Dodge bringing some fans to NYC to meet the Demon

FCA announced today that when the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon debuts in New York City, a few specially selected Dodge fans will be invited to attend the big event, meeting the men and women involved in bringing this new Demon to life.

Details on the grand debut of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon are short, but we know that it will meet the world during the opening week of the 2017 New York International Auto Show during the week starting April 10th, and when the public days open later that week, the Demon will surely be one of the main attractions under the lights of the Big Apple show.

That is big news for everyone who is interested in the world of American muscle cars or high performance cars in general, but with today’s announcenment, the Demon debut will be even more exciting for a select group of Dodge/SRT fans.

“Our Dodge//SRT fans are among the most enthusiastic and socially engaged in the automotive industry,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of FCA North America Passenger Cars. “Inviting fans to attend the reveal of the all-new 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon in New York is our way of saying ‘thank you’ for being a vital part of Dodge and SRT.”

FCA hasn’t made clear how many lucky enthusiasts they will invite to the Big Apple debut of the Demon, nor has the company announced how those folks will be selected. The press release did state that they will be inviting a “limited number of loyal fans of the brand’s social media channels,” so if you want a shot at being one of the Dodge/SRT fans invited to the debut of the 2018 CHallenger SRT Demon, liking the official Dodge Facebook page, Instagram account and Twitter account would be a good start, in addition to regularly checking IfYouKnowYouKnow.com for any key updates.

Read more at: http://www.allpar.com/news/2017/02/dodge-inviting-fans-to-ny-to-meet-the-demon-36589#utm_source=fballpar

Valentine’s Day TLC for the One You Love: Your Car

Your car doesn’t ask for much. It’s always there for you, getting you where you need to go. A little extra care this Valentine’s Day in the form of an oil change, tune-up and basic service is the perfect gift for the one who keeps you going.

“Don’t let your car break your heart by neglecting to take care of it,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Being car care aware can add years of useful life to your relationship with your vehicle and keep you from being stranded because of an unexpected breakdown.”

The non-profit Car Care Council recommends a little tender loving auto care this Valentine’s Day and beyond.

- Schedule a tune-up annually to optimize your car’s performance. A well-tuned engine delivers the best balance of power and fuel economy and produces the lowest level of emissions.

- Change the oil and filter per the owner’s manual. Periodic oil and filter changes keep your engine clean on the inside.

- Check the tire pressure monthly, including the spare. Your car’s tires affect its ride, handling, traction and safety.

- Have the alignment checked annually. Potholes and other road conditions, as well as normal wear, can take their toll on your car’s steering and suspension. A wheel alignment reduces tire wear, improves fuel economy and handling, and increases driving enjoyment and safety.

- Inspect the windshield wipers and lights on the car. Lights and wipers play a major role in safe driving, and they are normal wear items that need periodic replacement.

The Car Care Council has a free custom service schedule to help make vehicle ownership more enjoyable, economical and convenient so you can keep your relationship with your car on track.

Read more at: www.carcare.org/valentines-day-tlc-one-love-car/

Demon sends 35% more launch force to the tires

The next pieces of the puzzle which will eventually reveal the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon were rolled out this morning. This week, we are discussing the tires, gears and torque convertor of the upcoming Mopar monster – all of which work together to help the Demon put 35% more torque to the ground on launch.

We learned a few weeks back that the 2018 Challenger Demon will be fitted with 315/40R18 Nitto NT05R drag radial tires on lightweight 18X11 inch wheels. Nitto has designed and engineered these tires specifically for the new Demon, with a unique construction and composition from the regular NT05R tires measuring 12.6 inches wide and guaranteeing better stock grip than the Hellcat Challenger.

With this extra grip, Dodge has the opportunity to put more power to the wheels, and they are doing just that with a new set of 3.09 rear gears. The Hellcat Challenger with the 8-speed automatic transmission comes with 2.62 rear gears, so this new gearing setup is 18% more aggressive – leading to 18% more torque multiplication at the rear axle.

To be clear, that is an 18% torque multiplication increase, not an increase of engine torque of 18%. The Demon will transfer 18% more of the engine torque into wheel torque, which will lead to substantially quicker quarter mile times. In fact, the 3.09 gear swap has proven to be a popular one in the Hellcat community, with many of the quickest cars running that ratio in their modified Challengers.

In addition to the wide, sticky tires developed specifically for the 2018 Challenger Demon and the new 3.09 rear gears, the newest Mopar muscle car will also have a new torque convertor. The company hasn’t stated what kind of stall RPM we can expect, but we do know that the new torque convertor will also yield 18% more torque multiplication as well.

So to summarize, we learned today that the Challenger Demon tires are 12.6 inches wide, the rear gears yield 18% better torque multiplication and the new torque convertor adds 18% more torque moving through the transmission as well. The result is 35% greater launch force than the Hellcat – before power increases are factored in.

Again, those numbers are compared to the Hellcat Challenger, so not only is the Demon likely to offer more power, but it will also send more power to the rear wheels and when that power gets to the wheels – the Nitto NT05R drag radials will help make the most of that power.

