We are back with this week’s installment of AutoGuide’s newest, interactive weekly feature ‘Commute, Toy or Destroy’.

Once again, we present to you a choice of three vehicles. We’re asking you to decide which one you would make your daily driver, which one would be used for cruise nights, and which one should be sent to the crusher.

Remember, that commuter car you must live with every day, all year round. The toy would be only available to you for occasional use or car shows, and the final car would be the one that should be dismantled immediately and sold at swap meets.

This week we select three kings from the muscle car era. First there is the winged warrior from Dodge, the 1969 Charger Daytona. Next, there is the 1969 Ford Mustang BOSS 429, which had the largest engine ever stuffed in a Mustang from the factory. Finally, there is the legendary 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS that had a choice of awesome big block engines.

1969 Dodge Charger Daytona

The winged warrior, as it was affectionately known, was created solely to dominate the high speed ovals of NASCAR. Back in the 1960s, stock car racing actually meant racing what were, more or less, stock cars. So to make the Charger more aerodynamic on the race courses, Dodge shoved a massive wing on the back of this car and a bullet nose up front. Two awesome engines were available with this car, the base 440 cid V8 and the legendary 426 HEMI V8 that made far more than the advertised 425 hp.

1969 Ford Mustang BOSS 429

This over-powered Mustang also came to be courtesy of NSACAR. True the Mustang wasn’t competing in NASCAR in 1969, but Ford wanted an engine to compete against Chrysler’s 426 HEMI V8, and decided to build the BOSS 429 V8 engine. Officially rated at 375 hp, this engine was also highly underrated and turned the Mustang into a complete monster. Best of all, the BOSS 429 had relatively toned down exterior looks compared to other ‘Stangs which made it a bit of a sleeper.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

Arguably one of the best looking cars from the muscle car era, Chevrolet upped the ante in 1970 by adding a second big block option to complement the 396 SS. This new engine was a gargantuan 454 cid V8 engine that, when chosen in LS6, made a claimed 450 hp. But like virtually top tier engine of that time, it too was underrated and made much more power.

Dodge’s ranks have been thinning ever since RAM took over the pickup truck business, and next year, Chrysler’s volume brand will cease production of the Avenger, leaving behind a gaping hole in its lineup. This raises the question: Is Dodge headed for the crusher?

With these products gone or going, the alarming question has been raised by Ward’s Auto in a recent report outlining the product shortages at Dodge. And the death of new models is going to get worse, Ward’s reports, citing inside sources that at least two more products are already being prepared for migration to Chrysler or discontinuation. Those vehicles are likely the Dodge Grand Caravan, which will probably be sent to Chrysler and sold exclusively as the Town and Country, and the Avenger, which we already know is set to be discontinued.

That leaves Dodge with the Durango, Challenger, Charger, Dart and Journey. The latter two now ride on Fiat derived platforms. The Dart is currently built at the brand’s Belvidere, IL, plant and will be joined by the Chrysler 100 in 2016, while the Dodge Journey/Fiat Freemont replacement is set to be built in Sterling Heights, MI. Thanks to platform sharing, both the Dart and Journey will have a Chrysler or Fiat equivalent vehicle that can step in as their replacement. As for the Challenger, rumors have been circulating about the the Barracuda nameplate being revived and stepping in as a Challenger replacement, possibly as a second stand-alone product under the new SRT brand – the first product being the new Viper.

The Charger doesn’t have a direct copy that could spin off into another Chrysler brand, but the 300 could theoretically pick up the slack, while the Durango is already built alongside the more popular Jeep Grand Cherokee on the same underpinnings.

So it does seam feasible that Dodge could be discontinued and its products spread out between other Chrysler nameplates, but whether or not Fiat wants to keep Dodge around for the long term is another question unto itself. The year 2016 will mark the climax of several product upgrades and manufacturing changes for Chrysler, all of which started in 2009 when Fiat took an equity stake in the company. If Fiat is looking to dump the Dodge brand, it will be decided by 2016 once all of these manufacturing changes take place.

