WomanOnWheels.ca

Ralph Gilles: A lifetime achievement award for design

Ralph Gilles has been a designer at Chrysler/Stellantis his entire career, and had a hand in such iconic designs as the Viper, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Jeep Grand Cherokee, and now he's receiving a lifetime achievement award for his work. Find out more in my story at Driving.ca.

Got torque? How Ram and Cummins got together

Cummins provides diesels for Ram's heavy-duty trucks today, and has done so since 1989 -- but the relationship is actually older than that. Find out more in my "Rearview Mirror" column at Driving.ca.

In Review: 2021 Dodge Challenger GT AWD

You can get a Challenger that boasts nearly 800 horsepower, but I had the V6, and with all-wheel drive to boot - and there's an awful lot that's right with this car. Find out more in my review at AutoTRADER.ca.

Hasty Haulers: A look at Dodge's history of performance trucks

The company's big news right now is the 702-horsepower Ram TRX, but it's not the first time it's made a truck that's all about going fast. Check out some of the ones from past years in my story at the National Post (Driving.ca).

Pickup Trucks: Some history highlights

The first motorized truck was German, GMC is older than Chevrolet, and Toyota built a truck before it was even officially an automaker. Find out more in my pickup truck history -- with video! -- at Driving.ca.

Chevy E10 or Mopar Lowliner?

SEMA's the place to show off, and Chevy and Dodge did just that with two concepts based on trucks from the 1960s. Chevrolet took a C-10, electrified it, and turned it into the E-10, while Dodge's D200 was updated with diesel. Which do you prefer? Vote in my story at the National Post (Driving.ca).

Quick Spin: 2020 Dodge Journey

It's old and there are much better competitors, but the Dodge Journey gives you three rows of seats, a relatively roomy interior, and a pretty low starting price. Find out more in my quick review over at the National Post (Driving.ca).

2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye: 797 horses, yessiree

I was recently at an event where Dodge rolled out its latest SRT model, the 2019 Challenger Hellcat Redeye, which will make just a tick under 800 horsepower when it goes on sale later this year. And unlike the limited-production Demon, which make 840 horses but only for 3,300 customers, the Redeye will be a standard model. Find out more in my report at AutoTrader.

Buying an accessible vehicle? Here are some of your options...

While you can get almost anything converted to at least some sort of accessibility, getting the right vehicle for your needs can require expert advice and, in most cases, a fair chunk of change. None of the mainstream automakers convert vehicles themselves, but some offer rebates if you have it done. And there's even one that's purpose-built for wheelchair passengers -- find out more in my story at AutoTRADER.ca.

In review: 2017 Dodge Durango

It's big and expensive, but oooh, so nice to drive ... find out more in my review at AutoTRADER.

In review: 2016 Dodge Durango

It's big, it's comfortable, it's surprisingly fuel-efficient for its size, and it'll put a dent in your wallet. Find out more in my review over at the National Post.

Driving history: A century of Dodge

"We're bringing 26 cars out of the museum," said Dodge on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. "Would you like to come?"

"I'd love to see them," I said.

"Oh, no," Dodge said. "You get to drive them."

So go over to the Toronto Star and read all about it!

Chevrolet wins the Canadian Truck King Challenge

The Chevrolet Silverado 3500 has won the Canadian Truck King Challenge for 2012. I was asked to be a judge on the event, which this year looked only at heavy-duty models: the Chevrolet, the Ford F350, and the Ram 3500.

We towed, hauled, and drove across southwestern Ontario with them, and while all three had good and bad points - and the top two were very close - the final tally went to GM. Read all about it in my report in the Toronto Star by clicking here.

Dodge Dart: Old versus new

I've seldom had as much fun with a story as I did with this one. When Dodge announced it was bringing back the Dart name, my ears pricked up, since we own the 1966 version. Which one's better? Find out in my Toronto Star story by clicking here.

Chrysler wants to shake up workers ...

Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne - who came to the company when Fiat took the reins - is not happy with unionized auto workers.

Speaking at the Detroit Auto Show, Marchionne said that the current union system of hourly wage increases isn't going to cut it, and instead, he wants a system of profit-sharing.

A Toronto Star story reports that Marchionne said the cost of building vehicles in Canada must fall to meet what workers are paid in the United States. "The Canadian system needs to be as competitive as the American side," Marchionne said, and added that it is difficult for him to explain to American workers why Canadian employees are paid more money.

