Karl on Cars
Dodge
July 9, 2008
Can a 600-horsepower car that does zero-to-60 in 3.7 seconds, pulls 1g on the skid pad and slices the slalom at 74.2 mph really be on the wrong side of the shark tank?
I'm going to have to go with a "yes" on that question, though in terms of sheer performance there's no denying the current car's capabilities.
No, the problem with the 2003-2007 Dodge Viper SRT-10 wasn't acceleration (or stopping, or turning) power, it was everything else. In my opinion the Viper topped out in 2002, with the final version of the first-gen car, complete with standard ABS, available ACR package and all the original model's visual and dynamic attitude.
That first generation Dodge Viper was one of the scariest and harriest production cars since the original Shelby Cobra (the Viper's spiritual predecessor). Even the addition of air conditioning, roll-up windows, a fixed roof (on the 1996 and later coupes) and ABS didn't dilute the snake's original mojo as one of the baddest (in a good way) American cars ever produced.
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- Karl Brauer July 9, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Cars that Jumped the Shark, Dodge
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- Dodge Viper, Jump The Shark
June 17, 2008
I don't like saying, "I told you so" -- at least not too much.
In this case, however, I'm citing a New York Times article from October of 2006. The title was Small-Car Nation and in it the author analyzed the potential for small-car success in the traditionally big car (and truck, and SUV) U.S. market...
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- June 17, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Dodge, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
June 10, 2008
If you saw last Friday's blog you know that the Jaguar XF Supercharged comes standard with 20-inch wheels, and in my opinion those wheels reduce ride quality to an unacceptable level. The car's confidence around corners is undeniably enhanced by such large orbs, and many would say it's appearance benefits as well. Yet I would argue the car could/should handle exceptionally without wheels of this diameter. As for style, the large circles are actually too large in my not-so-humble opinion, further compromising the XF's already questionable looks.
However, in a world where entire TV shows can be named after automotive wheels it may be heresy to suggest a uniqe whip could actually be...too large? But I'm suggesting it all the same. The Jaguar XF by no means owns this "excessive rim" status. The new Dodge Challenger with 20-inch wheels? Too big! Makes the car sit too high, giving it more of a "monster truck" versus "performance car" stance.
Same goes for the 20-inch wheels on high-end luxury sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the 22-inch rims on Cadillac Escalades both of them make the vehicles in question look like one of those circus clowns on stilts IMHO. Conversely, the 20s on the Rolls-Royce Phantom neither look too big (likey because it has such large proportions to begin with) nor upset the ulta-luxury sedan's ride quality. Consider the Rolls the rare exception, as I'd argue it's nearly impossible to put 20-inch wheels (or larger) on a vehicle without drastically sacrficing ride quality.
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- Karl Brauer June 10, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Cadillac, Dodge, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Talk Back Tuesday
May 28, 2008
I know what you're thinking: "Karl, how can a vehicle that was never 'cool' to begin with actually jump the shark?"
First of all, if you've ever fully utilized a minivan's capabilities (and if you've got a wisp of self confidence) you already know that minivans are very cool. But Chrysler invented the segment, has made the most money from the segment, and is now going to suffer the most from a shrinking segment. Ford and GM have already bailed out while Chrysler appears committed to the category it invented, which makes sense.
But although the company is still in there swinging, most experts would agree Chrysler no longer offers a class-leading product. Why? What happened to take Chrysler's minivan crown away, and when did it happen?
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- Karl Brauer May 28, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Cars that Jumped the Shark, Chrysler, Dodge
April 18, 2008
Seemed like a fitting end to "Dodge Challenger Week" around here, so I drove my old bomb home for this weekend. Also seemed fitting to provide a fair picture of the old girl, without flourescent lights or parking posts in the background (I posted a similar photo back in August of 2006).
