Tag Archives: Dodge Charger

NASCAR Comment

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My last post  “Dodge Unveils Next-Gen Sprint Cup Car in Vegas…..” (http://wp.me/pKHNM-ZJ), invoked a few comments mostly on Facebook and at least one here that touched on something that ‘bugs’ me about where NASCAR has gone since the 60’s.

Here is an excerpt from Bill:

“….

I’m bittersweet about manufacturers participation in NASCAR, and have been since TOYOTA wrapped themselves in the American flag and joined the series. If manufacturers are to continue participation, then I would like to see rules such as motor sources must be manufacturer sourced, running pump gas, and back to body templates that must match their street versions.

Back when MOPAR was absent from NASCAR, the ideal was that there just was nothing to gain in NASCAR other than name recognition for Chrysler. Even TOYOTA admitted when they joined NASCAR that there was nothing to gain other than getting their logo on the field….”

In another post I talked about loss of innovation and brand loyalty and I have to expand on and disagree a bit with Bill.

When NASCAR started the templates and restricter plates and began the standardization of the cars that participated, I began loosing interest and a lot of other did as well.  One of the biggest complaints I hear among the fan I sit with during a race and talk to is that the cars a so similar there really isn’t much to the racing part.    Those rules are what killed the major benefits for the manufacturers.   It killed individual innovation.   The cars are now tube framed, bland sheet metal, sticker covered shell of what racing use to be, 200 per hour uninspiring billboards.  Headlights and logos…. STICKERS… people!!!!!

How can these compare?

New Dodge Charger for NASCAR

They don’t compare.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Dodge Unveils Next-Gen Sprint Cup Car in Vegas…..

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……OR…WHAT THE CHARGER SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE START
By: Jen Dunnaway
                    Posted On: 3/12/2012 9:14AM

SuzyBruisy

Following the precedent set by Ford with its hot new NASCAR Fusion, Dodge unveiled a muscular Charger that’ll be running Sprint Cup during the 2013 season. Dodge enjoys the distinction of being the only Cup car that’s based on an actual RWD V8 civilian version, but the reveal also comes at a problematic time for the manufacturer: with Penske Racing having just announced that it’ll be leaving Dodge for Ford, the only Charger in the field is run by independent Robby Gordon. SRT Motorsports chief Ralph Giles says all options are on the table, including pulling Dodge from the series altogether. What do you think, does Dodge have a future in NASCAR? After seeing this new Charger, I kind of hope so. More info at NASCAR.com, pics via Autoblog.

First General Lee to be auctioned at Barrett-Jackson

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Yes another posting for the up and coming Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottdale.  If you are going in person or just watching on the Speed Channel, you’ll enjoy the cars they have coming up.

I recommend going in person.  There is a ton of things going on at Barrett-Jackson events, it’s even fun for non-car people.

If you are going to Scottdale this year…give me shout.  It would be fun to meet up and say “hey”.

This from Hemmings Daily emails.

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Photos courtesy Barrett-Jackson

One of the most famous television cars in history will cross the block in Arizona later this month at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale. Lot number 1291, a 1969 Dodge Charger base model with a 383-cu.in. V-8, is said to be the very first Charger used in the making of The Dukes of Hazzard. It’s also the very first Charger destroyed in the making of the show as it was laid waste and left for dead after being used to jump over a Hazzard County police cruiser (presumably that of Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane).

Movie and TV cars are tough to estimate before an auction, but The Dukes of Hazzard was all about the car, making the orange Dodge Charger every bit the center of the action as much as Bo, Luke and Daisy Duke. It’s kind of hard to imagine a car upstaging Daisy Duke, but this Charger did. Replete with a Confederate flag on the roof and distinctive “01″ on the doors and known by car fans and casual viewers alike as The General Lee, the Charger has been instantly recognizable for more than three decades since the show’s 1979 debut. And the value of 1968-1970 Chargers today likely owes something to the show’s popularity.