[Source: Ward's Auto]

Dodge has announced pricing for its Mopar 13′ Dart, a special edition version of the Dodge Dart that will start at $25,485 plus a $995 shipping fee. 

Only 500 of these special edition Darts will be made, and each one will come with the same black exterior complete with an offset Mopar blue racing stripe. Exterior looks are finished off by Mopar badging fit to the grille and the center of the wheels.

Inside, Katzkin leather wraps the seats, three of which are black with blue accents, while the driver’s seat is blue with black accents. Black and blue accents are also found on the steering wheel and shift knob, with blue accent lights found in the gauge cluster. An 8.4-inch Uconnect screen, wireless charging for smartphones, bright sport-pedal kit, door-sill guards and premium Mopar floor mats complete the interior upgrades for this special edition.

The Mopar ’13 Dart isn’t just about looks though, as it gets added performance from a Mopar-tuned exhaust, revised steering calibration, lowered suspension, low-profile 40 aspect performance tires, and a premium brake kit with slotted rotors.

To differentiate the buying experience of the Mopar Dart from a standard Dart, each buyer will get a unique owner kit, delivered in a custom-made black case that contains a personalized plate with vehicle specifications, the date the car was built and the unique identification number.

GALLERY: Mopar ’13 Dart Special Edition Live

GALLERY: 2013 Mopar Dodge Dart

Discuss this story at DartForums.com

Chrysler issued a recall today for 14,800 Dodge Darts concerning issues with the powertrain control module that may cause the car to stall. 

During internal testing, a Dart which had been stored for eight hours in a climate chamber set to 20 degrees Fahrenheit stalled when the vehicle was brought to a stop after being driven a short distance. Chrysler dealers have also received complaints from customers alleging the same issue.

The recall only affects model year 2013 Darts that are equipped with a 1.4-liter engine and dual-clutch transmission. About 12,900 units are affected in the US.

Chrysler will recalibrate the powertrain control modules at no cost to the affected customers. For information, customers can contact the company at 1-800-853-1403.

Discuss this story at dartforums.com

We are back with this week’s installment of AutoGuide’s newest, interactive weekly feature ‘Commute, Toy or Destroy’. But this week it’s different… very different.

Once again, we present to you, our faithful readers, a choice of three vehicles. We are asking you to decide which one you would make your star car, which one would be a re-occurring character, and which one should be regulated to B-Movie Status (if it’s not already there).

Remember, that commuter car you must live with every day, all year round. The toy would be only available to you for occasional use on weekends, and the final car would miss-time a jump and slam into the canyon wall.

This week we select three vehicles that are Hollywood icons. First there is KITT, the car that David Hasselhoff made famous (or was it the other way around?) Second, there is the General Lee, a car that was jumping construction zones and drifting around dirt roads long before drifting was a ‘thing’. Finally, there is the car that could travel through time, assuming it hit 88 mph. Yes, the DeLorean Time Machine from Back to the Future. Three great choices, three tough choices; what are yours going to be?

General Lee

This 1969 Dodge Charger was named after a General from the Civil war, Robert E. Lee, and starred in the cult classic The Dukes of Hazzard. The General Lee is instantly recognizable with its bright orange paint job, Confederate flag on the roof, giant ‘01’s on each door, front push-bar and horn that would play the song Dixie. Since the story is that this car was a former NASCAR racer, the doors were welded shut which meant entry and exit could only be done through the windows. What child of the 1980s didn’t try to do this in their parent’s car?

KITT

KITT, which originally stood for Knight Industries Two Thousand, was the name applied to a 1982 Pontiac Firebird that was the Chuck Norris of automobiles. Controlled by a supercomputer, KITT had it all; Rocket boosters, oil slicks, grappling hooks, laser packs, microwave scramblers, you name it. Forget the Ford sponsored remake of the show, we are talking about the original Knight Rider. If it ain’t got the Hoff, it ain’t the real thing. The most identifiable feature of KITT had to be the red LED strip on the front bumper of the Trans Am that has for ever since had owners of black ‘80s era Trans Ams slapping them on the front of their cars.