It's interesting -- 1 and 1/2 years ago I blogged about how much modern cars have improved and how old cars really feel old when you drive them. But this is the first time I've driven my 1970 Dodge Challenger after driving the 2008 Dodge Challenger. You know what? The new one drives better -- but not as much better as I think it should. The biggest improvements are (in order of magnitude) body-roll control, steering accuracy and braking confidence. I actually expected that order to be reversed, but steering on the new Challenger isn't as good as I'd hoped, while the steering and brakes on my old one seem better than they should be. Body control remains floaty on the purple car, even with brand new shocks.
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- Karl Brauer April 18, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
April 17, 2008
The immediate answer is, "I don't know for sure" because I didn't instrument test these vehicles or carefully analyze every aspect (cargo capacity, price/value, audio system, etc.). But I did hijack a couple staffers and we took both cars on a driving loop through Mulholland.
Beileve it or not, there's some kind of embargo on Dodge Challenger driving impressions. Seems impossible, considering I've read several First Drives about the car, including our own, and they all include driving impressions. Don't get me started on the stupidity of road test embargos in 2008, that's a discussion for another day (maybe next Tuesday...). Anyway, I can't believe it's "against the rules" to reiterate what our First Drive already says, so here goes.
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- Karl Brauer April 17, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Dodge, Ford
April 14, 2008
Park it next to the new Dodge Challenger. We've got one in our stable right now, and just for kicks I parked the 2008 Challenger SRT-8 next to my 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE. Please excuse the lighting -- these shots were taken on impulse while both cars were available versus being a planned pairing.
Wow! I knew the new Dodge wasn't going to be a compact pony car, but I didn't know it would make the original Challenger look like a compact pony car. Dwarfing the new Mustang is one thing, and I was prepared for that. But dwarfing the original muscle car?
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- Karl Brauer April 14, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Dodge
April 8, 2008
Last Friday's blog entry discussed the crash-and-burn status of large truck and SUV sales. Basically, if it's big and it's truck-based, it ain't sellin' (with rare exception). At the same time, Ford's archaic Ranger is up for the year, and anecdotel evidence suggests new and used Rangers, along with older Toyota and Nissan compact trucks, are quite popular with truck buyers in 2008.
This is basically a repeat of what happned with American cars in the 1970s. For decades they'd grown larger and larger, then a fuel crisis hit and everyone (car buyers and car makers) stopped, took a critical look at the size of their vehicles, and basically said, "What the #@&* are we doing?! Nobody actually needs vehicles this big, we're just caught up in a 'Size Arms Race' with the rest of the industry. Now our vehicles are just stupid-big -- and they guzzle a lot of gas!"
This epiphany had every carmaker immediately downsizing their offerings as a result, and while cars have grown in recent years we've still never approached the behemoths being sold in 1974.
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- Karl Brauer April 8, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Dodge, Future Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
March 13, 2008
A news story yesterday reported on the production of (and promotional blitz surrounding) the 25,000th Dodge Viper ever built.
I vividly remember the first time I saw the Dodge Viper concept car. It was in a multi-page insert in a 1988 Car & Driver magazine. At the time I was a college student attending Pepperdine and I recall sitting in that 15x15 dorm room with my numbskull roommate, Patrick, trying to explain the level of cool that concept car represented. I was even more floored when Dodge announced it for production and stated it would indeed have the same V10 engine displayed in the concept car.
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- Karl Brauer March 13, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges
February 5, 2008
The 2008 Dodge Challenger stands poised to upstage the Chicago Auto Show this week, and as an avowed Mopar freak I should be fully enthralled by this car's return. Yup, I should be.
But I'm not. While I see the Challenger's return as an excellent opprotunity to cash in on Chrysler's muscle car heritage (and I love the production grille, fuel-filler door and other styling cues) I also see some major problems with the car's launch plan. As I stated last week in my Dodge Charger R/T post, the LX chassis is pretty hefty for a "sporty coupe" -- even one with a muscle car heritage. But there are additional issues that have me concerned, most of them centered around first impressions this car will make on potential buyers.
