Thursday
Jun252020
JULY 1, 2020
Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 11:49AM HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Editor-in-Chief's Note: The Detroit Free Press devoted three pages (including the front page) to the unveiling of the 2021 Ford-F150 in Friday morning's paper. They don't call Detroit a company town for nothin', folks. -PMD
(Ford images)
Editor-in-Chief's Note: To help you understand the importance of the F-150 pickup truck to the Ford Motor Company, I will put it in the simplest terms: Ford simply wouldn't exist without it. The F-150 is "The Franchise" and the straw that stirs Ford's drink. So even though the "all-new" 2021 Ford F-150 is a deep refreshing, and it offers "the most maximum towing, payload, torque and horsepower of any full-size light-duty pickup," according to Ford PR minions, it's a huge deal to Ford. The exterior design of this - the fourteenth generation of the F-150 - is tweaked to deliver a bolder look, with a staggering choice of eleven different grilles, three different headlight combinations, and multiple wheel options; enough, it seems, to please everyone. But with stiff competition from Ram and Chevrolet, the focus of the refresh has rightly been directed at the interior, which has more comfort, technology and functionality than ever before. A twelve-inch horizontal center screen is available on up-level models, and the truck comes with Sync 4, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Over-the-air updates will keep the software current, and a "hands free" driving option will be available late next year. Other stuff? A new available Tailgate Work Surface boosts productivity at the back of the truck (to compete with GMC), while a new optional Interior Work Surface makes using a laptop or eating your Five Guys Cajun Fries more comfortable. Another innovation? Max Recline Seats are available (with nearly 180 degrees of recline) to help customers rest between jobs (although the possibilities for those seats are endless). Available Pro Power Onboard™ means customers can leave the generator at home and free up cargo space; there’s enough energy to power 28 average refrigerators, charge a bed full of electric dirt bikes or run an entire job site worth of tools. A class-exclusive 3.5-liter PowerBoost™ Full hybrid engine is targeted to have the most torque and horsepower of any light-duty full-size pickup, at least 12,000 pounds of maximum available towing capacity and a targeted EPA-estimated range of approximately 700 miles on a single tank of gas. (Key word here? Targeted.) Needless to say, the F-150 is the single most important launch for Ford. Without it there's no Mustang, no Mach-E, no Explorer, no Lincoln and well... no nothing. We hope the launch goes well; they can't afford to screw this one up. -PMD
The all-new F-150 Limited (above and below) in Smoked Quartz Tinted Clearcoat.
The all-new F-150 Lariat in Rapid Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat.
The cabin is completely redesigned with more comfort, technology and functionality for truck customers, along with more premium materials, more color choices and more storage. Shown here is the interior of the all-new F-150 Limited King Ranch.
Left to right: The all-new F-150 Limited in Smoked Quartz Tinted Clearcoat, F-150 Lariat in Rapid Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat and F-150 XLT Sport Appearance Package in Carbonized Gray.
Editor-in-Chief's Note: To help you understand the importance of the F-150 pickup truck to the Ford Motor Company, I will put it in the simplest terms: Ford simply wouldn't exist without it. The F-150 is "The Franchise" and the straw that stirs Ford's drink. So even though the "all-new" 2021 Ford F-150 is a deep refreshing, and it offers "the most maximum towing, payload, torque and horsepower of any full-size light-duty pickup," according to Ford PR minions, it's a huge deal to Ford. The exterior design of this - the fourteenth generation of the F-150 - is tweaked to deliver a bolder look, with a staggering choice of eleven different grilles, three different headlight combinations, and multiple wheel options; enough, it seems, to please everyone. But with stiff competition from Ram and Chevrolet, the focus of the refresh has rightly been directed at the interior, which has more comfort, technology and functionality than ever before. A twelve-inch horizontal center screen is available on up-level models, and the truck comes with Sync 4, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Over-the-air updates will keep the software current, and a "hands free" driving option will be available late next year. Other stuff? A new available Tailgate Work Surface boosts productivity at the back of the truck (to compete with GMC), while a new optional Interior Work Surface makes using a laptop or eating your Five Guys Cajun Fries more comfortable. Another innovation? Max Recline Seats are available (with nearly 180 degrees of recline) to help customers rest between jobs (although the possibilities for those seats are endless). Available Pro Power Onboard™ means customers can leave the generator at home and free up cargo space; there’s enough energy to power 28 average refrigerators, charge a bed full of electric dirt bikes or run an entire job site worth of tools. A class-exclusive 3.5-liter PowerBoost™ Full hybrid engine is targeted to have the most torque and horsepower of any light-duty full-size pickup, at least 12,000 pounds of maximum available towing capacity and a targeted EPA-estimated range of approximately 700 miles on a single tank of gas. (Key word here? Targeted.) Needless to say, the F-150 is the single most important launch for Ford. Without it there's no Mustang, no Mach-E, no Explorer, no Lincoln and well... no nothing. We hope the launch goes well; they can't afford to screw this one up. -PMD
The all-new F-150 Limited (above and below) in Smoked Quartz Tinted Clearcoat. The all-new F-150 Lariat in Rapid Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat.The cabin is completely redesigned with more comfort, technology and functionality for truck customers, along with more premium materials, more color choices and more storage. Shown here is the interior of the all-new F-150 Limited King Ranch.Left to right: The all-new F-150 Limited in Smoked Quartz Tinted Clearcoat, F-150 Lariat in Rapid Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat and F-150 XLT Sport Appearance Package in Carbonized Gray.
