Summer is right around the corner and you can almost smell all those burgers you’re going to be cooking up on the grill. Now, imagine how much better they’d taste after being cooked on the Hot Rod Grill.

Chrysler will have a short 2011 model year, as its revamped efforts for this year haven’t even finished arriving, while ordering for the 2012 model year cars will begin in just over a month.

The 2011 Formula Drift season is just around the corner, and competing vehicles are out in full testing mode. Samuel Hubinette hasn’t been at the top of the podium for a couple of years now, but it looks like this year his two-car team will be something to look out for. He’ll be behind the wheel of his Dodge Challenger, while Dean Kearney of Ireland will be piloting the infamous Dodge Viper SRT-10.

Both cars are sporting new looks for the 2011 season, welcoming sponsorship from Dodge, V-LEDs, BFGoodrich and Federal Tires. Dodge will be the primary sponsor of Hubinette’s Challenger, while V-LEDs is the primary sponsor of Kearney’s Viper. Interestingly enough, it looks like Hubinette will be driving on his traditional BFGoodrich rubber while Kearney will be burning off Federal Tires.

Kearney captured the 2009 European Pro Drift Championship, and with the experienced Hubinette by his side, it’ll be an interesting year to see how these two battle it out with the rest of the field. We’ll be looking forward to the season opener on April 8-9th at Long Beach, California.

Check out the video of Hubinette testing his Challenger after the break, along with the official press release.

The California New Car Dealers Association is accusing Chrysler of operating a factory store illegally in the Los Angeles area. The showroom, dubbed Motor Village L.A., was designed to boost Chrysler’s profile and show off their revised product lineup, as well as the new Fiat brand.

Lingenfelter Performance Engineering has finally released a supercharger package for the 08-10 Dodge Challenger, taking performance to 500-rwhp and 450 ft-lbs of torque on the 6.1L HEMI. That’s good enough for a 12.03 second quarter mile blast at 120-mph.

Dodge has announced a cut to the base price of the 2011 Grand Caravan minivan, reducing the MSRP by $1,000 on the entry-level Express model. At just $23,995 the refreshed Grand Caravan is now the cheapest minivan on the market.

The last time the Jeep Grand Cherokee was sold in Japan, only 88 units found homes among Japanese buyers. After a hiatus for 2010, Chrysler is re-introducing the SUV on March 12, and is ambitiously targeting sales of between 500 and 1,000 units.

While speaking to Motor Trend, Fiat USA head Laura Soave told the magazine that in addition to new variants of the Fiat 500, there will be a new subcompact car arriving sometime around 2013, with a focus on the needs of the United States market.

Having just introduced an all new Dodge Charger, Challenger and Chrysler 300 for 2011, all three models are set to get an important update for 2012 under the hood. The engine will remain unchanged, but models equipped with Chrysler Corp’s new 3.6L Pentastar V6 will get a significant jump in fuel economy and notably improved drive quality thanks to the addition of an 8-speed automatic.

As for the R/T and 300C models, they will retain the current 5-speed auto-box, as will a budget-priced Challenger SE model.

Chrysler is expected to add a higher-gear transmission to its V8-powered models in the future as well, replacing the current 5-speed unit. There’s also a solid chance the new 8-speed could be used in vehicles like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango.

[Source: Allpar]

With both Chevrolet and Ford now offering serious rivals to cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, a competitive C-segment Dodge is a next major step for the brand says CEO Ralf Gilles.

Debuting at the Chicago Auto Show alongside a new lineup of four other RT models for 2011, perhaps the most exciting is the return of the Dodge Durango R/T for 2011.

It’s pretty hard to make the Dodge Challenger even more eye-catching, but a new color, dubbed “Green With Envy”, should help it attract the attention of bystanders and the ire of other motorists.

Debuting alongside the updated Heavy Duty models, Chrysler’s new Ram truck brand unveiled the Ram Tradesman today at the Chicago Auto Show as a budget oriented model for fleet customers, small contractors and for use on construction sites.

Chrysler’s new Ram brand is looking to get on top in the truck segment, announcing today at the Chicago Auto Show a new high-output Cummins diesel engine that will deliver best-in-class torque. The new 6.7-liter diesel engine will also deliver several other class-topping statistics, which Ram will exploit under a new ‘strength in numbers’ marketing campaign.

