This is Dodge’s newly unveiled turnkey racer, the Viper SRT10 ACR-X, which will go into production this spring and will be priced from US$110,000. The ACR-X is based on the Viper ACR and is a track-only racecar designed to compete in the Viper Racing League, the Sports Car Club of America, and the National Auto Sport Association.

Powering it is an 8.4-liter V10 engine that produces 640 horsepower (40 hp more than the standard model). Dodge made modifications that include a specially-tuned sports suspension, a 160-pound weight reduction (compared to the standard production Viper), improved aerodynamics (for increased downforce), and a complete safety package (with a roll cage, fuel cell and race seat). Continued after the jump!

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Tags:2010 dodge viper srt10 acr-x, 2010 dodge viper srt10 acrx, 2010 viper srt10 acr-x, 2010dodgevipersrt10acr-x, 2010vipersrt10acr-x, car news, Dodge, dodge news
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In relation to Fiat S.p.A.’s goal to maximize the synergies possible within the combined groups’ six mass-market brands, it has chosen to sell more popular cars under the Dodge brand while lesser known products will be sold under the Fiat brand.

Fiat S.p.A. has a 20% stake in the Chrysler Group, which owns Dodge. Under this plan, iconic American muscle cars such as the Challenger and Charger will remain under Dodge while the Journey crossover and the Nitro SUV, which are due in Europe in 2011, will be sold as Fiats. In an interview with Automotive News Europe last month, Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said that the Challenger and Charger cannot be turned into anything else as they are “by definition American vehicles” and as such will remain Dodge worldwide. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:car news, Dodge, dodge fiat europe, dodge muscle cars, dodge news
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As the Viper sports car will be phased out next year, Chrysler will soon be developing a replacement car that will appear sometime in 2012 with the supervision of Fiat’s Sergio Marchionne. In the meantime, we’ll have details of the last model year Viper to think about.

It will be an SRT version, which will have a limited run of only 500 units. But it’s not likely that any of these cars will look alike since Chrysler says that there will be at least 7,600 possible appearance combinations. Comprising the 500 units is an assortment of special, limited-edition models. One is the Dodge Viper ACR 1:33 Edition — a tribute to the car which set a new lap record last month at the Laguna Seca raceway – that will have 33 units. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:2009 la auto show, 2009 los angeles auto show, 2009laautoshow, 2010 dodge viper, 2010 dodge viper acr 1:33 edition, 2010 viper limited edition, car news, dodge la auto show, dodge news, LA Auto Show, laautoshow, viper
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The five-year plan of Chrysler and Fiat for the US was recently presented and one of the more notable details is that of a plan to discontinue Dodge Viper and revamp it in 2012 when the companies will debut a brand new generation. From January to July 2010, 500 more Vipers will be produced.

Work for the new-generation Viper will then be started, the products of which are projected to hit the streets in 2012. The details are far from complete but it’s likely that the upcoming Viper will borrow some parts for Fiat or Alfa Romeo. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:2012 dodge viper, 2012 viper, car news, dodge news, dodge viper news, viper production end
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While Chrysler is fully bent on launching a hybrid Dodge Ram pickup in the coming years, a diesel model might not make it. The Detroit News reports that the hybrid version will be powered by technology developed by Chrysler together with General Motors, BMW and Daimler.

Chrysler has yet to disclose the technical specifications though. Recently, Chrysler revealed details of its 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty, a model that will be offered with a choice of two engines. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:car news, Dodge, dodge news, dodge ram hybrid, dodgeramhybrid, ram hybrid
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Dodge Ram is clearly following Chrysler Group’s lead of updating the features but maintaining the price or going lower. Dodge Ram has released the prices of the redesigned 2010 Ram 2500 and 3500 heavy-duty pickups that will arrive at dealerships in early November.

These pickups are actually the only redesigned 2010 models from the recently bankrupt Chrysler Group. At $28,165 (including shipping), the base model 2010 Ram 2500 regular cab 4×2 with a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 is $1,970 cheaper than the 2009 model it replaces. What makes this almost surreal is that the redesigned model is packed with more equipment. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:2010 dodge ram, 2010 dodge ram prices, 2010 ram pricing, car news, Dodge, dodge news, dodge price lower
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Chrysler is bringing back the purple color on the street with its latest Dodge Challenger and announced the return of the Plum Crazy color in its limited production run of the muscle car.

The R/T Classic and SRT8 versions will have the Plum color, complete with matching or contrasting Katzkin leather seats. In a press release, Ralph Gilles, Dodge Brand CEO, said that the new Plum Crazy R/T Classic and SRT8 feature more than just memorable blast-from-the-past design cues and HEMI engines. He said that they also exude the very core of Dodge Challenger’s roots. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:2010 challenger plum crazy, 2010 challenger plum crazy r/t classic, 2010 challenger plum crazy srt8, 2010 dodge challenger plum crazy, 2010challengerplumcrazy, car news, Dodge, dodge news
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By mid-November, Chrysler’s Ram line of 2010 heavy-duty pickups, the first vehicles to debut since its emergence from bankruptcy in June, will begin arriving in dealerships. These are also the first vehicles launched under the new Ram brand since Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne split the Dodge car and Dodge Ram truck lines.

Since the brands are now considered separate businesses, they compute their own profit and loss accountability. It had only been last week that the Ram 2500 and 3500 began production at a facility in Saltillo, Mexico. No sales projections were released but the trucks are largely depended upon to boost Chrysler’s top-selling vehicle line. While Chrysler sells more Rams than minivans, it recorded a dismal 27% drop in US sales this year. The overall sales for the company suffered a 40% decline. The Ram 2500 competes against the Ford Super Duty, Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra in the heavy-duty segment. According to Chrysler, Dodge had a 23% US share of that 1.6-million-unit segment last year.

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Tags:2010 ram pickups, car news, chrysler, chrysler news, dodge news, ram news
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Fiat recently revealed that it has a new business plan and one of the changes believed to be implemented is the dropping of the Dodge brand from the Chrysler Group’s European line-up. We’ll know more when Fiat announces its plan sometime in mid-November.

The Dodge brand was launched in Europe 2006 but since then has failed to live up to its targets. In 2008, only 4,000 Dodges were sold in the UK. In addition, there are ambitious plans for the Chrysler brand. Fiat plans to move it upmarket similar to how it was regarded in the US as being even more prestigious than Chevrolet or Ford. Chrysler intends to use the RAM nameplate as a brand for its commercial vehicles, separating these vehicles from the Dodge line-up. Meanwhile, Fiat wants to develop further the vehicles included in the Dodge lineup. Hence, new Dodge models will be created in concert with Alfa Romeo, despite its planned withdrawal from Europe.

Tags:car news, Dodge, dodge europe drop, dodge european drop, dodge news
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Due to increasing demand for its most fuel-efficient products, Chrysler Group will add 850 workers at the Belvidere, Ill. plant to act as the second shift for its Dodge Calibers. The second shift will begin work on October 5 and will enable the company to produce 10,000 more Calibers this year.

The Caliber recorded high sales in the Cash for Clunkers program. The other two models being manufactured in Belvidere – the Jeep Compass and Patriot – will continue to be produced at current levels. Michael Accavitti, CEO of the Dodge brand, said that while demand has been increasing, the company is concerned about the volatility in the industry and will continue to monitor market conditions. The company declined to reveal the extent of each model’s increase in demand but it has been reported earlier this week that it added about 50,000 units to its 2009 production schedule in its other plants. Photo gallery after the jump!

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Tags:car news, Dodge, dodge caliber production, dodge news
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