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Defiance Dodge Charger, saving Earth from aliens isn't clean work [w/video]

Seyth Miersma — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 08:45:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Dodge, Specialty, TV/Movies

You'll be forgiven for not having heard about the TV show Defiance - it actually hasn't aired its first episode yet. The new science fiction show about an alien war against Earth in the near future seems like a perfect fit for the SyFy channel, and, apparently one that Dodge saw as a slick marketing opportunity for its Charger sedan.

Here in Chicago, Dodge has given a large corner of its show stand to the Defiance Charger, a car that won't be skipped by any Mad Max fans in attendance at this year's show. The Charger boasts one hell of a gnarly patina under a confusingly welded cage of tube steel, as well as window bars, a grille guard in front, and big, knobby truck tires. There aren't any obvious guns or turrets on the outside of the vehicle, so we can only hope that the characters driving it go well-armed.

Look for the Charger to make its star turn in Defiance when the series premieres on SyFy on April 15 at 9:00 PM EST. Also, there's said to be a Defiance video game in the works, too, so you may get a chance to steer the burly Dodge for yourself. Find a trailer for the show, below, as well.

Continue reading Defiance Dodge Charger, saving Earth from aliens isn't clean work [w/video]

Defiance Dodge Charger, saving Earth from aliens isn't clean work [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Feb 2013 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Dodge Charger AWD Sport

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Dodge, Quick Spins

We won't beat around the bush: The all-wheel-drive Dodge Charger is not a brand new car. This generation launched in 2011, AWD models and all. But for 2013, Chrysler has added an optional sport package to the AWD model, available with both the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 or the sweet, sweet 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The upgrades for this new sport pack are mainly cosmetic; a gloss black grille, new 19-inch alloy wheels and body-colored rear spoiler make up the list of exterior changes. Inside, there are new sport seats and paddle shifters, and the eight-speed automatic transmission has been reflashed for better performance.

But because vehicles like the Dodge Charger mainly stick out in our minds as being rear-drive bruisers, Chrysler wanted to give us the opportunity to test out the LX platform's foul-weather prowess. And perhaps no place more appropriate to test such a system was way up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in the dead of winter.

Driving Notes

It's not a new formula by any means, but we still adore the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 under the hood of the Charger. 370 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque are more than enough motivation to get this hefty (4,450-pound) sedan up and moving with a quickness, even with all-wheel drive.
We also had a chance to drive the AWD Sport pack on a Charger with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, and the new eight-speed automatic 'box is really slick. Unlike other eight-cog units, you won't find the transmission frequently jumping back and forth between gears.
Fuel economy isn't anything stellar back in the V8 model, though. Combined with all-wheel drive, the Charger R/T AWD Sport achieves 15 miles per gallon in the city or 23 mpg on the highway. Still, that's about par for the class - a two-wheel-drive Hyundai Genesis with the 5.0-liter V8 achieves 16/25 mpg.
On our drive through Michigan's Upper Peninsula, we mostly encountered long stretches of two-lane backroads that, while throwing the occasional curve our way, were mostly straight and flat. This is ideal Charger territory, as the big sedan is perfectly poised to be a solid, comfortable highway cruiser above all.
We had the chance to pilot the Charger AWD Sport around a few handling courses in the snow, and there, the car offered safe amounts of fun. The Charger uses a rear-biased AWD system that only sends power to the front wheels when moments of slip or poor traction are encountered, but this means enthusiasts who like a bit of tail-wagging hooliganism in the snow will be very happy.
Even with that rear bias, the big Dodge never failed to snap itself back into line when we intentionally tried to break its butt loose. And since we were able to drive the Charger on a number of snowy, icy test courses, it was easy to see that this AWD system works well in all types of road conditions.
After so many years of lackluster cabins, it's nice to be able to praise Chrysler interiors. Here in the Charger, we found both the sport cloth and leather seats to be immensely comfortable, and the overall fit and finish to the interior is quite nice. We especially like the carbon fiber-look trim pieces added to the Sport model for 2013.
Perhaps the best thing about the Charger's interior is the Chrysler UConnect system - there's a reason why it's an award-winning piece of technology. The 8.4-inch screen is super easy to navigate, but this system's biggest win is just how responsive it is to touch commands. Other automakers really should take note.
What's great about this whole package is that the fullsize, loaded sedan tops out under the $40,000 mark. That's comparable to fully optioned midsize sedans these days (like a Ford Fusion Titanium, for instance). Yes, those smaller cars are no doubt better on fuel economy, but for bang-for-the-buck performance, the Charger is really something special.

