Latest news with #DodgeChargerHellcat
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Perfectly Good Dodge Hellcat Ditched Dangling
Read the full story on The Auto Wire A perfectly good Dodge Charger Hellcat (with some front end damage) was left just abandoned in Santa Cruz County, California recently. As you can see from the photos, California Highway Patrol came across the Mopar which was dangling from a guy wire for a utility seen this sort of thing before, but usually there's some crazy story of a car accident and the vehicle riding up the wire after. But there's none of that in this case. In fact, there's no story at all. When officers came across this Hellcat, it was just abandoned with no driver in sight. Why the person took off isn't clear, although there are some possibilities. As CHP notes, leaving the scene of a crash like this can result in misdemeanor charges because it's against the law. One possible explanation is that the Charger was stolen. Obviously, car thieves just aren't as careful with a vehicle they don't own and don't have any true responsibility towards. Plus, many thieves will go joyriding in boosted rides. In other words, while driving recklessly, a thief might have crashed this car, then taken off instead of sticking around so the cops would catch him. Another possibility is the owner of the Hellcat was in fact behind the wheel and intoxicated, which it was crashed in such an odd way. We're not even sure what the driver had to do to get the car over the barrier and onto the guy wire. Knowing that sticking around to talk to the police would result in a citation for DUI, the driver took off, called a friend, or maybe got an Uber. Then the owner can report the Dodge Hellcat stolen and claim someone else wrecked it, collecting the insurance money. We hate to say it, but this does happen. Either way, this Dodge Charger Hellcat is going to need some work with damage to the front fascia and what appears to be a coolant leak, perhaps from the radiator ruptured. Hopefully it's treated properly in the future instead of abused like this. Image via CHP – Santa Cruz/Facebook Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Suspect in York County dealership theft charged amid DNA evidence
YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A single hair that was found in a stolen Dodge Challenger from a York County dealership has led to an arrest one year later, police announced Thursday. Northern York County Regional Police said the DNA they submitted for testing came back as a match for Andrew Boyd, 22, of Fairfield. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Investigators obtained DNA from Boyd, who was at the Adams County Prison on unrelated charges. It was noted by police that Boyd matched the description of the one suspect seen on video footage from the dealership. Inside the stolen vehicle, investigators had recovered the single hair in the back seat, and they also swabbed the steering wheel and gear shifter, police said. That evidence was sent to PSP Labs, and the results that came back on April 25 showed a match of Boyd's DNA, police said. Boyd and another suspect are accused of entering the lot and smashing a Chevy Camaro through a window at Thornton Automotive – Dover, located at 3885 Carlisle Road in Dover Township, on May 13, 2024, just before 4 a.m. The suspects then tried to steal a 2016 Dodge Charger Hellcat inside the showroom but were thwarted when the Camaro got stuck on the front stairs. A golf cart was also hit and pushed into the Hellcat. The damage cost was determined to be just over $12,000, police said. The thieves did find the keys to the Challenger parked outside and drove away. That vehicle was found the next day in Maryland, and investigators searched it for DNA. Prior coverage -> Stolen car from York County dealership recovered in Maryland, police say Boyd faces felony charges of burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, and criminal mischief. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized use of motor vehicles. He is currently locked up in Adams County Prison with bail set at $25,000 by Magisterial District Judge David Eshbach. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 29. Police did not say if they've identified the other suspect in the theft. Anyone with information is asked to reach out to them by calling (8355) or tips@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
NJ Fire Chief Sued For Dumping Rocks On A 1995 Nismo 270R Previously Owned By Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya
While police misconduct gets plenty of negative attention, as the saying goes, not one's ever written a song called "Fu*k the Fire Department." One New Jersey man, however, might be the first, after the local fire chief allegedly damaged his Nissan over a dispute related to how water drained off his property. Typically, dumping rocks and dirt on an old Nissan wouldn't do much to the already rock-bottom value of what's almost assuredly an already-dinged and dented car, but that wasn't the case here. The car the fire chief vandalized is an incredibly rare 1995 Nismo 270R previously owned by Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya. Now, the owner is suing for $500,000, MyCentralJersey reports. The story saga began last May, when Piscataway Fire Chief Josh Scolnick decided the best way to resolve a dispute with the fire station's neighbor, Mark Bahna, was to damage his car. According to the lawsuit, Scolnick "threw buckets of rocks, dirt and debris onto the vehicle because he did not like how water allegedly drained from the property onto the fire station property." The rocks and other debris caused "extensive damage including scratches, dents, cracks, and chips to the paint, decals, lights, glass and other exterior features." So how did Bahna figure out who damaged the car? He checked his security camera and saw it had caught Scolnick in the act. While it's not the main point here, it's also worth noting that Scolnick was reportedly on duty at the time. When the cops showed up to question him, Scolnick admitted he'd vandalized the car. The Piscataway Police Department charged him with third-degree vandalism, although he later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of disorderly conduct and had to pay $7,973 in restitution. Read more: Judge Takes Away Man's Dodge Charger Hellcat After He Acted Like A Hellcat Owner If the Nissan that Scolnick had damaged had been a regular 240SX, his actions still would have been both wrong and completely uncalled for. What was that supposed to accomplish other than making things worse between Bahna and the fire department? As Bahna, who is a manager for Montclair Auto Sales Group, argues in the lawsuit, however, the $7,973 he was paid doesn't exactly cover the money he lost in the process. It's a one-of-30 car, and this example was reportedly a numbers-matching example in close to showroom condition with the original paint and decals. Beyond that, it was also owned and raced by Japan's LeMans winner and Drift King, Keiichi Tsuchiya. That's some serious provenance for an already incredibly rare car, and according to the lawsuit, at the time Scolnick dumped rocks on the car, Bahna had a collector lined up to buy it for $500,000. After they found out about the damage, the buyer withdrew their offer. As CarScoops points out, we haven't seen 270Rs sell for anything close to that recently, but previous examples hadn't already been imported to the U.S. and titled, nor were they in original condition, and they hadn't been owned by anyone as legendary as Tsuchiya, either. Maybe $500,000 is more than it was actually worth at the time, but if he really had someone ready to pay that kind of money for such a rare car, then at least one person thought it was worth that much. Since Scolnick already admitted to vandalizing the car and has since pleaded guilty, whether he's responsible or not isn't really in question, here. Instead, it's whether or not Bahna can convince the judge he deserves to be compensated for the lost sale. Maybe the judge will agree he deserves the full $500,000; maybe not. Odds are, though, the hardest part won't be winning the lawsuit, even if Bahna ends up being awarded less than he's asking for. Instead, it's going to be getting hundreds of thousands of dollars out of a volunteer fire chief who likely doesn't have that kind of money lying around. Piscataway Fire District No. 3 and Piscataway Township are also named in the lawsuit, so they could end up having to pay, but ultimately, it's all up to the court and what the judge decides. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Donald Trump's 25 Percent Tariffs Could Kill Off The Cheap Car
Good morning! It's Friday, March 28, 2025, and this is The Morning Shift: Your daily roundup of the top automotive headlines from around the world, all in one place. This is where you'll find the most important stories that are shaping the way Americans drive and get around. In this morning's edition, we're looking at which cars Donald Trump's new 25 percent import tariffs will hit hardest and hear about the threats made against automakers if they raise prices. Plus, find out which cars are included in a probe of 2 million vehicles launched by the NHTSA, and Kia outlines its plans to build hybrids in America. Read more: Judge Takes Away Man's Dodge Charger Hellcat After He Acted Like A Hellcat Owner After weeks of will they, won't they, president Donald Trump confirmed that a 25 percent tariff is coming for imported cars sold in America. The fee will take effect from April 2 and will hit full cars and