Dodge also rolled out an image of the Nitto NT05R Demon tire wrinkling hard on launch. There is also a new video, but with this piece going live at the same time as the video goes live on IfYouKnowYouKnow.com, we will add the video and any information from that video after it does live on the teaser website.

*Update: the new video has been added below, offering a closer look at the new tires during launch.

Read more at: http://www.allpar.com/news/2017/02/demon-sends-35-more-launch-force-to-the-tires-36532

The One Driving Tip Everyone Should Follow

One of the keys to driving safely is vigilantly looking around you, not just directly ahead of you.

To be a safe driver, you must be aware of what is happening around your vehicle—not just in front of you, but to the sides and behind as well. Scanning helps you to see problems ahead that may cause you to change speed or your position on the road.

The American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association (ADTSEA) is a professional association representing traffic safety educators in the United States and abroad. They’ve compiled a few tips that stress using your visual perception when you’re behind the wheel:

Look far enough ahead.
Looking well ahead can help you avoid emergency braking and maneuvering. In urban environments, you’ll be looking two to three blocks ahead. In rural areas, you will want to look a quarter of a mile ahead. In either environment, you’ll want to look for brake lights on vehicles ahead of you, vehicles or pedestrians moving into the roadway and traffic lights that may soon change. The earlier you spot a problem, the more time you have to react. Making early adjustments to your speed or position can ensure that drivers behind you have more time to react as well.

Look to the sides.
Pedestrians or other vehicles may cross or enter your path of travel at any time. On multi-lane highways, vehicles can change lanes without warning. So what may have been an opening moments before could be a risk when you decide to change lanes. Also, always look to your sides when you are near roadwork, shopping centers, busy sidewalks and schoolyards.

Look to the rear.
Looking to the rear of your vehicle is crucial for determining if a driver behind you is following too closely or approaching too quickly. This allows you time to adjust speed or change lanes as necessary to avoid potential problems. Always check to the rear before changing lanes, slowing down, entering traffic or driving down a steep hill.

Develop good scanning habits.
The ADTSEA recommends a systematic search pattern. When looking ahead, they recommend that you look far ahead, down the middle of your lane. When searching for potential hazards, look 20 to 30 seconds ahead, scanning carefully from side to side.

While these tips were written for new drivers and are part of the association’s curriculum (Version 2.0), it also provides valuable reminders for more seasoned drivers.

Read more at: https://autoadvice.michigan.aaa.com/drive/the-one-driving-tip-everyone-should-follow/

Ram Laramie offers luxury trims, features

Ram has updated the 1500 series pickups with a number of special trims and features for 2017.

The Laramie Longhorn gets updated looks with a new southwestern-themed grille and added features for both the Longhorn and the upscale Limited models that come in 1500, 2500 and 3500 capabilities. Longhorns get a new bright chrome grille with “RAM” lettering and chrome belt moldings. Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 Longhorn models also add standard Keyless Go, SmartBeam headlights and rain-sensing wipers.

Limited models can be ordered with black “RAM” tailgate letters and Brilliant Black or Granite Crystal Metallic paint ($195). The Limited’s novel billet port grille breaks from the long tradition of crosshair styling.

Interiors are the apex of modern luxury with plush details like subtle stitching accents and elegant pinstriping. The console bin houses a cellular phone and tablet holder, which can be concealed with a sliding door. Solid black premium Berber carpet inserts can easily be removed from the floor mats to reveal practical double-duty slush mats; the headliner and pillar trim are black, as well.

The cockpit is wired with a cache of communication and technology features, including an 8.4-inch Uconnect system with 3-D navigation, a standard rear-view camera system with dynamic grid lines and ParkSense front and rear park assist system, as well as steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free phone, streaming audio, voice command and text message reader.

The Laramie Longhorn and Limited are available in six-passenger Crew Cab body style (five passengers with the available bucket seats) with a choice of a 4×2 or 4×4 powertrain, as well as a 5-foot-7 bed set on a 140.5-inch wheelbase or a 6-foot-4 bed on a 149.4-inch wheelbase. Crew Cab models sport a power-sliding rear window and a standard locking, removable tailgate with lift assist.

Hard-core users with the need to carry goods and gear in the bed will appreciate the optional RamBox cargo management system.

Standard is a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with variable valve timing that produces 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque; mated to an eight-speed TorqueFlite transmission with a center stack rotary shifter, this combination delivers 15 mpg city/22 mpg highway fuel economy.

Optional is a 3.0-liter turbocharged EcoDiesel V-6 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with center stack rotary shifter, which creates 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque and brings 21/29 mpg. When properly equipped, maximum trailer weights range from 6,760 pounds up to 10,090 pounds.

We concentrated our drive on the 4WD Laramie Longhorn EcoDiesel. Cowboys and ranchers would be thrilled with not only its interior and exterior styling but also with its industry-leading fuel economy and 4WD capability. The combination of its plentiful power and torque, its intelligent eight-speed transmission, 4WD gearing and air suspension allowed it to crawl over rough and rugged terrain and also to ascend and descend steep tracks with excellent traction and comfort.

Read more at: http://chicago.suntimes.com/autos/ram-laramie-offers-luxury-trims-features/