.

Interior is where the Dart shines, with a 7 inch display between the two analog gauges, which can be configured in multiple directions to optimize your experience. In layman’s terms, you can make your display show what you want it to show, with nothing you don’t want to see. Amenities such as Napa leather heated seats and heated steering wheel are welcome and controlled via the oversize 8.4 inch touch screen. The atmosphere is controlled dually with a slide function on the display screen as well as a dial below. Driver and passengers are protected by ten airbags, and 4 wheel Disc Brakes and ABS are standard on all models.

As you move up the chain of offerings, from the base model to the Limited, the extras stack up. Built in Navigation and back up cameras are two welcome amenities that are standard in much pricier vehicles and help to move the Dart up into competition. Most models offer power windows, with one touch on the driver’s side, power locks, remote start and keyless entry.

Additionally, the Dart offers a USB port, SD card slot and Bluetooth technology on the higher level models. Believe it or not, you can also get an optional wireless charging mat for phones and MP3 players, which is an amenity not usually seen until a much higher price point. Not only that, the Dart has the ability to transform into a wireless Wi-fi hot spot and offers wireless device charging as well. Those millennials are sure to love that.

One of the amenities that the Dart brags on most often is the roominess of the interior. Can the glove box really hold a laptop computer? Yes, it can. In addition, you can lift up the driver’s seat cushion for a storage area, and each door has a large deep well, designed to hold water bottles, tissues, and the like – or in my case, multiple lego minifigs.

The Dodge Dart is a quality car that expands a market long in need of a wake up call. It’s a great second car for a small family and would be a wonderful starter car for a college student or a young family starting out. It’s smart looks, power and amenities resemble those of a class above. It’s the most technologically advanced car in it’s market segment, and the new Dart will go a long way towards helping Dodge hit the bulls eye in it’s target market. Pricing starts at $15,995.

Source: Gas2.0 by Carmen Staicer

Review: 2012 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty CNG

While I prefer to write about my guilty pleasure, hot hatchbacks, I’m a truck guy.  I popped my truck cherry with a ’97 GMC Sierra short bed.  I added exhaust, tires, and completed numerous doughnuts.  I once got lost in the Rocky Mountains, missed my turn, and drifted my way through a gravel parking lot in that truck.  I miss her.

I moved from the Sierra to an ’04 Jeep Wrangler (the truck equivalent of a convertible) while I lived in FL, drove an ‘05 V8 Tundra for the life of that lease, and have finally settled with the truck version of the minivan; a GMC Yukon XL Denali.

Despite this inner “truck guy”, I recycle, wear bamboo clothes, try not to fart too much, eat cows to help eliminate methane gas, and genuinely love the environment.  I don’t know where the truck guy comes from…  Maybe the truck guy is my dark side?  I need more metachlorians (if you get this reference, we can be friends.).

Well, I’ve found myself in a truck that erases (or at least eases) the guilt of driving a big gas guzzler; the 2012 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty CNG Crew Cab. The name is a mouthful, but for a massively large truck, it isn’t a handful.  The Ram has Hemi power, burns natural gas, only costs $25 to fill the CNG tanks, and could flatten most family sedans without batting an eye.  It’s a set of 36’s away from being a Monster Truck. So here are the basic stats.

Base Price: $32,400
As Driven: $57,342
Engine:  5.7L Hemi V8 CNG, 383 horsepower & 400 ft-lb of torque
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Wheelbase: 169.4 inches
Curb Weight: 5,995 lbs.
MPG rating: < 13 city/< 19 highway (This is a guess because no one has published the Ram 2500 mpg rating and it isn’t on the sticker).

With that, on to the review.

Interior:

The interior of the Ram is styled as a work truck: utilitarian and functional.  The plastics feel rugged and not cheap.  Everything feels like it was designed to be abused.  It could be the perfect vehicle for my two boys.  We treat everything rough, but the Ram handled them with ease. There is plenty of room in the 2500.  It has seating for six in the crew cab; three seat belts on the front bench and space for three more passengers in the back.  It is quite roomy, rear legroom is 42.9 inches.  Both of my boys’ car seats fit well in the back and left enough room between their legs and the driver’s seat to allow an adult to slide past them to sit comfortably in between.  Remember comfort is relative.  A sardine would find the fit in the rear middle seat incredibly relaxing, while a Bentley Mulsanne* owner would be offended that they might have to come into contact with another human in the back.

With the bench seat in the front you have the option of having your wife/girlfriend/mistress/hooker sit closer to you.  Antics could ensue…  Or you could use it like we did and just stash some of the shopping from the local bulk store between my wife and I.  When you lift the center armrest/console, there is a ton of room up front.  I eventually curled all 6’4” of me into the front bench for a refreshing nap, while my wife finished up shopping on Black Friday.  It was quite lovely.

There are storage compartments everywhere.  The center console, under the front middle seat, on the floor in front of the rear side passengers, all four doors have storage cubbies, two glove compartments up front, and there’s also half a long bed open for storage in the back.  Human traffickers could increase their profits by at least three to four people per trip using the interior storage of this truck.

Exterior:

Ride height is very noticeable.  You must add the side step bars as a very necessary option.  If not, no one will ever ride with you.  The 2500 has amazing ground clearance and was taller than almost everything on the road.  The only vehicles larger were dump trucks and semis.  I did not fear any deer in this truck.  If I would’ve hit a deer with the Ram, there might have been a slight tremor, but I wouldn’t expect anything else.  While all other vehicles experience deer through the windshields; 98.4% of the carcass would be deflected under the truck.