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- Karl Brauer February 5, 2008, 7:00 AM
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- Auto Shows, Dodge, Future Vehicles
January 31, 2008
A refresher course in the Chrysler LX platform has me somewhat concerned about the 2008 Dodge Challenger. I just drove a 2008 Dodge Charger R/T (which is basically the same car wtih a bit longer wheelbase and two more doors) and I'm reminded of a couple LX trademarks.
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- Karl Brauer January 31, 2008, 7:00 AM
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- Dodge
January 14, 2008
After the first day of the 2008 Detroit Auto Show I've seen Brian Adams sing next to Audis, Kim Cattrall driving a Mercedes-Benz, and professional basketball players shoot hoops over a Kia. But easily the most "wild" product unveil surrounded the 2009 Dodge Ram -- literally.
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- Karl Brauer January 14, 2008, 7:00 AM
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- Auto Shows, Dodge
December 28, 2007
We could talk about shopping and gifts and family get togethers, but let's talk about the real meaning of the holidays -- getting things done! This nether-week between Christmas and New Year's is pretty useless from a professional point of view, with few businesses firing on all cyclinders. At the same time, it's an excellent opportunity to tackle that perpetual "to-do" list we all have.
I've jumped on mine, with the passenger window in my 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE being replaced by a used one I found on eBay. The Challenger's original window had some nasty scratches running in a vertical line along the rear edge. With the window pulled I diagnosed the cause as a felt window guide worn down to bare metal (some "love taps" with a hammer cured that problem). I went into this job having minimal knowledge of - or experience with - replacing old Mopar windows. That's good, because once I realized how tricky the job was it was too late to go back. I re-attached the door panel, and gazed through my scratch-free window, just as the sun set and the Southern California temperature dropped below 50 degrees.
Other major items on my "to do" list for this week include:
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- Karl Brauer December 28, 2007, 7:00 AM
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- Dodge, Muscle Car
October 22, 2007
If you know anything about search engine optimization (SEO) and Google you know that , in effect, your Web page must show up on the first page (or top 10) results when someone types in a search term. Most experts agree you should actually be in the first two or three results at the top of the first page to truly benefit from search engine technology, but if you aren't on the first page at all just hang it up and go home. This means even worthwhile Web content is often overlooked simply because it can't make the top 10.
Think of the 2008 Dodge Avenger as a potentially worthwhile family sedan that simply can't make the first page of results. This isn't as much a reflection of how bad the Avenger is but how good everything else in the category has become. As I drove this silver R/T version home, complete with 18-inch chrome wheels and "mini-Charger" styling, I found myself focusing on exactly where the Avenger fails.
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- Karl Brauer October 22, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Dodge
October 18, 2007
With its relationship to the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass (all three use the same platform and drivetrain options) I must admit a prejudice existed against the Jeep Patriot before I ever got near it. The 2.4-liter, 172 horsepower engine isn't the most inspiring powerplant on the market, and the CVT continues to sap power in the Patriot just as it does in the Caliber and Compass.
BUT...the exterior design of the Patriot is my favorite of the three. I remember hearing the Compass was supposed to be the "girl's" version of this platform, and the Patriot was meant to be the "manly" one. I guess it worked, because I find this version much more attractive overall. The low-range transfer case gives the Patriot some authentic off-road mojo, and the boxy exterior makes it look like an authentic Jeep rather than a Jeep that sold its soul in a transparent effort to grab CR-V sales.
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- Karl Brauer October 18, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Dodge, Jeep
September 13, 2007
I remember a couple years ago when the SRT folks at Dodge announced that they basically wanted to always offer the highest horsepower vehicle in a given segment. It's an honorable goal, and back in the 426 Hemi's glory days (1966-1971) it was enough to give Mopar owners bragging rights. But I don't think winning the horsepower arms race works in 2008, and recent drives of the new Viper and, now, the Caliber SRT4 confirm my theory.
