New Dodge Ram is here!

The new Dodge Ram is here, and we (along with the New York Times and a bunch of others) have the information and photos. One big difference between Allpar and many others, of course, is that we actually read the reports, condensed (without dropping information) and edited them, added an engineer’s analysis of the new rear suspension and showed where it came from (not Mercedes!), and basically tried to make it something that will be looked at in 2018, which will, if we’re still around, be our twentieth anniversary.

Here’s the link - spread it around! - to the most advanced, nicest-looking pickup you can almost buy:
http://www.allpar.com/model/ram/2009-ram.html

Sources: Challenger to feature Hill Start Assist

Manual transmission versions of the 2009 Challenger R/T and SRT models will offer a feature that has previously only been available on the Dodge Ram, Jeep Commander, Grand Cherokee and the Liberty, according to reliable sources. The HSA (Hill Start Assist) feature assists the driver when starting a vehicle from a stop on a hill by maintaining the same level of brake pressure the driver applied for a short period of time after the foot has been removed from the brake pedal. The system will release the brake pedal in proportion to the amount of throttle applied. If the throttle is not applied within a short period of time after the foot has been removed from the brake pedal, Hill Start Assist will release brake pressure.

This feature is particularly helpful on cars which use foot-operated emergency brakes (note - we don’t know what kind of emergency brake the Challenger will have), and in particularly hilly areas or with heavier cars. The presence of Hill Start Assist and the name Trak Pak (applied to the combination of manual transmission, gearing, and limited-slip differential used in manual transmission Challengers) indicates that Dodge is going to take the stick-shift market seriously. This is a welcome change from the past; many who take driving seriously prefer manual transmissions. Even when an automatic or sequential shift provides similar acceleration and gas mileage, there are those who like the feel of the clutch and shifter. The Hill Start Assist does not do away with the overall “clutch experience” but does make it a little easier and more convenient to drive with one, especially for those who have gotten used to an automatic or who are just learning.

Taking stick-shift drivers seriously enough to not only make one available with a premium engine, but also to provide Hill Start Assist and a new/old marketing name to them, tells us that Dodge is off on the right foot with the Challenger.

PS: Please don’t just take the text from this page and post it elsewhere; please give credit to allpar.com and, preferably, paste in this link - http://www.allpar.com/weblogs/ or http://allpar.com/news/index.php?action=fullnews&id=1086

Killing off Dodge cars

The Wall Street Journal caused a local uproar by printing a rumor that Dodge cars were on the chopping block, leaving Dodge with wagons and SUVs, and Chrysler with cars. That’s an interesting rumor because it corresponds with an old Daimler plan, the one that brought us Magnum and Caliber, but not Intrepid (which finally came as the Charger) or Neon. (Chrysler has, incidentally, fully and vociferously denied it.)

We’re not sure whether this is a serious plan of action or not. If it is, it should be considered proof that the people at Chrysler really have a hard time understanding their jobs, especially with the Challenger buzz, the Charger gaining credibility, and the Caliber not quite the roaring success it was meant to be. It would also be the death knell of any Chrysler upscale aspirations, unless…

Regulars know where I’m going with this, but it would allow Chrysler to carry out the plan of making Dodge essentially a “truck/brute performance” brand - Charger, Challenger, and trucks - which it’s becoming anyway, with the Avenger being ignored by the market and the Caravan actually falling below the Town & Country for the first time ever. The missing piece would take over the everyday cars - Caliber, Avenger, V6-powered LY car - and let Dodge go with the macho routine and Chrysler slowly float upscale, freed of its inherited Plymouths (Town & Country, PT Cruiser, and Sebring sedan).

Chrysler’s actions will, to many people, show its owners’ intent. Drop Dodge cars, and the remaining loyalists can go on to GM with a clear conscience, knowing that Cerberus plans to strip-and-flip or just plain strip. Add Plymouth - not DeSoto, not Hudson, not Azcor, not Zoomie, not Harcker, but Plymouth - and they show that Chrysler does indeed care (for once) about its owners, its heritage, and its future. It would also show that at least one person in the hierarchy actually understands Chrysler’s brand images - and has some grasp of history. Then the remaining loyalists can bring more people into the fold, assuming, of course, that quality continues to rise, and that the product is there - and not something we’re reluctant to invite friends into.

The new Dodge Viper ACR is launched

The PR folk at Dodge have done two very interesting things with the launch of the Viper ACR. First, they gave the Dodge Viper Club first dibs on the release materials, including numerous photos that are ONLY being distributed through the Dodge Viper Club and a video interview posted on the Club web site. This includes information not being distributed through the press releases.