car parts shipped into the U.S. from overseas. The full impact of the tariffs remains to be seen, but experts are warning that the fallout could hit cheaper cars much more severely, reports Bloomberg. Finding a cheap car is already a tough task, with average prices in America edging ever closer to $50,000. Picking a bargain could now get much harder with sub-$30,000 cars likely to feel the brunt of Trump's tariffs for several reasons: "It's going to be a real struggle for those buyers," said Erin Keating, executive analyst at researcher Cox Automotive. "We only expect prices to rise and incentives will go away. Some vehicles could go away." The tariffs could disproportionately hit cheaper cars because many of the most affordable models sold here simply aren't made here. The least expensive offerings from General Motors, Ford, Kia and Hyundai are assembled outside the U.S. at plants in Canada and Mexico, which will fall foul to the new fees. The cost of these budget-friendly models made outside the U.S. could be set to rise by as much as $5,855 on average, Bloomberg adds, which could mean the difference between buying a new car and not for some shoppers. It's for this reason that Stellantis chairman John Elkann warned that the "affordability of our products" and the current "uncertainty" in the U.S. could hit demand across the country. All this talk of increased car prices in the Land of the Free might make you question why Trump proposed the tariffs in the first place, as he's all about improving the life of normal Americans, right? This wasn't the goal of the tariffs, and Trump reportedly threatened automakers who said the new fees would result in an increase in prices for their cars. During a call with some of the country's top automotive CEO's, the "Home Alone 2" actor reportedly said "the White House would look unfavorably" on price hikes off the back of the tariffs, according to the Wall Street Journal. The call left some execs "worried they would face punishment" should prices rise, the WSJ adds: Instead, Trump said, they should be grateful for his elimination of what he called former President Joe Biden's electric-vehicle mandate, which involved subsidies and emissions requirements to encourage electric-car production. He made a lengthy pitch for how they would actually benefit from tariffs, two people on the call said, adding that he was bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. and was better for their industry than previous presidents. During an event to confirm that the 25 percent tariffs would come into effect from April 2, Trump claimed the new taxes would, in fact, lower prices for American car shoppers. Trump claimed the move will incentivize companies to plow millions of dollars into American manufacturing so that they can build their cars here and skirt the worst of the tariffs. Sure, some companies have said they're considering expanding some of their manufacturing here in America, but as is the case with many cheaper cars, it's just not financially sustainable for automakers to build every car they sell in America on U.S. soil. As such, experts are warning that once stockpiles run low, prices of cars in the U.S. could rise by 10 to 12 percent in the coming months. Right, enough tariff talk for one day, let's move on. Now, it's time to check in with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and find out what cars are broken this week, and it turns out that it's Honda's time on the naughty step. The Japanese automaker is facing a probe of more than 2 million cars over issues with its engines. The NHTSA is probing restart issues that could impact 2.2 million Honda cars, reports Reuters. The issue is related to the stop-start function, which Honda calls Auto Idle Stop, as it fails to restart the engine at some intersections and traffic lights, as the site explains: The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has received complaints of AIS failure from consumers who have already implemented the countermeasures. The engineering analysis will consider potential safety defects along with collecting additional data regarding Honda's countermeasure service campaign. The Office of Defects received more than 1,300 complaints relating to issues with the stop-start system, and even heard of four incidents that resulted in crashes or fires and two that led to injuries. The probe will impact a whole host of Honda and Acura models, NHTSA explained in a release. It will hit the 2016-2019 Honda Pilot, 2019-2022 Honda Passport and 2020-2023 Honda Ridgeline, as well as the 2015-2020 Acura TLX and 2016-2020 Acura MDX. Automakers have spent the past few years plowing millions of dollars into their electric vehicle manufacturing plants across the U.S. The investment included the commitment from Hyundai and Kia that the two