Making damn-near everything on the road look as cute as a Smart car by comparison Dodge has just unveiled the new 2012 Charger SRT8 at the Chicago Auto Show. Revealed by Dodge brand CEO Ralph Gilles, he described the new front-end treatment as having the sort of look that, “will make those people who hog the left hand lane get out of the way.”

The Dodge Journey R/T is the kind of vehicle we really can’t see a point for, but it’s here to stay and could end up in the hands of an eccentric few customers.

It’s perhaps hard to grasp as concept. For most guys, the idea of driving a minivan, means the days of carefree driving are well and truly over; the sports car sacrificed for sensible family motoring.

After restyling the Charger for 2011, Dodge has just unveiled what might just be the brand’s best looking car ever, the Charger SRT8. With a gaping front opening, the Charger has plenty of muscle to back up the look thanks to a 6.4-liter V8 that pumps out 465-hp and an equally awesome 465 lb-ft of torque – an increase of 80 lb ft over the old 6.1-liter V8.

After having released revamped versions of all its models for 2011, Dodge has announced a strong followup today at the Chicago Auto Show, debuting a total of five R/T performance models. Among the list are expected vehicles like the Charger and Challenger, while less conventional R/T vehicles include the Journey, Durango and yes, even the Grand Caravan.

Dodge will unwrap the ‘Man Van’ tomorrow at the Chicago Auto Show, a testosterone-infused version of its Grand Caravan family hauler. Officially billed as the Grand Caravan R/T, the new model is scheduled to arrive at dealers this Spring and is designed with a more masculine approach.

Mere months after workers at Chrysler’s Jefferson North factory were caught drinking and smoking marijuana on their lunch breaks, three employees were arrested by law enforcement agencies after Chrysler tipped off police regarding workers who continued to abuse substances while on the job.

If you’re looking to feel safe of the roads, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has given the thumbs up to the 2011 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300. These cars have driven away with the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick designations after achieving good ratings for front, side, rollover, and rear impact protection.

As part of the new joint venture between Fiat and Chrysler, the two companies will build 280,000 SUVs a year at the new Fiat facility near Turin, Italy. The SUVs will be produced for the Alfa Romeo and Jeep brands.

National Geographic’s Ultimate Factories television series, will include episodes on Challenger and Viper production, when the third season airs this week.

Show of hands: who has actually read the owner’s manual that came with their car? Yep, that’s what we thought… not that many of you. Because so few of us actually get around to reading it, Dodge has come up with an app for that.

We’ve heard a lot of talk about what kind of cars might result from the Fiat/ Chrysler venture, but until now, most if was speculation.

It’s amazing how the muscle car wars – all but dead a decade ago – have reached pretty amazing heights. Both the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang get better each model year, with power boosts, chassis changes and visual tweaks bringing a steady flow of news and anticipation from the collective fan-base.

When it comes to the super-packed mid-sized sedan segment, Dodge has never had a product that stacked up favorably to the Japanese (and more recently the Korean) competition. Slow, creaky, poorly assembled, unreliable and destined for rental-car lots, the Avenger has not grabbed hold of the buying public positively. And why would it? With a laundry list of competitors who are priced better, perform better and look better, there are few reasons – besides loyalty to the brand, huge discounts or a slick-talking salesperson – why anyone would pay real money for one.

According to Ralph Gilles, Chrysler Group design chief, the next generation Dodge Viper will be drop dead gorgeous – the car’s look being inspired by “a naked woman on a beach,” he declared at a recent Detroit press conference.

Chrysler Corporation will look to introduce a new compact van for either Dodge or Chrysler, with the new model replacing that brand’s current minivan offering. Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler and Fiat, made the comments to reporters gathered at the North American International Auto Show.

If there were ever an automotive/firearms tie in that was appropriate, this is it. A Missouri Dodge dealer is offering customers a free Barret .50 sniper rifle upon purchase of a 2010 Dodge Viper ACR.

A car, unlike a house, is not an investment. It’s a pit that your pour money into over time, especially when you take into account interest rates on loans and depreciation. That is, unless you just so happen to have bought, say, a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO back in the era of flower power and decided to sell it now – with one such vehicle recently hitting a record $18 million dollars at auction.

