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Motorweek goes retro with '80s hot hatch shootout

Motorweek's decades of history on television make it the perfect medium to look back into the automotive past and see how things are different now. It recently added old road test videos to its YouTube channel of the Acura NSX and Toyota Supra, as well as the Ferrari F40. For one of its newest flashback clips, Motorweek has exhumed an affordable five-car challenge of 1986's premiere hot hatches.
By today's standards, this is an eclectic field that features fondly remembered classics like the Volkswagen GTI 16-valve and Acura Integra. However, it also throws in some nearly forgotten contenders like the Dodge Colt Turbo and Ford Escort GT. The angular Toyota Corolla FX16 GT-S rounds out the group.
It's fascinating to watch Motorweek run the quintet through the slalom, down the drag strip and on various roads. What's most striking in this clip is the difference in the definition of a performance car between then and now. With its 16-valve, 1.8-liter four-cylinder, the GTI is the burliest of the contenders with 123 horsepower, but it still takes 8.8 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour. By today's standards, that would make it a plain-jane economy car, and not even a particularly quick one.

Mopar '14 teased, returns to Challenger

Every year, Mopar selects one special vehicle from the Chrysler portfolio and creates its own, one-off, special edition. Previously, there was the Mopar '13 Dart, '12 300, '11 Charger and the '10 Challenger, and for 2014, this teaser image shows that the company will be giving the unique treatment to Dodge's muscle coupe yet again.
Mopar has not revealed any details about its '14 Challenger, though the brand's president and CEO, Pietro Gorlier, says that "This limited-edition ride is for muscle-car fans who love high octane and customizable performance." All we know is, it's white, has some blue stripes, and a black (or carbon fiber) rear spoiler.
We'll know more when the Mopar '14 Challenger is revealed at the SEMA show in early November. In the meantime, click the image above to check out the teaser in high resolution, and have a look below for Chrysler's official press blast.

Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat gets 22 mpg

With its crazy 707 horsepower on tap and roughly $60,000 starting price, the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat has been one of the most talked about cars of the summer, maybe even the year. However, there's always been one lingering question about the behemoth that Dodge has waited to answer until now - its fuel economy. The EPA ratings for the muscle car are finally out, and the numbers are actually pretty impressive for a vehicle with this much power.
A 2015 Challenger Hellcat with the eight-speed automatic is rated at 22 miles per gallon highway, 13 mpg city and 16 mpg combined. Opting for the six-speed manual drops those figures to 21 mpg highway, 13 mpg city and 16 mpg combined.
"As the fastest muscle car ever, the Challenger Hellcat can run 10-second ETs [elapsed times] at the track, and then get 22 miles per gallon on the drive home. With a starting price of $59,995, there's nothing else that even comes close," said Dodge and SRT President Tim Kuniskis in the company's release.