With 285 turbocharged horsepower from the 2.4-liter engine this Caliber is undeniably powerful. And the 265 poiund-feet that come in at 2,000 rpm make the horespower potentially useful. But like the 600 potentially useful horsepower under the Viper's hood, the SRT4 looks better on paper than it feels on pavement.
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- Karl Brauer September 13, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Dodge
September 6, 2007
I have a scary proclamation to make, but that's never stopped me before:
Cars are losing their "fun-to-drive" factor.
There -- I said it, and I feel better. Actually I feel better in having finally faced an undeniable fact, but worse that this is a fact of today's automotive reality. Yet after recent stints in the latest Dodge Viper and BMW 5 Series (to name just two) I can't deny the trend.
Sure, the Viper is still quick, loud, brash and bold -- but it ISN'T more fun to drive than before. In fact it's less. The steering response is too slow, the shift action is too clunky (yes, even for a "raw, manly car" like the Viper), and the driving position is not only uncomfortable but uncooperative when driving fast, which is supposedly the whole point of the car. And while the 5 Series is still luxurious, refined and stable around corners, it's also less entertaining on a twisty road than it used to be (I blame active steering primarily).
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- Karl Brauer September 6, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- BMW, Cadillac, Dodge, Driving, Porsche, Toyota
August 27, 2007
So I'm driving the new 2008 Dodge Viper Coupe and I find myself thinking "Okay, what about this car do I find truly compelling?"
The looks? I've never liked it as much since the 2003 redesign. The previous car had a smoother, more cohesive (and honestly, more exotic) appearance. This one looks like an angry Corvette to me.
The handling? Again, the previous (pre-2003) version was more entertaining. It turned when you wanted it to turn, and you could rotate the rear-end far more easily. Some might say too easily, as many a first generation Viper owner found himself pointed in the wrong direction (or worse...), but ultimately that comes down to driver error, not a design failing. Unfortunately, the new car's handling feels sanitized to the point of being truck-like.
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- Karl Brauer August 27, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Chevrolet, Dodge
August 10, 2007
Let's cut right to the chase and acknowlege the most important aspect of a successful minivan -- family friendly gadgets. Sure, you want decent steering feel, capable (and refined) powertrains, handling that doesn't minic the Titanic (after it hit the iceberg) and "not-a-household-appliance" looks. But like so many modern vehicle segments, those fundamental traits have all gotten pretty good on almost all the vans in this segment. Truth be told, the Honda Odyssey still rules in all those areas, even against the redesigned 2008 Chrysler minivans. But Honda's competitive advantage has contracted like the California housing market, and this Dodge is right on the Odyssey's power-liftgate with regard to the above basics.
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- Karl Brauer August 10, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Dodge
June 8, 2007
Timing is everything, and in this case the timing of the latest Ward's "Interior of the Year" announcement strikes two ironic chords with me. First because it's a day after I picked on J.D. Power's latest award announcement, and second because it comes right after driving the new 2008 Chrysler Sebring convertible. See, the Sebring, along with the Dodge Caliber, were mentioned as wining categories in the "Interior of the Year" competition, which strikes me as, well...complete and utter nonsense. I bashed the Caliber's interior quality after first sitting in one last year, and if you were to ask me what new model has the worst interior of the year, the Caliber would likely be the first vehicle to pop into my mind. And now, after driving the Sebring convertible last night, this model would be right on the Caliber's heels. So, if I was questioning J.D. Power's Initial Quality Survey yesterday I guess I have to flat out denounce these "Ward's Awards."
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- Karl Brauer June 8, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler, Dodge
May 23, 2007
After three days in a BMW 335i coupe the transition to Dodge Charger SRT8 Superbee is a bit jarring. First, this car feels BIG compared to the lithe 3 Series, and if you allowed first impressions to dictate your opinion you'd file the Charger in the "unwieldy boat" bin and move on. But just like that first Chrysler 300 SRT8 I drove back in 2005, the Charger version is downright surreal in its ability to turn 4,100-pounds of Detroit iron into two-tons o' fun when the road goes twisty. Not as rewarding as the 335i, of course, but good enough to...well...in theory at least, embarass G35 sedans on the twisty parts of PCH (again, in theory).