Fair enough. So I have a question for you, Mr. Marchionne. As a Canadian consumer, how do you explain that I can buy a Canadian-built Chrysler 300 on the U.S. side of the border for $28,170, but in Canada it starts at $32,995? Why does a U.S.-built Ram 1500 cost $21,475 in the United States, but it's $26,770 in Canada? If it's difficult to explain accounting to the workers, how about some information for the buyers?

A look at the 2011 Dodge Charger

It was a nice ride before, and now it's even better: it handles very well, the interior looks good and the venerable 5.7-litre Hemi carries over. You can read my review of the 2011 Dodge Charger in Autos.ca by clicking here.

In review: 2011 Dodge Ram 1500

Yes, Chrysler just wants me to call it a Ram, but old habits are dying hard. I call it a really nice truck that's just too damn big. Read all about it on Autos.ca by clicking here.

And the pickup truck wars continue ...

 Y'know, you almost need a program to keep up with the silliness. Last August I reported on the pickup truck wars, when Dodge brought out its heavy-duty truck at 650 lb-ft, and then Ford came out with 735 lb-ft, and then Chevrolet trumped them both with 765.

So Ford went back to the drawing board, recalibrated the engine module, and came up with eight hundred gut-bustin' foot-pounds of torque.

Well, Dodge -- now properly called Ram Truck -- went back to its drawing board and instructed its engineers to get with the program. So now, the Ram Heavy-Duty also puts out eight hundred foot-pounds of torque. And that isn't enough on its own, obviously, so now it can also tow up to 22,700 pounds.

Twenty-two thousand and seven hundred pounds. That's the equivalent of towing more than five Dodge Grand Caravans. Should you, for whatever reason, ever feel the need to tow five Dodge Grand Caravans.

The "upfitted" 800-lb-ft Ram Heavy Duty Diesel will bear a crest on the tailgate that reads, "High Output Cummins," just so the world knows what kind of a man you are.

Frankly, I think a picture of a measuring tape would be far more appropriate ...

Those who forget history ...

Chrysler has a new ad campaign, "Coming Home," meant to tell customers that it has emerged from bankruptcy and has a "healthy product plan," according to the company.

The ad shows a variety of Chrysler Group products, starting with a 1930s Airflow. It's considered a "classic" automobile today, but obviously someone didn't do enough homework. Back in 1934, the all-new Airflow was soundly rejected by buyers, and was actually the company's first sales flop.

Don't Dodge it, Ram it ...

So Chrysler is splitting the Brothers Dodge into two divisions: one for Dodge, which will cover cars, and one for Ram, which will sell trucks.

Hmmm.

So where are the smart horseplayers putting their money? Will the new division give the company a chance to spread out in the U.S., where multi-brand dealers are the norm? It could give dealers who sell brands like Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Suzuki -- which either don't carry work trucks, or don't carry pickup trucks at all -- the opportunity to have a full-size pickup on the lot, without also having to take cars that would compete with the stuff already on the showroom floor.

On the other hand, Chrysler has some real winners -- its Hemi engines, its awesome rear-wheel architecture, its trucks and of course the hard-core Jeeps -- and some that could fade away without too many tears shed, like Sebring and Avenger. Would the smart money hedge its bets on the possibility that a certain Italian automaker is thinking about what it could spin or sell off, and how much easier it would now be? Time will certainly tell.

Dodge Challenger by Lesley Wimbush

Isn't this gorgeous? It's a birthday gift for my husband -- a drawing of his 2008 Challenger done by my friend Lesley Wimbush.

Her work has appeared in a number of places, including the Toronto Sun, and she's available for commissions. You can reach her at [email protected].

You can also see more of her work by clicking here.

In the news: Viper lives

Chrysler has announced a change of plans for the Viper. The brand was for sale, its sole Conner Avenue assembly location destined to be shuttered this coming December. Today, the company has announced that production will continue and that it's no longer wooing suitors to buy the marque.

I'll stand off to the side, so I don't get hit by the debris. Come Monday morning, every environmentalist in North America will be flinging mud.

My take on it? Chrysler's done the right thing.

Here's a fact: North Americans think the Detroit Three (and more specifically, the two that got government funding) should solely build small, fuel-efficient cars and hybrids. The problem is that they want someone else to buy them. Go look at the top ten best-selling cars in the U.S. Only one is a compact (the Prius, which really doesn't count), and none are subcompacts. President Obama and the EPA can force GM and Chrysler to build the cars that look good on recycled paper, but they can't force people to buy them.