Korean brands would build a new Georgia plant with the aim of increasing EV capacity. Now, after EV sales failed to match projections and many shoppers looked to hybrid power instead, Kia and Hyundai confirmed that it will bring production of new hybrid cars to the new Georgia plant as well, reports Reuters: But in a shift in strategy, Hyundai now plans to add hybrid cars to the factory's production lines at a time when demand for pure electric cars is cooling and President Donald Trump's administration is threatening to end EV subsidies. Kia vehicles will represent 40% of the Georgia facility's total production, Kia CEO Song Ho-sung told reporters on the sidelines of an opening ceremony for the factory on Wednesday. At the same time, the two automakers announced that total capacity at the site is set to expand from 300,000 vehicles annually to 500,000, Reuters adds. The move will bring Hyundai and Kia's combined U.S. production capacity to 1.2 million vehicles per year, up from the 850,000 cars that the two currently build in the U.S. every year. If you think about your favorite song of all time, is it one that's changed over the years or something that's stuck with you through thick and thin? I think mine's changed a bit over time, while remaining similar. Artists like Arcade Fire, David Bowie and The Killers have all claimed the crown at some point, but today I'm back in love with the song that's probably held the title for the longest. It's the final track on the Arctic Monkeys' second album and, for a band that consistently puts their best tracks at the end of every record, this one really is a doozy. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Yahoo
Brazen Kentucky Thieves Didn't Even Wait For Corvettes To Leave The Factory Before Stealing Them
Eight stolen Chevrolet Corvettes were recovered this week, according to Bowling Green Police. A somewhat disorganized auto theft ring targeted the General Motors Bowling Green Assembly plant where Corvettes have been built since 1981, making off with a grip of GM's greatest machines. According to WBKO News 13, the individuals were attempting to move the vehicles out of town when one of the thieves was apprehended. 21-year-old Deantae Walker of Westland, Mich. was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property, fleeing police, and resisting arrest. According to reports from the Warren County Sheriff's Office, a concerned citizen called police because a new maroon Corvette was in the parking lot of an apartment complex and the woman immediately suspected the car as being stolen. The giveaway was that the 'Vette was still covered in all of the decals and coverings that the factory installs to protect the cars in transit. If you're going to do a crime, try not to make it super obvious, you know? At the point the car had been spotted, GM hadn't even reported the vehicles as stolen yet, and didn't even know. WCSO got in touch with BGPD, and BGPD reached out to GM. It was then that Chevrolet conducted an inventory check and discovered a handful of missing Corvettes. A plant manager was called down to the scene to identify that the cars were indeed stolen from inventory. Read more: Judge Takes Away Man's Dodge Charger Hellcat After He Acted Like A Hellcat Owner WBKO also reports that two of the Corvettes were recovered from the parking lot of the Laurel Ridge Apartments, while a third was parked at a home across the street. The thieves had allegedly called a local transport truck driver to transport a "2017 Corvette" to Michigan from Bowling Green, and when he arrived to pick up the car there were three 2025 Corvettes waiting for him. The truck driver called police dispatch, which was when Mr. Walker was apprehended in possession of the three cars. Another suspect fled the scene in a Jeep with Ohio tags. In the end all eight cars were recovered and returned to General Motors with minor damage from the theft. "If I would have made it back to Michigan, I would have been paid big," Walker said in a statement while being processed, allegedly after having been read his Miranda rights. Clearly this guy isn't the brains of the operation. Reports from the scene indicate an estimated value for all eight vehicles of $1.2 million, meaning each of these Corvettes had an average sticker price of $150,000. Even decked out with every option, it's impossible to get a Stingray up to $150,000 from its starting price of $68,300. It's pretty easy to do with an E-Ray or Z06, however. Reports don't indicate which Corvette models were stolen, but Chevrolet told Corvette Blogger that none of the cars were pre-production ZR1s as had been initially reported. GM told the local news that it was "taking appropriate measures to address" the thefts. The investigation is ongoing. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
