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Dodge boys forecast 4150 pounds, which is just 62 pounds lighter than the 300C. With the same 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 (425 horsepower, 420 pound-feet of torque), the same five-speed automatic, and the same final drive, and the same tires, drag strip numbers figure to be pretty much the same, too. Still, you might wonder why the smaller coupe—at 197.7 inches it’s 2.5 inches shorter than a Charger and almost an inch lower—is nearly as heavy as the sedan. Eric Heuschele, manager of vehicle development at Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) skunkworks, says there’s no mystery. “For one thing, side-impact standards keep getting tougher all the time, and we had to compensate for losing that beefy Charger B-pillar,” says Heuschele. “But the real answer is that when you chop the wheelbase on a Charger you still have a Charger.” – Car and Driver

Keep your right foot buried, though, and things start to go awry as the big Chrysler bounces from hump to bump, its tall 225/60/18 Pirelli P7s contributing to the impression that ride control is care of a space-hopper at each corner. Numb steering doesn’t improve the experience. – evo

Mercedes Benz has long [sic] offered its S class in standard and long wheelbase forms (something Lexus wil be doing wth the new LS to be taken more seriously in the market).

Now Chrysler plans a stretched version of the 300C and Magnum.

The stretched 300C’s wheelbase is 152mm longer, all of which is used to enhance rear legroom… Chrysler says the added length of the stretched cars provides rear-seat passengers with nearly 1200mm of legroom. Customers will be able to order the cars with a host of personalised features, including lit writing tables, footrests and directional reading lights. – What Car?

You know how sometimes you just can’t help liking something, even if, deep down, you know it’s actually a bit wobbly. Think most old James Bond films… The Chrysler 300C’s a bit like that. Dynamically it’s a division below the big BMWs and Jags; it’s not madly quick; it doesn’t ride particularly well, and it’ll probably lose money like a drunk on a cattle-grid. And yet everyone here who drove the new right-hand-drive version of the top-of-the-range 5.7 ‘Hemi’ just loved it… The ride feels initially good, though much of that’s down to the deep sidewalls of the 225/60 R18 {Euro-spec] Pirelli P7s; at speed over even moderately uneven surfaces it lacks the damping control and general poise of the best Europeans. Not great, then, but immensely likeable. source: evo

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Click here. (We’re speechless).

For Americans, bigger is always better. Europeans generally understand that a dirty great engine pumping out sufficient power to light a small town doesn’t necessarily make a good sports car. But not our friends from over the Atlantic, hence the 8.3-litre Dodge Viper. source: AutoExpress

Britian’s 4Car reports that Dodge will have a 2 door concept study of the Challenger ready in time for the Detroit Auto show.

it will be built on a shortened version of the Chrysler 300/Dodge Magnum platform, but it’s set to be a two-door, just like the Challenger of the 70s. It will be fitted with a 6.1-litre HEMI V8 and six-speed manual transmission.

There are of course only so many ways to style an SUV, but this image on Top Gear’s website is food for thought…

Along with large wheels, front wheel drive, small windows, vague steering, seating placed in crumple zones and unidirectional tires we’ve always hoped the SUV was a trend that would someday go the way of the dodo.

While we don’t agree with their choice of contenders, we think this list of rankings from a recent Motor Trend comparison points to a trend in comparison tests performed over the years between wagons and SUVs: wagons are more pleasurable to drive. That this test ranks a wagon based on the dynamically mediocre Volvo S60 ahead of SUVs based on the nimble and connected Legacy and CTS says a lot, as does the fact that the test didn’t include any of the more trucky body on frame designs that litter our roads.

And until the laws of physics come crashing down or Ferrari or Maclaren make an SUV, we’d bet that will continue to be the case…