Wearing the VIN XP29H9B193680, this particular car was dubbed Lee 1 by Warner Brothers in 1978. It has the distinction of being the only General Lee to appear on every episode of the show out of some 320 or so used – and used up – by Warner Brothers during the show’s seven seasons and 145 episodes. That first jump over a dirt ramp, 16 feet up and 82 feet long, nearly bent the car in half when it landed on its nose, even with a trunk full of concrete used to balance the front-heavy machine. Although that pretty much wrote off Lee 1, the shot of that jump became an iconic and enduring moment in the show’s opening credits until it went off the air in 1985.

Edmunds Inside Line ran a thorough piece on the discovery and restoration of Lee 1 five years ago that tells a bit more of the background of what was otherwise a pretty ordinary used car back in 1978. The restorers put the car back to its condition as it was used on that fateful day in 1978, meaning hastily and sloppily painted with a nowhere near concours-quality finish.

Like any car up for auction, all it takes is two determined bidders to drive the price up. With a no reserve sale, Barrett-Jackson viewers will know exactly what the car is worth when the hammer falls. The question, really, is how much provenance can a plain-Jane 1969 Charger have with some cheap day-glo orange paint and sloppily applied numbers and flags.

The Barrett-Jackson auction takes place January 15 to 22 in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information, visit Barrett-Jackson.com.

 

Mopar Introduces Chrysler 200 Super S and Dodge Charger Redline

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January 4th, 2012 aunik_aronno
Mopar, Chrysler Group’s custom parts branch, has announced that a modified 2012 Chrysler 200 and an altered 2012 Dodge Charger have joined its lineup. The 2012 Chrysler 200 Super S and Dodge Charger Redline are dressed in the latest Mopar accessories, giving each an “in-your-face” look. While the Charger already possessed bold exterior attributes even before Mopar’s help, the Chrysler 200 gets a little more self-confidence courtesy of two different packages that can be added on.

“The Super S is Mopar’s interpretation of the Chrysler 200,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “The extensive list of high-quality Mopar parts enhances the performance and appearance of our Chrysler 200.”

Two packages are available to dress up the 2012 Chrysler 200. The first is called Stage One, which is primarily an appearance package which refines overall styling on Chrysler’s smaller sedan. The Stage Two goes under the hood adding a cold-air intake and a cat-back exhaust system. A cold-air intake is added to boost engine efficiency and performance while a cat-back system gives that extra engine note that may be missing while rolling at lower speeds. Coil-over suspension is also added to enhance the overall ride feel.

The 2012 Dodge Charger Redline receives a few more options than the Chrysler 200 Super S. Mopar’s variant of the Charger is based off of the R/T model and can be dressed in three different packages. Stage One adds exterior styling cues such as a Mopar carbon fiber chin spoiler, “crosshair” grille, carbon fiber door scoops designed to enhance aerodynamics, and the interior also gets a few new accents. Stage Two is adds Mopar bolt-on parts to boost power, handling, and braking. These features include a cat-back exhaust system, cross-braces under the hood to enhance handling, and brake linings to bring the Charger’s Hemi V-8 to a halt quickly. Stage Three adds a 426 Hemi V-8 engine which holds the reigns to 590 ponies, 220 more than what’s found in the regular Charger R/T. Known as the “elephant motor” this lightweight aluminum V-8 shaves off more than 100 pounds from its cast-iron siblings. Cast-aluminum valve covers and billet fuel rails are also included in Stage Three of the Charger’s performance kit.

“Since the 1960s, the Mopar Brand has built a long history of adding power and performance to the Dodge Charger—and with the Redline, we Moparized the new Charger with modern-day performance and style while giving a nod to our storied past,” said Gorlier. “With three kits, Mopar offers a tailored choice for every customer.”

Both vehicles are set to debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week.  Which vehicle are you most excited to see? Tell us which one you picked in the comment section below.