Production Ram Long Hauler spied?

PickupTrucks.com is reporting the sighting of a possible production version of the Ram 5500-based Long Hauler being driven on the streets of Auburn Hills.

Check out the story here.

Thanks to Mike L’Alouette for the tip!

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New renderings seek New Dart

Three rendering artists have applied their imagination and “photochop” wizardry to the problem of the appearance of the forthcoming 2013 Dodge Dart. The results have been posted at dart-mouth.com. None of the artists have actually seen the final car, but are basing their work on what is known about it, spy shots, and the “sneak peaks” from Dodge.

For more, see the 2013 Dodge Dart site dart-mouth.com

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Chryslers suffer most from UK potholes

Chrysler vehicles are the most frequently damaged in encounters with British and Welsh potholes, according to new research by Potholes.co.uk. The research indicates Hondas fare best.

The road maintenance campaign website, set up by the UK warranty provider Warranty Direct, analysed 150,000 policies over a three-year period to identify the cars most and least susceptible to potholes, which are a major problem. One in three British motorists has had pothole damage. This winter, UK roads are set to become the worst ‘in a generation.’

Honda, Toyota and Hyundai are the most ‘pothole-proof’ manufacturers: fewer than 2% of those brands suffering axle and suspension damage attributable to road defects.

Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover vehicles are the most vulnerable: more than 10% are damaged each year.

While the average payout for pothole-induced suspension damage is £309 (about $485), Warranty Direct and Potholes.co.uk have indentified recent claims as high as £2,420 (about $3,800).

Duncan McClure Fisher of Warranty Direct, said; “With last year’s road damage barely dealt with, a repeat of those harsh winter weather conditions could see our highways deteriorate to the worst state they’ve been in for a generation.

“As councils struggle to solve the pothole problem, consumers can at least be smart about their vehicle of choice. We’ve found some cars have an uncanny ability to absorb the jolts from even the most severe road craters, while others aren’t so resilient.”

“Particularly surprising is that high-end manufacturers are just as vulnerable, if not more so, than ‘value’ manufacturers. However, we wouldn’t lambast those at the bottom of the pile because the roads are just so bad.”

UK motorists can report a road defect and share their story using Potholes.co.uk, which has contact details for councils across England, Scotland and Wales.

Thanks to HEMIhead for the tip!

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Dodge PF to be named tomorrow?

The Internet has been buzzing with speculation on the new Dodge compact car, set to sell within a few thousand dollars of the Fiat 500. The new Dodge will have a choice of turbo-Fiat-1.4 and Chrysler 2.4 engines for gearheads, and a 2-liter engine for the frugal; a well appointed interior taking cues from the Charger; and a six-speed transmission, manual or automatic. Set for full production in April (it was originally scheduled for January), three names are being voiced seriously by enthusiasts:

• Dodge Hornet. This was ruled out by Reid Bigland in an interview recently, but remains the favorite for some observers. It strikes a chord in people who know nothing about cars, largely because of its role in the movie Cars. Some vaguely remember the tie-in to the AMC Hornet, but given how little recognition that car has, the average American will likely think of the Hudson Hornet instead. (Hudson, incidentally, tied up with Nash to become AMC.) Using this name would be easy enough — Reid would just have to say, “We changed our minds.”
• Dodge Dart. This car has maintained a vague familiarity among the motoring public, many of whom are vaguely aware that it was the same as the Plymouth Valiant (most of the time). The Dart seems to be remembered as a solid car that was difficult to kill, and most people know someone — a friend, a grandparent, themselves — who had a Dart, Valiant, or Duster. The name recognition after 35 years is surprisingly good, especially considering that it was not generally known as a muscle car, despite a succession of hot Darts. Most insiders seem to be sure the new car will indeed be called Dodge Dart.
• Dodge Duster. A long shot, perhaps, but the Duster name was recently trademarked and we understand Plymouth names are definitely being considered for Dodge and Chrysler cars. (There’s ample precedent for name-mixing, e.g. Dodge and Plymouth Laser, Dodge and Chrysler Aspen, AMC and Chrysler Concord[e].) This remains the long shot.

The debate is probably helping Chrysler to build publicity in the absence of a concept — and, in fairness, the absence of an actual car to sell. The actual name is expected to be revealed tomorrow.

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“Hornet” (Dodge PF) interior spy shot, more info

New source “PhantomSpazz” has again weighed in with Dodge PF compact car (“formerly called Dodge Hornet”) models. While the nameplate is still being kept highly secret, with an incorrect leak of Hornet and unlikely leaks of Dart and Duster, the models appear to have been set. They are not surprising: the base will be SE, the likely volume candidate will be SXT, there will be a Rallye (possibly as an SXT package), an R/T, and a Limited — the latter model name coming from Chrysler.

It will reportedly be the longest, widest, and tallest car in its class, with a choice of retuned 2.0, retuned 2.4, and Fiat 1.4 turbo engines. Both transmissions come from Fiat, a six speed manual and a six speed dual clutch automatic. The interior will be quieter than the very-quiet Chevrolet Cruze.

The 1.4 belts out around 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque in the Fiat 500 Abarth; it might be “downtuned” to around 150 hp for this application. The 2.4, according to PhantomSpazz, is currently estimated at 185 hp, a moderate boost over the current 172 hp 2.4; however, past rumors suggested that it would be more drivable, with horsepower not as restricted to the higher engine speeds. Torque for this engine is estimated at 170 lb-ft.

The 2.4 will be used in the R/T model, and is expected to get a bit over 32 mpg (highway). The Eco model, with 40 mpg, is slated for late arrival.

For more information, including more from oh2o, see our Dodge PF (“formerly known as Hornet”) page.

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Dodge Camber a mistake?

An intriguing post in the Allpar forums may explain Chrysler’s odd trademarking of the name “Camber” for use in cars, which inspired negative reactions from Allpar readers (who thought the car-once-thought-to-be-the-Dodge-Hornet would instead be named Dodge Camber).

Without further ado:

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