No matter how much an automaker tries to break the mold, people have perceptions of companies that are very hard to break. In the public's eye, Volvo is the (only) safety car; Toyota is the hybrid maker; Saturn's the feel-good-hug (and still has plastic panels, according to many); Chev and Ford are truck builders; and only yuppies buy BMWs. And that really means that, no matter how many hybrids or small reliable cars the American manufacturers produce, they're never going to catch the Japanese in sales with those vehicles. So they've got to make their money where they can.

Fact: when people complain about inefficient gas guzzlers, they point to vehicles like the Suburban and Expedition. They never mention Ferrari or Lamborghini, and there's a reason for that. Those models aren't even on the environmental map. They're rare and they don't get driven much. I'm guessing the average Prius drinks more fuel in a year than the average Gallardo. And that's the type of company the Viper keeps. Sure, it gets 17 miles to the gallon. And how many times have you seen one idling in commuter traffic, six days a week, taking one person to the office?

On the other hand, how many do you see unsold on dealer lots? Dodge has built about 25,000 of them in 17 years, and has sold every one of them. And each one of the approximately 1,500 units it turns out each year probably earns the automaker as much profit as a week's production of minivans. It's profit that helps keep an auto company afloat, and will help guarantee that it will be able to meet its government obligations.

Chrysler made a decision that's going to be unpopular with the letter-writers and the opinion columnists. But it's made the decision that's going to ultimately be the correct one. You can build all the cars you want. The smart money's on building the cars people want to buy.

Camaro, Mustang, Challenger ...

If you don't believe that this is the Holy Trinity, then we have nothing to discuss.

Cruise nights at Chrysler!

We slipped over the border last night into Michigan, to the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills. Throughout the summer, the museum's parking lot is the site of a series of six cruise nights, each with a special theme. Since last night's was Dodge Challenger night, we took the beast over to get in on the fun.

It really was quite a blast, with the front lot stuffed with all manner of cars -- every make is welcome -- in every configuration, from bone-stock to widely customized. There were also some very neat oddballs, including two Chrysler-Maserati TCs (perhaps the only two that were ever actually sold?) and these two cute little Metropolitans.

The cruise nights have wrapped up for the summer, but the museum is still worth a trip -- it contains a wealth of history, including all kinds of concept cars (there's even a Turbine), racing legends and some examples from the company's earliest days.

But the highlight of the evening wasn't even a car -- at least, not a full-size one. The big "O" sculpture outside the museum is actually made up of rings of channel steel, and on the far side, the end comes down to the base. And there was a little boy who looked up at the sculpture, looked down at his Hot Wheels car, looked up at the sculpture ... and then reached up as far as he could, set the toy on this ready-made track, and let it go ...

More Dodge Challenger, with custom touches!

Lowered with Eibach springs, and with American Racing wheels.

Dodge Challenger: Cupholders everywhere

A shot -- no pun intended -- taken of the Challenger with the hood up. We haven't got a clue why Dodge included two dimples in this plastic panel, but we sure found a use for them. When your buddies come over to scratch-n-fart, as buddies do when you open the hood on a Hemi, there's a place to set the drinks so they don't spill. And they are perfectly sized to hold a bottle of beer or, in my case, three fingers of Booker's bourbon.*

Coincidence? Hmmmm.

Other neat thing about the Challenger: Dodge sure got the shape of this one right. Yesterday, two people asked what year the car is, and didn't believe that it was brand-new. And this morning, when my husband took it to the coffee shop in a downpour, someone pulled up beside him at the light and yelled, "You're not supposed to be driving a classic in the rain!"

*Disclaimer: WomanOnWheels does not condone drinking and driving. If you're going to drink, don't drive; assign a designated driver or take a taxi. Always operate your vehicle in a safe and responsible manner. Product may not be exactly as shown; Challenger is packaged by weight, not volume, and contents may have settled during shipping. Misuse may result in serious injury or death. Tag is not to be removed except by the consumer after purchase. And no animals were harmed in the making of this website.

In my driveway today: the Challenger

No, it's not a press car; it's a cash-on-the-barrel, pink-slip-in-the-wallet 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, which arrived today. It belongs to my husband, who is absolutely thrilled with it. He's already taken the stripes off the hood; lowered suspension, new wheels and a few other changes will follow shortly. He simply can't leave anything alone.

What you say ... and what you don't ...

  In the news today: the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash-tested the Dodge Grand Caravan.

