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2014 Dodge Durango

Say what you want about the Dodge Durango, but ever since it came on the scene in 1998, it has occupied its own niche in the SUV market - not too small, not too big, tough, able, not always the best on the road and not always the best off-road. If it were a football player, it would be a tight-end that can block and catch. If it were a hamburger - a double burger with cheese and bacon, but not the Whopper.
As part of a mid-cycle upgrade for what was already a very capable SUV that Chrysler introduced in 2011, and built on the same platform as the Mercedes GL-Class and Jeep Grand Cherokee, the 2014 Durango has gotten some refinements worth noting that have cleaned up its tailoring and toned up its body and powerplant. The result is an SUV that shows itself to be a very good value in a category full of sticker prices that can run away faster than a kid who's been told he has to take ballroom dancing lessons.
Chrysler executives showing us the new Durango made a special point to reiterate that the Dodge brand is not going away, as has been rumored after the company took the Ram and Viper - the cream of the brand - out from under the Dodge umbrella. Turns out Dodge has been the brand attracting the most young people (who knew?) and has a younger average age buyer than Honda. The Dodge brand historically has also attracted buyers who aren't exactly Phi-Beta Cappa, which some companies worry about. Chrysler not so much. Dodge buyers tend to be more the working, high-school-educated, community-college-educated backbone of the work force in America. If they keep coming to Dodge, the Durango is a pretty good piece of hardware to save up for.

Help find Kenny Wayne Shepherd's stolen 1972 Dodge Charger

Judging by his collection of cars, blues musician Kenny Wayne Shepherd (shown above, at left, with fellow musician George Thorogood) is an enthusiast of classic Dodge muscle cars, so it's no surprise that he is an active member of Mopar-related online communities. When his 1972 Dodge Charger turned up missing from an LA-area warehouse last Wednesday, Shepherd took to the forums of Moparts.org in an attempt to get the word out in hopes of recovering his custom classic.
The Charger was stolen along with four other vehicles, and Hot Rod reports that two women have been taken into custody since - but still no word on the car. With its blacked-out appearance (including custom Foose wheels), this car is definitely hard to miss, but Shepherd also said that the car might be even more distinguishable now due to some body damage that may have occurred as it was being driven from the warehouse lot. Shepherd's website has a full gallery of images for this '72 Charger, which also has a modern 392-cubic-inch V8 under the hood and a six-speed gearbox pulled from a Viper.
If you're in the LA area and happen to see this car, Shepherd asks that you call the LAPD West Valley Division at 818-374-7611. Here's to hoping this one-of-a-kind Charger turns up unscathed.

SRT back to Dodge, Dart SRT, new Challenger, Charger and Caravan's death outlined in 5-yr plan

The onslaught of news from Fiat Chrysler's layout of five-year plans continued with Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis this morning, including the unexpected announcement that SRT was coming back into the fold.
After just a few years existing as an independent entity within the Fiat Chrysler universe, an unceremonious press release hit in conjunction with today's lineup of announcements, saying "the SRT family of vehicles will be consolidated under the Dodge brand." Group CEO Sergio Marchionne thanked SRT headman Ralph Gilles for his dedication to the high-performance wing, calling out is efforts in expanding the vehicle lineup and including more customized models. He did not reference disappointing SRT Viper sales today, but we sense there's a bit of subtext.
With the SRT reunion at Dodge, it's appropriate that some of the most exciting product announcements for the next five years have to do with upcoming performance products. First out of the gate will be a refresh for that flagging Viper in 2015, which comes as little surprise.