Autoblog

Back in September we reviewed the V6-powered Dodge Challenger SE, and our conclusion was that an uninspiring engine and benign handling was trumped by terrific curb appeal and an affordable price tag. The R/T model we reviewed yesterday fared even better, with a near perfect combination of brawn and beauty. It was fun spending time behind the wheel of both the SE and R/T models, but we knew we had to get our hands on a fire-breathing, 425-hp 6.1L HEMI V8 to see how capable the Challenger could be at full tilt. After all, there are few things in life better than classic muscle car looks combined with a brute-force V8. And if there are two available V8 engines, it just makes sense that we'd prefer the Challenger with the most powerful powerplant. Did Dodge hit the mark with its top Challenger? We welcomed the Challenger SRT8 into the Autoblog Garage to find out for ourselves.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Chris Shunk / Weblogs, Inc.

Before landmark films American Graffiti and Star Wars, George Lucas was just another film student at the University of Southern California. During his time at USC, Lucas and 13 other film students put together an eight-minute-long film called 1:42:08. The title contains no words, and the film has no dialog. What does appear on the screen is racing legend Peter Brock as he speeds through Willow Springs Raceway near LA. The movie's sound track? The sound of a Lotus 23 race car at full throttle. Hit the jump to see Lucas' 1966 short film for yourself. It's no Empire Strikes Back, but it's damn good cinematography. If you aren't a big Lucas fan, there's still Peter Brock and a Lotus 23. It's a win-win.

[Source: YouTube]

Ford has been in a losing battle for market share here in the States for over a decade, but in Europe the Blue Oval has turned things around. Popular models like the Fiesta and Focus have many Europeans thinking Ford first, and soon Ford can have a monopoly on the word 'FUN', too. Ford has been in a battle with the European Union Trademark office over the word 'FUN' since 2005, and the Detroit-based automaker has been denied exclusive rights to the happy word until yesterday. The European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg overturned an earlier decision against Ford, saying the word FUN is "too vague and subjective to give the word a descriptive character."

Unless the EU's highest court overturns this decision, Ford and fun will be exclusively intertwined across the pond. We're wondering what Ford could possibly do with the FUN designation. Will it be a super happy trim level with balloons and clown faces and a goofy-sounding horn? Will the designation stand for improved driving dynamics or increased power? So many possibilities.

[Source: Bloomberg via TTAC]

We've been playing Gran Turismo 5 Prologue for about a year now on our PS3, and it looks like we'll be waiting another 12 months before we get our hands on the full version. Spanish newspaper El Financiero claims that senior executives at Polyphony point to a Christmas 2009 date for the full GT5. This comes after GT creator Kazunori Yamauchi told our friends over at Joystiq that the debut of GT5 might not happen until sometime in 2010. The full GT5 would contain far more race tracks and vehicles than the already competent Prologue, which we would welcome with open arms. Many are speculating that, like previous versions, GT5 will first be launched in Japan. That means it's highly likely that we'll have all the details on the prodigious racing game well before it hits our shores.

While we're hopeful that GT5 finds its way underneath our Christmas tree next year, the GT racing series has been anything but timely. One example could be the promised GT4 for PSP. It was announced four years ago in 2004 and Polyphony execs insist that it is still forthcoming – after GT5 is finally released.


[Source: Joystiq]

It's pretty obvious at this point that Cerberus doesn't want to keep Chrysler, and turbulent economic realities have scuttled what few available prospects there would have been for new ownership. Some have openly wondered whether team Pentastar is even working on new products at all. Product development VP Frank Klegon insists that new Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models are on their way, and he points to the next 300/Charger as proof.

Klegon told Automotive News at the LA Auto Show that the 2011 redesign of these two large, rear-wheel-drive sedans will beat projected 2011 CAFE standards. That feat will be accomplished with improvements to aerodynamics, axle ratios and upgraded engines. Klegon mentioned that the upcoming Phoenix engines, the development of which has not been cancelled, would motivate the Charger and 300. The new Phoenix family of V6 engines will have variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation and direct injection among its many efficiency increasing technologies. Automotive News also mentioned that Chrysler may employ an eight-speed automatic transmission to further improve performance and fuel economy. We don't know of any Chrysler transmission projects that are this ambitious, and Daimler currently utilizes only seven cogs in its Mercedes lineup, but suppliers like Aisin and ZF already have 8 speeds on the market.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]

