Latest news with #Durangos
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
CHP's new low-profile patrol vehicles will be harder for scofflaws to spot
The California Highway Patrol is putting officers in a new generation of low-profile, specially marked patrol vehicles meant to 'blend into traffic just enough to observe the most reckless and dangerous behaviors without immediate detection,' officials announced. In a news release, CHP said California sees nearly 400,000 crashes a year, almost 1,000 reports of reckless driving a day and that in 2024, officers issued 18,000 citations to motorists driving at speeds of 100 miles per hour or higher. 'These new tools will help our officers hold the most egregious violators accountable,' the release stated. Some 400 new Dodge Durangos are being added to the fleet, but only 100 of the vehicles will get the special markings meant to blend into traffic. The other 300 will have CHP's traditional look. The specially marked patrol vehicles will not have the agency's typical black and white markings but will sport a variety of standard Dodge manufacturer colorings, though CHP's logo will be emblazoned on the sides of the cars. Rather than lights and sirens on top of the new low-profile cars, the gear is situated in the interior top of the front and rear windows, as well as on the side bottom of the vehicle. Arrests made in alleged L.A. Armenian crime syndicate engaged in violent feud The new Durangos are also faster, each one containing a V8 Hemi engine compared to the V6 in CHP's current fleet of Ford Explorers, Chevy Tahoes and Dodge Chargers. While the special patrol vehicles will all be in service by June, some stations, like Baldwin Park, are already out and about in the vehicles, with the agency telling the Orange County Register that officers immediately noticed motorists driving at higher speeds than they usually see while in the traditional-looking patrol vehicles. 'These cars aren't meant to prey on normal and unsuspecting people,' CHP Officer Alec Pereyda told The Register. 'These are meant for those speeding and aggressive drivers.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
Huge Muscle Car Chop Shop Busted In California
Read the full story on The Auto Wire Police in Fresno, California are celebrating after they busted a muscle car chop shop recently, recovering about $3 million in stolen vehicles. Of course, those rides were in pieces, as you can see from the pictures. And we're sure many more had already been chopped by the people running the Fresno Police Department has reason to celebrate, having arrested seven people who collectively are facing 110 felony charges. This wasn't some small scale operation but instead was responsible for at least processing quite a few stolen muscle cars, if not also stealing them. You can see whole dash assemblies, including steering wheels, all lined up nicely in one of photos police took after making the bust. A number of those steering wheels say SRT and most of the rest have the Dodge logo. It's the same with trunk lids also recovered, with a few bearing the telltale Hellcat logo. The sheer scope of the chop shop's operation is impressive, in a disgusting sort of way. According to Fresno Police Department, these guys were concentrating mostly on Mopar performance models: Chargers, Challengers, Durangos, and Trackhawks. But they also went for some Camaros and Infinitis, we guess to pad that tidy profit line. If your muscle car went missing in the Fresno area, these guys might have been kind enough to chop it up and sell the pieces to people who wanted to save a buck on replacement parts for their ride. Police are asking for the public's help in tracking down two people they saw were associated with the chop shop: 20 year-old Julian Calderon and 22 year-old Jordan Rios. Calderon is facing several criminal charges, including stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit a crime, and possess, manufacture, or distribute an assault weapon. Rios is wanted for possessing, manufacturing, or distributing an assault weapon. We hope to see many more busts like this in the future. Sadly, taking down one car theft ring usually just means others are created or existing ones expand their operations. Images via Fresno Police Department/Facebook Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dodge Slapped With Two Durango-Related Lawsuits
Read the full story on The Auto Wire The Durango is at the center of two recent lawsuits filed by owners against Dodge for two very different reasons. One has to do with marketing practices, the other is more traditional with customers alleging a large flaw. Both could spell big trouble for the owners of the Durango Hellcat are upset because back when it debuted, then-CEO Tim Kuniskis said it would be a 'single model year run.' Many eagerly snatched up the high-powered crossover, only to later be shocked that Dodge didn't make 2021 the only model year for production. Instead, Dodge surprised everyone by announcing the return of the Durango Hellcat for the 2023 model year. Seven 2021 model year owners sued Dodge in 2023, but the case went to mediation for a possible resolution. However, that effort out of court failed recently, so the lawsuit is back on, as covered by Road & Track. The other lawsuit involves the Durango's famous 'racetrack' LED taillight, which apparently can be damaged by water, short circuit, and cost a lot of money to fix. The class action lawsuit filed recently says 2014 to 2023 model year Durangos have a defect that allows water intrusion into the taillight assembly. This means anything from rain, snow melt, even car washes can lead to water getting into the taillight, corroding connections, and shorting the whole thing out. But, according to Mopar Insiders, the class action lawsuit alleges other systems in the rear portion of the Durango can also fail as a result. Not only can your taillight go out, so can the reverse lights, license plate lights, even the rearview camera. Having to replace all of that gets expensive real fast. But it gets even worse. The lawsuit alleges that replacement taillight assemblies for the Durango still allow water to get inside, so the whole problem can happen over and over. Owners often notice condensation inside the taillight, then later things start going haywire. This comes at a time when the Dodge brand is already struggling with its image. The end of the line for the Challenger, the Charger transforming into something different, and sales being down combining with the lawsuits isn't great news for Dodge or parent company Stellantis. Images via Stellantis Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Yahoo