Introducing a car this way is a refreshing change. The Viper club represents the current owners of Dodge Vipers, a key group of people. Imagine if Dodge had launched the new Avenger by inviting the ASOG (Avenger-Sebring Owners Group) to post the press materials first, giving them exclusive photography, and inviting them to interview the engineers or program leaders. It’s a huge sign of respect, and it’s not the way things have always been done; and I suspect it’ll increase the impact of the launch. It may also help to get around the three major gatekeepers of the auto world, namely, the traditional glossy car mags (which typically prefer Hondas and BMWs to, well, anything other than perhaps Corvettes and high-end Mustangs), the ordinary working auto-journalists, and Autoblog.

The second interesting part of the launch is which auto show will get the Viper first: Los Angeles, typically home to either low-importance introductions or “green” vehicles. Sure, the hybrid Durango will probably come out in LA, but bringing out the Viper brings a shot of adrenaline - and a marked contrast to most other vehicles there. I think the Viper will get a lot of headlines, while at Detroit it might have to fight its way through the latest exotic supercar, Camaro or Mustang variant, or whatever “F” car Lexus is going to bring out next.

Kudos to Chrysler.

Oh, and by the way, for our coverage of the new Viper and links to the Viper club, see: http://www.allpar.com/cars/viper/2008-ACR.html.

The big rigs: Class 4 and 5 trucks are coming

An engineer and communications man from Chrysler have been crossing the country, spreading the word about the new Dodge 4500 and Dodge 5500 trucks. These are very impressive trucks, and they follow on the heels of the Dodge Ram 3500 Chassis Cab which, amazingly, has taken the #1 sales position in Class 3 trucks for two months in a row - coming from out of nowhere to steal Ford’s long-standing sales lead (and GM’s long-standing #2 status).

Some say that people don’t buy a Dodge truck; they buy a Cummins diesel engine with a truck wrapped around it. That’s undoubtedly a huge part of these rigs’ attraction, but there’s more to it than that - though I wouldn’t have known exactly what else there was until today. Yes, Chrysler put out a long press release bragging about unique features, but some of them are “more than meets the eye.” One major draw is the fact that you can take a huge fitting developed for another truck, say a Ford F-450 that’s being retired, and just move it onto the Dodge and expect it to fit — because Dodge has not only gone with industry-standard electricals and rails, but has gone one step further and pushed everything, that is everything, beneath the rails, without the protrusions of some competitors. Part of that, the engineer explained (we’ll have his name and picture in an article next week), is because Dodge was developing the truck knowing what the emissions rules would be from 2007-2009 (and, indeed, past 2009, into the very tightly controlled realm that will see urea treatment become almost standard). Therefore, they were able to engineer the emissions controls into the body from the start - and nothing seems “added on” or “in the way.”

Another interesting story is the brakes. The press release noted that an engine brake is now standard, and the front brakes are the biggest in the industry. Not mentioned was why this is important - namely, cutting back on brake jobs. The Dodge was engineered with long-term cost of ownership in mind, and if you can cut the number of brake jobs in half, that gives you more productivity (the vehicle’s not out of service) and lower costs. Between the in-service items and the Cummins engine, which is powerful but surprisingly quiet - just a little louder than a Hemi - it’s no wonder the upfitters have been lining up to get behind the new Dodges.

Then there’s another advantage - flexible manufacturing. Apparently these rigs can be built on the same assembly line as regular Dodge trucks and the Class 3 chassis-cabs, interchangeably; the diesels take a little longer to build, but they don’t need a separate line (presumably lowering costs) and they don’t need to be run in huge batches, which means that if a customer orders a truck in November, they can get it in November or December. Turnaround time is important in this industry, and Dodge has it.

By the way, these Rams are also sold as the Sterling Bullet; earlier I said that this was a joint effort, but I’ve been corrected — it’s a 100% Dodge engineering feat. That makes it even more impressive.

If you want my guess, this will be a winner - a truck that puts Dodge onto the commercial-vehicle map for the first time since the 1970s. Yes, it looks good, inside and out; but to many the beauty is where you can’t see it (at least not after it’s been fitted out).

Playing with the Caliber SRT-4

We just had a Caliber SRT-4 delivered. It’s got more features and amenities than the Neon SRT-4, but when you put your foot into it, there’s a pause while the World Engine winds its way up into its effective operating range, and then it tosses the car a bit to the side and a good distance forward. While the car seems to be trying to change lanes whenever it’s under full power, it is controllable within reason. The sound is quieter than the original SRT-4, but it is tuned to sound surprisingly like the original while idle. Cornering is quite good, as one would expect, and the seats are more comfortable and probably better tuned to larger drivers and passengers. A handy new feature is the built-in accelerometer, which provides (on demand) 1/8 mile, 1/4 mile, and 0-60 times; but it doesn’t track them unless you’re in accelerometer mode. We’ll get you some times later, but right now the roads are busy and wet.

Here’s the video. The full review is coming soon.