But how can you know what cars will be worth purchasing as an investment? Ask an expert.

That’s what the folks at Yahoo Autos did, speaking with McKeel Hagerty of Hagerty Insurance, the world’s largest insurer of pricey classic and antique vehicles. Hagerty broke down his list of the top five models of the last 20 years that are expected to become top collectors items – and the Veyron (above) isn’t one of them.

Hit the jump for the list and give us our feedback

[Source: Yahoo]

It’s that time of year again, where the big collector car auctions get revved up for some serious gavel action in Arizona. RM Auctions, which this year is offering a whole fistful of vintage and classic British machinery, is also offering this, the very first Dodge Charger ever built.

Chrysler has just announced two separate recalls affecting the Dodge Journey and Dodge Ram 1500 pickup.

The major players in the minivan segment are re-doubling their efforts for 2011. Honda, Nissan and Toyota have brand-new offerings in the Odyssey, Quest and Sienna, and Dodge couldn’t let that go unchallenged.

At this year’s SEMA Show, Dodge boss Ralph Gilles hinted that he’s looking to bring back the Cuda, a car that just came another step closer to production with Chrysler having just registered the name.

For those customers who purchase a new 2011 Dodge Journey Lux or Durango Citadel, Dodge and Mopar are throwing in a three-year no charge scheduled ‘No Cost Maintenance Plus’  plan as part of the deal.

If you’ve got a bit of cash burning a hole in your pocket and absolutely love the 1970 Dodge Charger then this is one example you should take a look at.

Finalists for the North American Car and Truck of the Year have been announced, with Chrysler dominating the truck field, and electric vehicles comprising 2/3rds of the car category.

It was a near certainty and now Chrysler has confirmed it: the SRT8s are coming. Sources inside the automaker have said the new SRT8s are currently in the works, meaning we should seem them soon.

If you own a 2008 Chrysler Town & Country or Dodge Caravan, you may want to keep an eye on your mail come February. That’s when Chrysler will begin notifying some 367,000 minivan owners about a recall that involves unwanted airbag deployment.

The outgoing Chrysler 300 was a great value thanks to a number of cost cutting initiatives, like sharing a platform with Mercedes-Benz’s old E-Class and using interior materials made out of melted down children’s toys. That might have been passable five years ago, but with even small cars boasting high quality interiors, the awful tortoise shell trim and cheesy analog clock isn’t going to cut it anymore.

Every December, racers and gearheads gather at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show, located in sunny Orlando, Florida.

Dodge brand CEO Ralf Gilles has confirmed that the Viper will return in 2012 as a 2013 model year car.

The Dodge Durango was once a hot-selling SUV and a big part of the Dodge brand. But shifting consumer tastes, rising fuel prices, and the global recession conspired to kill the Durango and its sibling, the Chrysler Aspen. Now, after two years on the sidelines, Dodge has rejoined the game with a redesigned 2011 Durango.

When Dodge boss Ralph Gilles introduced the 2011 Dodge Charger at the LA Auto Show, he said that they call it the “car that makes other sedans wet their pants.” When he introduced the 2011 Dodge Challenger, he smiled.

When we saw the 2011 Dodge Avenger on stage at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, we noticed that it was parked next to a Challenger. Seriously, that’s about all we noticed.

The 2011 Durango had yet another “official” debut at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, with Dodge front man Ralph Gilles telling the assembled journalists how proud he is to show off his portfolio now, with six new or newish models in the lineup – including the all-new Durango.

Of the six new models shown by Dodge at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ralph Gilles said the Journey was the one that required the most work.

When the retro-ish Dodge Charger debuted a few years ago, a lot of people groaned that the car had swayed so far from the incredibly awesome concept car that had preceded it. That concept looked an awful lot like the Duke’s of Hazzard General Lee era Chargers that most people remember rather fondly.

Even during Dodge’s dark ages—better known as 2009—, the Charger soldiered on as one of the few bright spots in the lineup. Along with the Challenger, the Ram pickup and the Grand Caravan, the Charger stood out as one of the better offerings in Dodge showrooms.

Once a upon a time, NASCAR racers really were stock. Not any more. But although the ‘Car of Tomorrow’ may share little commonality with its street going counterparts, the Dodge boys are making an effort.