Here's what was on the IIHS' website: Front and side crash test ratings are GOOD but rear protection is MARGINAL.

Here's what was in the press release that Chrysler (U.S.) made available to the media: The all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan earned "good" ratings, the highest ratings available from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in both frontal offset and side crashworthiness tests.

And save for an enthusiastic quote from the minivan department's vice-president, and an assurance that Chrysler's concerned about safety, that's it.

Rear protection crash tests determine whether seat and head restraints have been properly designed to minimize the risk of neck injury in a crash. It still isn't high on a lot of automakers' lists: the Grand Caravan finished mid-pack, behind the top "Good"-rated Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona and Honda Odyssey, but ahead of the "Poor"-rated Toyota Sienna, Nissan Quest and Chevrolet Uplander.

But while the rating itself is important, the real story here is what Chrysler said ... or rather, what it didn't say. "Error of omission", I call it, and I think it's just as newsworthy.

Sharing the road with trucks

This Dodge Sprinter is my ride this week. Too bad there aren't any mountain roads where I could take it out and carve some corners.

What I do have around me are a couple of highways, and that's how I got this tiny creature home yesterday. If you ever had faith in most of your fellow drivers, pilot something like this for a while and then get back to me.

You'll notice that there are no side windows. That didn't stop a dozen drivers from sticking beside me with their front wheels pretty much even with my rear ones, for several kilometres at a stretch.

The brakes are good, but this is still a lot of truck to stop. I stayed in the right-hand lane (which is generally the empty one, since few people have any clue where they're supposed to drive), but even that wasn't enough for a couple of people who had to cut me off, pulling in front of me with a car length to spare, because they'd been over in the left lane and now had to get over to their exit ramps.

And you'd think something this big would be easy to spot, but no, I had to try out the horn on one cell-phone gabber who started to drift into my lane. Honey, if I can keep this thing steady between the white lines on a very windy day, surely to heaven you can do the same in a Cavalier.

I know not every tractor-trailer driver is a saint, but whenever I hear about a collision involving a big rig, my first thought is always: what stunt did the driver in the car pull?

I'd love to see all passenger-car drivers required to take a big, windowless van like this out on the highway for a couple of hours and see exactly what it's like, and then maybe they'd learn. Too many people are absolutely clueless when it comes to sharing the road with tractor-trailers. If you're not willing or able to drive properly around the trucks, stay the hell off the highway. Period.

Chrysler's leaving California

Chrysler has announced that it's closing its Pacifica Advance Product Design Center in Carlsbad, California and will consolidate the Advance Design function at its headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Now, news from the automakers is usually made available to journalists on media-specific Web sites during business hours, with lots of quotes that we can use to beef up the story, and photos if they're available. This little tidbit came as a very low-key email, and with the same terse message posted not on Chrysler's media Web site, but on a blog that it reserves as a chattier version for the press. No quotes, no photos, not even an attribution -- just "by Editor". And it arrived late on a Friday night.

Methinks they don't want us to say too much about it.

The email said that the function will be consolidated with Michigan, but the last paragraph reads, These changes set the stage for Chrysler's future global growth efforts, which also include our intent to establish global expertise in design, engineering and sourcing through centers of excellence. These actions will help the Company meet its long-term globlization goals.

Translation: we're going to find a place that'll make the cars for cheap.

It's not new, of course. GM's been doing it for a long time -- you want to get a deer in the headlights look, go up to half the people driving Chevrolet Aveos (bonus points if they've got a "Buy Domestic" license plate frame) and ask them if they know their cars are built in Korea. Rather tellingly, GM built three new subcompact concepts and had the public vote on which one it should build. One was designed in the U.S. The winner, announced at last year's Los Angeles Auto Show, was designed in India. Hmmm. I wonder where the actual car will be built, and if that has any bearing on how that particular design was chosen.

Y'know, in the grand scheme of things, I do have a bit of a handle on how corporations work. Even if I don't like it, I understand why companies move production offshore, whether it's cars or clothes or call centres.

I just wish everyone would be honest, instead of coating it all in bafflegab. Come clean with us: it costs too much money to design a car in California, so we're closing that office and we'll be contracting the work overseas. Will the public like it? Of course not. But I think John Q. Public would have more respect for a company that tells him up front what it's doing, instead of sneaking out the back door in the middle of the night.

Just for fun ...

No reason for this, just that it's great fun. This is Corb Lund, a singer from Edmonton, Alberta, with a cool song about trucks.

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