Category: Sports & Athletics

The 2020 Dodge Charger Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition is a marketing stab by the folks at FCA that capitalizes on the lunacy that was the original 1969 Daytona. As an homage to the original car, only 501 of these 717-horsepower beasties will be produced, a number that is supposed to mirror the 1969 production numbers.

I miss having automotive heroes—those cars and trucks that, after flipping through the pages of the old buff books, would capture my imagination. Back then, I knew every option and engine code on every vehicle from nearly every manufacturer. Yet now, with the deluge of information we get via social media, I don’t commit as much to memory anymore. Today’s automotive culture is changing at a rate that’s faster than any modern-day vehicle. And while some OEMs are infusing as much technology as they can into their new models to lure buyers, others like Dodge

Not too long ago, patent images leaked that purported to show the wild shape of an upcoming limited-run supercar called the McLaren Sabre (nee BC-03), inspired by the company’s Vision Gran Turismo concept. Now, a McLaren dealership in Beverly Hills has pulled the wraps off the final car, painted in an arresting two-tone scheme (reminiscent of old Marlboro liveries, natch) and showing off all the swoops, wings, and slats we were hoping would come to the final product.

Indeed, this is a McLaren Special Operations commission, initiated by a customer, and the total number built will hit the upper end of the rumored series: 15. The “BC” in the car’s internal model name stands for “bespoke commission,” by the way. However, rumors about the powertrain proved to be slightly off. Rather than utilizing hybrid power, the Sabre sticks with a twin-turbo V-8 that pushes out

The accepted number of 1969 Dodge Daytonas produced in total is 503. No doubt, the 1969 Daytona ranks high on the desirability scale. The sole reason for the car’s existence is due to NASCAR‘s homologation process in 1969. If it wanted to race its cars, Chrysler had to produce 500 road-going examples. In civilian trim, there were only two engines available: the 440 Magnum, rated at 375 horses, and the extra-cost 426 Hemi, which was rated at 425 horses. Both engines were available with either a 727 Torqueflite automatic transmission or an A833 four-speed manual gearbox.

Because these were extremely low-production vehicles with a single purpose, the final assembly of the Daytona was contracted to Michigan-based Creative Industries. Brand-new 1969 Dodge Charger R/Ts were loaded up and sent to Creative Industries to have the nose, rear wing, and rear window plug installed. A quick splash of paint was applied

Early EV adopters paid a hefty premium for the right to say “they got it first.” Tesla, for example, didn’t release its budget-friendly Model 3 until six years after the luxurious flagship Model S made its debut. New 48-volt mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid tech has followed the very same trend, often ending up in pricier versions of a given model. The BMW X5 xDrive45e, for instance, is the most expensive X5 you can buy outside of the M-branded performance models. Ditto the Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in. Jeep is following much the same trend with the new Wrangler 4xe, and placing it near the tippy top of the already pricey Wrangler lineup.

The plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe will be available in two of the Wrangler’s nicer trims—either Sahara or Rubicon, and both will be available as “Launch Editions.” This leaves the door open for the 4xe treatment to be

Mercedes-Benz’s V-12 engine isn’t dead yet despite regulatory predation and increasingly power-dense V-8 engines painting a bleak future for the engine type. As the lights dim on the big 12, it is now built only by AMG’s technicians and is only available stateside in a single non-AMG model, the Mercedes-Maybach S650. Back in the 1990s, though, Benz’s V-12 was the new thing in town, and graced the priciest, most dignified versions of the S-Class sedan and coupe, as well as the SL convertible.

The 6.0-liter V-12—the same size as the current unit but lacking today’s pair of turbochargers and 2o-plus years of technological advancement—announced itself with a long, airplane-style starter whirring noise, a sophisticated exhaust thrum, and a set of bumper-sticker-sized “V-12” badges on models so equipped. It dripped with needless excess, but for some, it apparently wasn’t enough. Which is why Mercedes,