If you've been sitting on the car-burying sidelines waiting for Acura's buck-tooth treatment to make its way to the front end of the RDX, we have good news for you. Spy pics of the 2010 RDX show that Honda's premium crossover will soon sport the love-it-or-leave-it shielded grille. Closer inspection of the front clip shows that the fog lamps and front bumper will also receive a visual tweak. The current model's uninterrupted bumper breaks at the lower air dam, which could provide some visual relief to the RDX's somewhat awkward mug. The minor update to the front end comes after only three model years of the inaugural RDX, a trend Honda will likely continue to keep up with the competition. Acura's shielded grille theme hasn't been met with glowing praise so far (TL, anyone?), but perhaps it will look better on the larger face of a crossover... hopefully. Thanks for the tip, Tim!

[Source: TOV]

Scraping the ice off windshields is anything but fun. But just because it's a chore, doesn't mean it can't also be swathed in simple Swedish luxury. Saab is looking to make ice scraping easier with the introduction of the Funk-Is, which combines plexiglass, sheepskin, and leather to create a simple Swedish solution to a problem that is as old as the automobile itself. The compact scraper has an angled plexiglass surface that makes getting to tight spots easier, yet its blade is rounded to limit damage to window seals.

The Funk-Is isn't very big, yet it brakes the bank with a suggested retail price of $72.50. We appreciate the comfort of a sheep-skin grip as much as the next blogger, but we could think of more pressing items we'd rather have in our stocking. But if you live and breath all things Trollhattan, the Funk-Is could be a dream come true.


[Source: Luxist]

Car sales in the US are dismal right now, and even Toyota has been hit by anorexic demand. The Japanese automaker even resorted to 0% financing on eleven of its highest-volume vehicles, and it still didn't prevent Toyota's first quarterly sales decline in seven years. Add a surging yen and high raw materials costs into the mix, and you've got enough reasons for Fitch to cut Toyota's credit rating from a flawless AAA to AA. The lowered rating means higher interest rates on loans, though at AA Toyota will still have far more attractive loan rates than Detroit automakers.

Fitch cited the obvious problems with the global auto industry as the reason for the cut, and Toyota's downward adjustment of its sales and earnings surely didn't help. In many instances, when one credit rating company cuts a company's grade, the others are sure to follow. These are the same ratings agencies that maintained good credit rankings for the banks that are now receiving trillions of dollars of bailout help from the US government, so they're far from perfect. That doesn't help Toyota though, and the Japanese automaker could likely see still more cuts if the industry continues to struggle. Don't piles of cash and years and years of massive profits mean anything anymore? Thanks for the tip, Brian.

[Source: Forbes]

We can think of worse things to do than spend a day at a BMW dealership configuring the vehicle of our choice. To make the experience of selecting the Ultimate Driving Machine even more engaging, BMW and Microsoft have teamed up on futuristic touchscreen tech. BMW's Product Navigator is like the iPhone, only supersized and on steroids, and it proves that the inventive types at Microsoft are alive and well. Hit the jump to view BMW's new Product Navigator in action. The tabletop touchscreen interface enables users to pick a BMW, modify colors and content, and even save the finished project to a thumb drive to take home with them. As customers configure their vehicle on the Product Navigator, a plasma TV on the wall displays video and specs of that exact vehicle. Neat. Thanks for the tip, Markus!

[Source: YouTube]

It was the Spring of '93 and I was living large in my 1988 Dodge Omni. The little hatch was white with a burgundy interior, smelled like fast food and usually carried a substantial coat of dirt and grime that held it all together. One of the black plastic bumper pieces was missing from when I backed into my dad's car and the Omni was rolling fat with four over-sized tires scored from my brother's totaled Pontiac 6000. The tires were so large that I couldn't make a tight turn without grinding the rubber against the wheel well.

For my big date, though, the Omni at least go washed. I pulled into this poor girl's driveway jamming my brand new Jackyl tape when the her dad walked up. He glared at my car and said "You guys will be going to the baseball game in my wife's Astro Van, and you're not driving."

That was my first date car, which was followed by an Escort, Ranger and GMC Sonoma. Quite an unimpressive array of vehicles with which to make a first impression, which I reckon makes me an expert on the subject. So here it is: the Top 10 Cars You Should Never Drive on a First Date.