2013 Dodge Charger AWD Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge announces Sport package for AWD Charger

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Chrysler, Dodge

We normally think of the Dodge Charger (and its Chrysler 300 brethren) as being rear-wheel-drive muscle sedans, but we mustn't forget about the fact that all-wheel drive is available as well. And in an effort to give the AWD models a bit more presence, the all-season Dodge sedan will be getting a new sport package for the 2013 model year.

The AWD Sport pack - available on SXT, SXT Plus, R/T and R/T Plus trims - gets you a raft of visual upgrades including a gloss black grille, unique 19-inch wheels and a body-color rear spoiler. Inside, the package adds paddle shifters and sport seats in either cloth or leather, depending on trim.

This Sport pack retails for $1,395 on SXT models with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, and $1,195 on R/T cars with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine. As part of the new package, the eight-speed automatic transmission also receives a more aggressive sport setting.

Interested customers can order their cars now, with production spanning from December until February. See the new Sport model for yourself in the gallery above (and yes, we've asked Chrysler to pass along some photos that have the whole car in the frame), and scroll down to read the full press blast.

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Dodge announces Sport package for AWD Charger originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Dodge Charger Daytona marks the return of the blue-blood

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Sedan, Performance, Dodge, Design/Style

A Daytona package hasn't been available for the Dodge Charger since 2009, but for 2013, its coming back. For an extra $2,995 on top of the price of a 2013 Charger R/T or another $2,500 added to the price of a 2013 Charger R/T Road & Track, customers will get a limited-edition trim level set off with Satin Black hood stripes, black roof wrap and an R/T spoiler all riding atop 20-inch polished aluminum wheels.

There will only be 2,500 Daytona packages on offer, all naturally featuring Chrysler's Hemi V8 with 370-horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque under a Daytona Blue engine cover. Only four exterior colors will be offered - Daytona Blue, Bright White, Billet Silver and Pitch Black - additional exterior notes being the Satin Black crosshair grille with vintage-look R/T badging, and the name "Daytona" applied to the rear quarter panels.

The cabin gets Daytona tweaks like Daytona Blue embroidery, stitching and piping on the seats, dark brushed aluminum trim, a Mopar bright pedal kit and a 552-watt, 10-speaker Beats Audio System. A dashboard plaque will let everyone know where you fell in the special line.

Prices work out to $32,990 for the R/T and $36,495 for the R/T Road & Track Daytona models. You can find out more in the press release below, and get a glimpse of your blue heaven in the high-res gallery above. We'll have pics of the real thing from the floor of the LA Auto Show shortly.

Continue reading 2013 Dodge Charger Daytona marks the return of the blue-blood

2013 Dodge Charger Daytona marks the return of the blue-blood originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge announces Blacktop packages for 2013 Avenger, Challenger, Charger [w/video]

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Chrysler, Dodge, Design/Style

Dodge first introduced the decidedly sinister Blacktop package on the 2012 Charger V6 sedan, but today, the automaker announced that it will be expanding this option group to a few other models for 2013. The Avenger sedan, Challenger R/T coupe and Charger R/T V8 sedan will all be available with the optional darker appearance package beginning in December of this year.

For the Avenger, the Blacktop pack adds a gloss black grille, dark-tinted headlamp bezels, a body-colored rear spoiler and unique 18-inch gloss black aluminum wheels. And if you don't want to go for the full-on murdered out black car approach, Dodge will offer the Blacktop package on Avengers painted in red, white, tungsten and silver, as well. Here on the 2013 Avenger, the Blacktop treatment adds $595 to the car's MSRP, and can even be had with additional options like the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, premium audio system and navigation - for some extra coin.

The Challenger Blacktop starts as an R/T coupe with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and adds unique appearance touches like 20-inch gloss black wheels, a blacked-out grille, blacked-out fuel door and a new matte graphite body stripe with red accents. Blacktop models also come standard with the Challenger's Super Track Pak, adding Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, higher-performance brakes, a better steering ratio, monotube shock absorbers and three-mode stability control. Ticking the Blacktop option will add $1,995 to the Challenger R/T's bottom line.

Finally, Dodge is expanding its Blacktop package to include the Hemi V8-powered Charger sedan, and the same sort of sinister treatment is found therein. Available in a host of colors, the Blacktop option retails for $1,795 on the Charger R/T and includes the same sort of blacked-out treatment as the other models, as well as Beats Audio and a sport mode with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Chrysler has only released new images of the Avenger blacktop, so scroll through our above image gallery to see it from all angles. Not enough? Take a look below for a video detailing all three Blacktop models as well as the official press release.

Continue reading Dodge announces Blacktop packages for 2013 Avenger, Challenger, Charger [w/video]

Dodge announces Blacktop packages for 2013 Avenger, Challenger, Charger [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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