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- Karl Brauer May 23, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
March 16, 2007
The rumors started a few weeks before the Tundra went on sale last month:
"Psst. Hey, Toyota is going to launch their brand new Tundra with incentives!"
It seemed ludicrous to think the most successful automaker on the planet, and one historically loathe to incentives, would be offering them on a brand new product even before the dust could settle on showroom models.
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- Karl Brauer March 16, 2007, 7:09 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Nissan, Toyota
March 1, 2007
In less than a week the Dodge Demon Concept will "debut" at the Geneva Auto Show. I use the quotes because this car already debuted on Inside Line last week, so you can view a dozen photos and watch a video without waiting for the tarp to be pulled in Switzerland. In looking at the photos of the Demon I find myself hoping Dodge builds it, though the current DCX situation, with talk of Chrysler being sold, leaves me doubtful it will ever see the light of day. I'm not thrilled with the front grill (someone needs to tell Dodge that the gaping-hole-with-crossbar doesn't work on every type of car), but otherwise it looks very right...
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- Karl Brauer March 1, 2007, 7:01 AM
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- Auto Shows, Dodge, Future Vehicles
December 15, 2006
There's somethig about a police car with both "Charger" and "Hemi" badges on the exterior. I remember when police versions of the 1980s Mustang and Camaro first appeared. These were a welcome change after years of lame police sedans (they were actually using Chevy Celebrities in Denver in the mid-1980s). Of course the Camaro is gone now, and I haven't seen a Mustang police car for years, but Dodge has stepped up with both the Magnum and Charger. I drove the Charger version yesterday, complete with pushbar, paint scheme and light bar (but the siren wasn't hooked up...).
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- Karl Brauer December 15, 2006, 8:04 AM
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- Dodge
December 11, 2006
You may have heard this already, but Chrysler recently sacked its Sales and Marketing Vice President, Joe Eberhardt. The level of unsold Chrysler inventory sitting on dealer lots is threatening to alter tectonic plate activity under the North American continent, and some -- okay, I -- have suggested Chrysler simply "give 2007 a miss" in terms of model production. They could literally just let the 2006 leftovers cover sales for a few more weeks, and then start producing 2008s in January. They are already taking this approach with a few models, including the Viper...
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- Karl Brauer December 11, 2006, 10:30 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler, Dodge, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Jeep
November 27, 2006
As part of the holiday weekend festivities I took a cruise over to Village Coffee Roasters in Woodland Hills at the 101 and Valley Circle exit. Every Sunday morning between about 8 and 10 a.m. a collection of interesting iron will show up, but on the fourth Sunday of each month it's "exotics" day, meaning you'll see a collection of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches. Of course, knowing exotics are going to show up somewhere just ensures everything else will show, too...
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- Karl Brauer November 27, 2006, 7:58 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Driving, Muscle Car
November 14, 2006
I'm at an undisclosed location today driving the new 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. I don't yet know what the embargo date is on detailed specs or driving impressions, but considering the car's debut at the Detroit Auto Show in early January I'm certain it will be sometime after that.
But even before driving this vehicle I've heard some interesting tidbits from my Mitsubishi contacts. As some of you may know, this car uses the "Project Global" platform that shares underpinnings with the new Outlander. And you also may know that, technically, the Outlander shares structural componentry with the new Dodge Caliber. But where I basically like the new Outlander, I basically dislike the Caliber. So what happened?
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- Karl Brauer November 14, 2006, 8:17 AM
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- Dodge, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Mitsubishi, Talk Back Tuesday
October 18, 2006
I like the new Dodge Charger more and more every time I drive it. I know there's a hardcore group of Charger fans who have never forgiven the new car for having four doors, and I'll admit I wasn't a fan of the idea myself. But this car is just soooo good on so many levels. The steering is exceptional in terms of feel and precision, and the ride quality manages to be comfortable and controlled, despite the car's weight and size. Just like the current Mustang manages to maintain what was cool about the original's look and attitude -- while injecting all that's great in the modern world of automobiles, the Charger manages to feel large and powerful like the old one, but also controlled and confident,
unlike the old one (thank you Mercedes-Benz!). The wife took it to drop off the kids at school and came back asking about price and availability. Of course she was already sold on our long-term Magnum, and this is just a flashy, sedan version of that car.