DeLorean Time Machine

Ok, so maybe this vehicle doesn’t have a catchy name like the other two, but the word DeLorean is more synonymous with the Back to the Future franchise than the failed automaker itself. If this car didn’t star in the movies, would we care anymore about it than Bricklin? This DeLorean needed to reach 88 mph to activate the Flux Capacitor which allowed for time travel. Like a viral You Tube video, 88 mph and Flux Capacitor have forever been ingrained in pop culture and are referenced often. Just think of all the places you could go with this car.

The next-generation Dodge Journey and Fiat Freemont crossovers will be built in Chrysler’s Sterling Heights plant alongside the next-generation Chrysler 200 sedan.

Since all three vehicles will be built on a common platform that the American automaker shares with Fiat’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta, it simply made sense to move production from Toluca, Mexico where the current Dodge Journey and Fiat Freemont are produced. Meanwhile, production of the Dodge Avenger will cease at Sterling Heights.

According to Chrysler, a redesigned 200 will go on sale next year while production on the next-generation Journey and Freemont will begin in January 2016.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Discuss this story at DodgeTalk.com

Last week we exposed the cheapest and most fuel minded vehicles on the market. All hybrid vehicles, the list started at the $30,000 mark, with the most affordable being the $19,320 Honda Insight.

If you’re looking for a car that is even more affordable than those hybrids, you’ll have to sacrifice some fuel economy. Here’s a list of cars that net 40 miles per gallon on the highway or better. This segment is quickly growing in popularity, and is soon to be joined by the upcoming 2014 Fiesta with its 1.0-liter 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine, which Ford claims will hit at least 40 mpg on the highway.

Fast and Furious 6 is officially on the big screen, so chances are you’ve seen the stars and cars of the newest flick.

And since no one wants to wait for the DVD release to get some more behind-the-scenes on how the movie and its cars were built, Brembo has released a video showing how it contributed to the latest addition to the Fast and Furious franchise. Head of Transportation’s Dennis McCarthy called on Brembo to lend its expertise to helping outfit the Dodge Daytona Vin Diesel pilots in the film. Since there’s plenty of actual stunt driving done with the multiple vehicles built, Brembo had to outfit it with some major stopping power allowing it to drift and slide on a dime.

Watch a video below that offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Brembo contributed to the movie and see some of the vehicles out testing prior to being shipped to Europe for filming.

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A couple of months ago, SRT President and CEO Ralph Gilles promised that the brand would have “an answer to the Z/28″ Camaro, and it looks like that’ll come in the form of an exciting new powerplant for the Challenger SRT8 model.

Rumor has it that Chrysler is working on a 6.2-liter, supercharged V8 engine with a power output closing in on the Viper’s 640 hp. The engine is internally codenamed “Hellcat” and is expected to debut in the next-generation Challenger which will also benefit from an eight-speed transmission.

SEE ALSO: More Powerful Dodge Challenger SRT8 Planned as Camaro Z/28 Rival

The new supercharged V8 is expected to be an option on at least one variant of the Challenger, most likely the SRT8, which will go into production in mid-2014 as a 2015 model year. It’s clearly the powerplant that SRT and Chrysler need for their heavier Challenger to keep up with the intense competition that both Ford and Chevrolet have brought to the table in recent years.

[Source: Automotive News]

Discuss this story at ChallengerTalk.com

Dodge has just announced that the 2013 Dart is getting two special edition packages along with a new Ralleye appearance package. 

The special edition packages will be available on SXT and Limited models, and both offer cost savings compared to buying all the options included individually.

Customers who opt for the SXT special edition will get a slew of options, all for about $595. For looks, the package includes a black crosshair grille, dark tinted projector headlamps, projector fog lamps, LED racetrack tail lamps, and integrated dual exhaust.

