I recently spent a week driving a loaded-up 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel and I found that it is the perfect combination of on-road comfort and lighter-duty off-road abilities with a price well below the likes of the Ford F-150 Raptor, the current Ram 1500 TRX or the upcoming Ram 1500 RHO. When loaded, the Rebel … Read more
Dodge is marketing the new Hornet R/T plug-in hybrid electric crossover as something that is a blast to drive, and it is a ton of fun to drive (as that segment goes). However, that ad campaign doesn’t really address the fact that it is a fantastic daily commuter vehicle – with all of the latest … Read more
Over the course of the past 15 years, I have been fortunate to have tested every trim level of the modern Dodge Charger. Growing up a Dodge drag racer and diehard fan of the brand, the most exciting aspect of writing new vehicle reviews was that I might get to drive the latest and greatest … Read more
Back in the 1980s, as Chrysler was working on its second-generation minivans, the company acquired AMC—and Lee Iacocca created a new brand, Eagle, to sell Renaults, Mitsubishis, and such. Eagle was designated as a pricier, sportier brand than Dodge or Plymouth—and hence it nearly got a pricier, sportier minivan before cooler heads prevailed. Motales featured … Read more
Stellantis issued three recalls for two problems last week; 24V289 and 24V291 both covered Jeep Grand Cherokees (2022-24 for the former and 2023 for the latter), because the rear view camera image may not display. The first recall covers just 8 vehicles whose coax cable might be loose; dealers merely have to secure it. The … Read more
It’s been a few years now since Tulsa, Oklahoma dredged up a Plymouth-shaped block of rust which had once been a proud 1957 Belvedere, a snazzy car that turned heads back then (more than the same-year Chevrolet which is better remembered). At the time, the Plymouth represented an optimistic future for a state celebrating its … Read more
Many online discussions about the Alfa Romeo Stelvio focus on the hot Quadrifoglio, which makes sense from an enthusiast’s standpoint, as the 505-horsepower Ferrari V6 is an absolute delight. However, most Stelvios are powered by the turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder powerplant, so when planning an 800-mile road trip, I happily accepted the offer to test a … Read more
Chrysler seems to be traveling to a future without V8 engines in its light duty cars and trucks. Some hate the idea, but it’s all in the Mopar tradition. The Dodge brothers never made a car with an eight cylinder; they stuck with four-cylinders. When Walter P. Chrysler was President of Maxwell and then of … Read more
As Jeep prepares for the 58th Easter Safari at Moab, where it launches new concepts and new performance parts, the marque is also launching new “Jeep Beach” models. These are partly an incentive for customers to move up to the 4xe system, which provides 21 miles of electric range at 49 MPGe; they can also … Read more
When the Hurricane Six engines were first unveiled, a company executive said that the long-awaited twin-turbo straight sixes were to be optional in the Jeep Grand Cherokee, as well as appearing in the Jeep Wagoneer. 2023 models came and went without this option; and then the 2024s arrived, and while the Wagoneer went Hurricane-only, the Grand Cherokee stayed mostly as it was.
Trenton Engine was built in 1951 to make high-volume V8s; today, it makes V6 engines and motor parts. Nearly a quarter of a century ago, the plant was just about at its capacity, as Chrysler had been building up its sales through the 1990s and dropping imported Mitsubishi fours and sixes. They made aluminum-block V6 … Read more
The minivan famously arrived in 1983, for the 1984 model year, starting with a Mitsubishi-engined Plymouth Voyager which was followed by a Dodge Caravan*. But it could have started by 1976 or 1977. According to artist Dennis Kline, minivan work started around 1972…
Jack Benny, a vaudeville master of ceremonies with a suave manner and self-deprecating jokes, went on the radio in 1932 radio show. He was to become a legend, inspiring Johnny Carson, other comedians, and at least one Shakespearean actor….
A new Dodge Challenger prototype has been spotted within the company, according to a stellpower source. Over a year ago, a different source said the “LB” body Challenger would boast a choice of Hurricane straight-six or full-electric power; a “4xe” style setup is also possible, and the Pentastar V6 could well make a comeback as a low-cost entry-level engine to keep the starting price low. Another low-end option would be the Hurricane Four.
Harry’s U-Pull-It, which has four locations in Pennsylvania, sometimes comes across cars too good to junk—and in this case, they have a neat Chrysler 300, with some rust, up for grabs. The car has a clean title, an amazingly low 45,401 miles, skirts, caps, and trim, and a reasonable amount of rust. It needs upholstery … Read more
When the fuel crises of the 1970s hit, American automakers were unprepared. Once Chrysler saw that big car owners were dropping their V8s in favor of newly-available slant sixes to save fuel, they authorized a two-barrel slant six to make the smaller engine more satisfactory—but could they go further? Chrysler had more than one slant … Read more