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- Karl Brauer October 18, 2006, 8:38 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
October 12, 2006
Drove the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T in today, and it again occurred to me how radically my vehicle standards shift -- depending on what I'm driving. For instance, the 36-year-old Dodge has amazingingly precise steering, minmal road noise and excellent throttle response -- for a 36-year-old Dodge. Compare it to our long-term Chevy Cobalt and it just plain sucks (actually it might still have lower road noise at highway speeds, depending on whether the long-term Cobalt's sunroof is working or not that week). As old muscle cars go, this Challenger R/T has some of the best driving characteristics I've ever experienced...
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- Karl Brauer October 12, 2006, 8:16 AM
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- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
October 3, 2006
I spent some quality time with Dodge's new Nitro R/T over the past few days. Commuted to and from work, plus had a few family outings. My take? It's a cool-looking SUV -- in a world increasingly over-run by cool-looking SUVs...
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- Karl Brauer October 3, 2006, 8:20 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Talk Back Tuesday
September 11, 2006
I spent most of the weekend replacing the carpet in my 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE. The car is originally from Iowa, and the one owner (before I got it) lived on a farm that obviously didn't have any paved roads. The good news is he never raced the car, so the engine and suspension are in surprisingly good shape. The bad news comes from every nook and cranny in the car being coated with dust and rocks. Pulling off interior pieces is like an expedition below the Great Pyramids. The car also has a nasty mothball smell, allegedly to keep rodents (farm mice?) out of the car. So I buy some replacement carpet and start pulling up the 36-year-old deep pile and what do I find?
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- Karl Brauer September 11, 2006, 8:14 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car
August 7, 2006
Okay, so it isn't all new. The interior is still 100 percent stock (and pretty much mint) and much of the paint is original as well (as is the vinyl top). But I did reclaim my 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE last week after some body work and mechanical upgrades that had it in the shop for the past three months. A few metal patch panels were put in near the wheel wells to fix the rust, and everything below the side stripes was repainted in the factory FC7 Plum Crazy shade of purple. Shortly after retrieving it I put on a set of American Racing Torque Thrust D 16X8 wheels, with 255/50 tires in back and 225/50 tires in front (replacing the 14X5.5-inch road wheels and 70 series, whitewall tires -- yuck!)...
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- Karl Brauer August 7, 2006, 8:26 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
June 9, 2006
I just watched a commercial for the old Dodge Charger. It's on Sylvia's Carspace Page, and it's got to be one of the funniest commercials I have ever seen. The portrayal of women is so blatantly 1970s that many people in today's world won't think it's funny. To me it's a case of something being so bad it's good -- though I wouldn't suggest Dodge revive the "You might be Dodge material" campaign today...
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- Karl Brauer June 9, 2006, 8:52 AM
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- Cars in Entertainment, Dodge, Muscle Car
June 5, 2006
I
have been known to criticize cars that many people think are "good." It's not uncommon for a reader to see my opinion of a vehicle and say, "don't bash car XYZ, it's a 'good' car." But as many of you already know, "good" isn't good enough in today's super-competitive market. This is doubly true if, as an automaker, you are in the unenviable position of trying to reverse your dropping market share and/or change consumer perception of your product. Those guys need to be doing it better, cleaner and more effectively than the competition, and they certainly can't be producing "also rans" in terms of marketplace competitiveness. However, I'm willing to admit that while a Chevy Cobalt, Ford Five-Hundred or Chrysler Town & Country doesn't get my "gotta have" blood pumping, they are fully functional vehicles that will serve