This truck is long.  The reason is the crew cab and the 8 foot bed (half is taken up by CNG tanks) on the back.  While driving the Ram east, it feels like the cab is in the Central time zone, but the bed is back in the Mountain time zone.  It’s a very long truck.  It doesn’t drive like a long truck though.  The Ram handled well.  It was easy to navigate in traffic, but I wouldn’t want to try and win a race in it.  A calm, relaxed driving style is needed to navigate it through traffic easily.

The side mirrors are the size of decent TV’s.   Part of the mirror is a regular rear view mirror and the outside three inches are blind spot mirrors.  Both provided a ton of visibility to aid in lane changes and reversing the truck.  The right side mirror does not have the “objects are closer than they appear” warning on it.  The warning isn’t there for a very good reason.  Ram, Dodge, or maybe the Italians from Fiat have worked some kind of dark magic on the mirror (or Science) that makes the image look bigger than reality.

Tech:

The tech in the 2500 Heavy Duty is understated. You don’t notice the tech immediately because of the casual utilitarian look of the interior.  The Ram does have a 6 inch touch screen with the infotainment system in the middle of the dash.  It does have satellite radio, a CD player, an auxiliary input, 2 USB jacks, a 110 Volt electrical outlet with a ground, and AM/FM radio.  Navigation is included in the infotainment package.  The navigation is powered by Garmin and very easy to use.  Small Garmin GPS units are so prevalent that having the same software in Dodges makes the factory Nav very easy to use. The backup camera was very helpful in navigating “Black Friday” parking lots.  Using the camera, I exercised an amazing amount of patience and generosity.  I didn’t run over or bump anyone’s cars, even though the rage monster inside wanted to…

The instrument cluster is easy to read.  The dual fuel gauges for the unleaded and CNG fuel are front and center over the information center.  There is a lack of information in the information center, so it’s more of just a center.  There are two trip computers and an odometer.  There isn’t a current or average mpg meter anywhere that I could find.  I even had to RTFM (that’s “Read the F-ing Manual for the uninitiated.)!

Nothing anywhere on a mpg meter.  The only way I know my average for the CNG is because I reset the trip computer, filled the tanks, and did some Math.  You do get tire pressures, transmission temperature, and other fun statistics for when you’re pulling a heavy load.  Hehe, load.  I like Ford’s cluster better than the Ram’s.  Ford’s has high-res graphics, displays, mpg meters, trip computers, vehicle diagnostics, etc.  I haven’t seen GM’s cluster in their heavy duty trucks.

Performance:

The performance of the Ram 2500 HD CNG varies.  It really depends which fuel you are using.  Other than that I had zero issues with the performance for the Ram.  It was assertive, but not overly aggressive.  Poised, but not flashy and I only hit one curb with it over the whole week.

The 5.7L Hemi V8 makes 383 horsepower and 400 ft-lb of torque.  That’s a lot, but the 2500 weighs as much as a small whale.  The mpg numbers are also harder to find for the Ram.  The Hemi V8 is listed at achieving 14 city and 20 highway, but that’s in the 1500 4×2 regular cab.  The 4×4 version achieves 13 city and 19 highway.  The 2500 is probably averaging close to the 4×4 numbers.  No one lists mpg numbers for the 2500…  No one.  Not even Dodge, Ram, Fiat, Jeep, or Chrysler.

The 5.7L Hemi V8 that I drove was actually an upgraded option.  The 5.7L V8 does come standard with the 2500 Heavy Duty, but my tester had the $11,000 optional 5.7L Hemi V8 with CNG compatibility.  There are twin 3600psi CNG tanks in the bed behind the cab.  I drove on Compressed Natural Gas for a couple days before having to refill the tanks.  There is only one CNG station in the Kansas City area.  One.  Talk about a monopoly…  I paid $1.69 a gallon to fill the CNG tanks.  I put in 14.36 gallons of CNG for a total of $24.41.  I drove 180 miles on the first tank of CNG and drove about 195 miles on the second. There is also an optional 35 gallon regular unleaded fuel tank.  The standard regular unleaded tank is only 8 gallons.  This is an option that you must check.  With CNG stations so spread out and only eight gallons, you’d be lucky to travel more than 350 miles between the two fuel types.

Now for some Math.  With a 35 gallon tank and an average of 19mpg on the highway, that’s a range of 665 miles.  At $3.19 a gallon (the price I drove past this morning in KC), that’s $111.65 for a full tank.  I bought CNG for $1.69 a gallon for a total of $25 and traveled an average distance of 185 miles (combine city and highway) for a full tank.  That’s four fill-ups with CNG to get to same amount of money spent as the regular unleaded and a distance traveled of 740 miles.

That’s 80 more miles on CNG, and I saved $11.65.  Factor in about 4 more gallons of regular petrol to close the distance gap, and the cost difference-per-tank of fuel becomes about $24.50.  If you were to run only CNG, it would take approximately 450 fill-ups to make up for the $11,000 price difference. Yet unlike EVs, CNG vehicles have a wider appeal, though acceptance is still taking some time.

Overall, I liked the Ram 2500 Heavy Duty CNG.  It’s got a long name, and that’s fitting on a truck that feels like it is a thousand feet long.  The CNG is a very good option, albeit an expensive one that could take the entire life of the vehicle to repay.  As it becomes more readily available and the technology refines itself, we should see more of these vehicles.  The CNG does require you to fill up more frequently, but you’re still saving money.  It just matters how much your time is worth.

Source: Gas2.0