On the inside, the SXT special edition models get Uconnect voice command with bluetooth, leather-wrapped steering wheel, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, front-passenger seat in-seat storage, remote start (with automatic transmission), USB port, 12-volt auxiliary power outlet, trip computer, vehicle information center, tire pressure monitoring display, active grille shutters and underbody aerodynamic treatment.

Bump up to the Dodge Dart Limited Special Edition, and the car comes fitted with an 8.4-inch Uconnect touch screen, back-up camera, 7-inch full-color TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LED display, premium door trim panel with soft-touch upper surfaces, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio control and speed control, accent stitching on the instrument panel, power 10-way driver’s seat, front passenger in-seat storage, illuminated front cupholders, 12-volt auxiliary power outlet in console, speed sensitive power locks, power front windows with one-touch up/down, ambient LED interior lighting, automatic headlamps, active grille shutters, underbody aerodynamic treatment, tire pressure monitoring display and Limited badges. The Limited Special Edition package is available for $1,810.

Lastly, customers can now order their Dart with the Ralley appearance package, that adds on a unique black front fascia, Rallye badges and class-exclusive 17-inch Hyper Black aluminum wheels, all for $395.

Discuss this story at dartforums.com

We are back with this week’s installment of AutoGuide’s newest, interactive weekly feature ‘Commute, Toy or Destroy’.

Once again, we present to you, our faithful readers, a choice of three vehicles. We are asking you to decide which one you would make your daily driver, which one would be used to rip up the drag strip and which one would you not even give your mother-in-law to drive.

Remember, that commuter car you must live with every day. The toy would be only available to you for occasional use on weekends and the final car would be the one you’d leave out in the hot Nevada sun to rot away.

This week we present three vehicles that could be the most argued and debated in America. Yes we are talking about Pony cars. So, which one of these V8, rear-wheel drive monsters will find a home as your daily driver, which one is going to become a weekend toy and which one will we left out in cold? And remember, no cheating and showing brand loyalty by picking one vehicle twice; all three must be selected.

Chevrolet Camaro

After returning in 2010 from a short hiatus, Chevrolet eased the Camaro back into show room floors with only regular (V6) and SS (V8) models available. But recently GM has shown it is serious with this Camaro and unleashed various asphalt annihilating monsters like the handling focused 426 hp 1LE, the 580 hp supercharged ZL1 and the upcoming racetrack ready Z/28 featuring a 7.0 L V8 with at least 500 hp.

Dodge Challenger

Although it may lack the one-off performance specials that the Mustang and Camaro offer, there is no denying that the Challenger is one seriously good looking car that has a road presence not match by many vehicles. Plus, the HEMI powered 470 hp Challenger SRT8 392 is a monster in its own right, and makes some glorious V8 music.

Ford Mustang

The Pony car that started it all is still on top of its game as it reaches a half century in production. The V8 Mustang GT rings in with 420 hp and the track ready BOSS 302 increases power to a healthy 444 hp. If that isn’t enough, you could always step up to the current king of the horsepower wars; the Shelby GT500. It produces a ludicrous 662 hp and backs it up with sinister looks.

Fast and Furious 6 will be hitting the big screen on May 24th, and movie-goers will get to see plenty of Dodge and SRT models in action at the theater.

Production of the movie used a total of 10 Charger SRT8 vehicles while the hero vehicle driven by Vin Diesel will be a 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8. Diesel also climbs behind the wheel of a Charger SRT8 and a vintage 1969 Dodge Daytona.

The partnership between the American automaker and Universal Pictures will go beyond just the movie however. Dodge has created three new television commercials to promote the movie and its vehicles which include a 30-second spot on “How to Make Your Car Fast and Furious.” That commercial continues on the 2013 Dodge Dart’s “How to” advertising theme, and will feature a Dart getting transformed Fast & Furious style.

A website has also been launched celebrating the collaboration along with plenty of Fast & Furious 6 licensed Dodge products, including plenty in the virtual world.

Discuss this story at DodgeTalk.com