Two Men Arrested For Stealing More Than 25 Dodge Durangos Across Michigan
Two Detroiters are accused of orchestrating a fairly massive auto theft ring that specifically targeted Dodge Durangos at car dealerships across Michigan. All in all, David Franklin and Barron Hatch Jr. stole over 25 Durangos, and now they've been arrested by police in Macomb County, Michigan. Police tell The Detroit News they started investigating a series of car thefts in November of 2024. They believed the duo was targeting Dodge dealerships and used a "key programming device" to steal multiple Durangos at once. Police departments across the state worked to find these two silly billies and recover a number of the missing vehicles. Franklin, a 41-year-old, was charged earlier this month with conducting a criminal enterprise. If he's found guilty he faces up to 20 years in prison, according to The Detroit News. He's also facing a possession of burglary tools charge, which carries up to a 10-year sentence. A judge recently set his bond at $1 million and scheduled his probable cause hearing for March 4. If he does end up posting bond, he'll have to wear a GPS tether. Hatcher, who is 24 years old, was given identical chargers to Franklin, but his bond was set at $500,000. Hatcher and Franklin were arrested in late January in Farmington Hills, Michigan and Houston, Texas, respectively, before they were extradited back to Michigan. Both men remain at the Macomb County Jail, according to FOX 2 Detroit. Right now it's not entirely clear how many other people, if any, were a part of this operation. Read more: Judge Takes Away Man's Dodge Charger Hellcat After He Acted Like A Hellcat Owner Michigan seems to be having a bit of an issue with dealer vehicle thefts as of late. Last summer we told you about a car theft ring that hit over 400 vehicles at dealerships and factories across the state. Dealers actually had to end up calling private security firms to try and safeguard their inventory. It's not just Michigan or the U.S. as a whole, either. In October, we reported on a band of thieves that stole 20 Honda Civic Type Rs from a port in Australia. I'm still impressed that they were able to do the whole heist upside down. Folks are also stealing things from cars at an alarming rate. Did you know that a gun is stolen from a car in America every nine minutes? That is... less than ideal, but it's happening. Make sure you lock your stuff up, people. I don't have to tell you this, but you really don't want your gun ending up in the wrong hands. Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dodge hints at a sub-$30,000 sports car: Could it happen?
Between spec 'd-out Durangos and loud-mouthed Hellcats, Dodge has spent years building its reputation on big, powerful muscle cars with equally hefty price tags. But in a surprising turn, Dodge CEO Matt McAlear hinted at a potential shift—one that could see the brand introducing a sub-$30,000 sports to The Drive, McAlear said that while high-performance models like the new Charger Daytona remain crucial to the brand's identity, there is an underserved market for affordable, fun-to-drive cars. 'I think there's some kind of entry-level, back to that sub-$30,000 mark,' he said. 'I think there's a market for people who just want to have that weekend car again, who would like a Viper, but don't have that $100 or $120K. Something that doesn't need all the safety features, doesn't need the heated seats. Just a car.' McAlear envisions something simple: a driver-focused machine that prioritizes enjoyment over excessive the options for affordable sports cars are limited. The Mazda MX-5 Miata starts just over $30,000, as do the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ. There are virtually no sub-$30,000 sports cars left on the market. This leaves Dodge with an opportunity to carve out a niche—one reminiscent of the Neon SRT-4, a turbocharged compact that once served as an entry point for performance enthusiasts. Dodge has long been associated with raw power, largely thanks to its history of V-8 muscle cars. But McAlear suggested inspiration could come from outside the traditional sports car realm, even citing vehicles like the Polaris Slingshot and side-by-sides as examples of stripped-down the conversation naturally led to speculation about a new Viper, McAlear was careful not to make direct promises. Instead, he stressed that any new product would have to be uniquely Dodge—neither a Mustang nor Corvette fighter, but something distinct. That leaves plenty of questions. Would this new car be electric, given Stellantis' push toward EVs? Would it feature an internal combustion engine, possibly even a return to Dodge's turbocharged four-cylinder roots? And, most importantly, will Dodge actually build it? 'Everyone has so many hobbies these days, they want to spend their money on so many different things,' McAlear said. 'It's tough to be all-in on one thing, put all my chips in one basket and say, 'I gotta have that car.' It's great for those who can afford it, but not all of us can or want to do that.'For now, a sub-$30,000 sports car remains just an idea. Dodge has yet to announce any concrete plans for an affordable sports car, but McAlear's willingness to discuss the possibility signals a new openness at the brand. With Dodge dealerships currently lacking an entry-level model aside from the Hornet crossover, introducing a small, fun, and affordable performance car could be a game-changer. Will Dodge take the plunge and bring a budget-friendly sports car to market? Only time will tell. But for enthusiasts hoping for an affordable thrill ride, McAlear's comments offer a glimmer of hope.