(Eagle photos)
Question: What’s the best an E-Type can be? Eagle - the world’s leading specialist in legendary Jaguars - from East Sussex, England, believes it has the answer. The company's more than 35 years of E-Type experience has been focused on the analysis of every component, identifying no compromise design improvements, followed by an 8,000 hour build to create the missing model in Jaguar’s E-Type evolution: a Lightweight, thoroughly re-engineered to be enjoyed on the road. Only twelve Lightweights were manufactured by Jaguar, introducing their most exotic E-Type for the 1963 season. Noisy, brutal, exhilarating and exhausting, these brilliant race cars were intoxicating on the track and visceral on the road. Six years earlier, Jaguar had re-equipped and re-tuned sixteen of their legendary D-Type racers to create the XKSS: race car fast, yet with a level of comfort and refinement that allowed owners such as Steve McQueen to drive them every day. Until now, there has been no Lightweight E-Type equivalent. “An Eagle E-Type is always an ultimate development of the model, with each variation created for a different type of driver,” explains Eagle founder Henry Pearman. “Three years ago, a customer asked us to create Eagle’s vision of Jaguar’s ultimate E-Type, the Lightweight. The result of that project is the Eagle Lightweight GT, rigorously developed and proven and now ready for further builds.” The challenge for Pearman’s team was even greater than that of creating its three other E-Type Special Editions, the Speedster, Low Drag GT and Spyder GT. “The factory Lightweight was a stripped-out racer. We wanted to retain that special feel of a 60s competition car from an incredible era in British motorsport, but with the comfort, refinement and reliability that would make it an exhilarating daily driver or long-distance GT.”
The process begins with a 100 per cent strip-down of an original Series 1 E-Type. Every panel is replaced with lightweight aluminum of a modern grade more suited to road use than the thin, fragile material of the original Lightweights. Specialist craftsmen invest more than 2,500 hours forming the sensual curves, then fitting them to a tolerance many times more demanding than those specified by Jaguar’s Competition Department. The famous Lightweight profile is faithfully recreated, with subtle enhancements to aerodynamics including a deeper rear ramp angle, deeper sills (which also increase chassis stiffness and allow the driver to sit lower, improving headroom and lowering the center of gravity) and increased screen rake front and rear with bespoke glass. Wheel arch size has also been enlarged to accommodate 16” peg-drive magnesium alloy wheels, modeled on the original Dunlop racing wheels but wider, with a little more offset and one inch taller to allow more modern tires.
The heart of the car is Eagle’s 4.7-liter evolution of the famous Jaguar XK straight six that was fitted not just to E-Types, but also to the C and D-Types that, in the 1950s, won an astonishing five outright victories at Le Mans. Factory Lightweights were specified with an aluminum block replacing the iron block of road cars, an upgrade replicated by Eagle. A bespoke crankshaft, pistons and con rods improve responsiveness and durability, while a wide-angle head, as specified for factory Lightweights, accommodates larger valves and a higher lift camshaft for improved breathing. Peak power of 380HP arrives at 5,750 rpm, but the pleasure of this unit is the vast wave of torque: 375 lb ft at 4,000 rpm and a wonderfully flat curve that makes the Eagle Lightweight GT feel effortlessly fast, before an urgent, howling dash for the redline. Ultra-lightweight magnesium alloys are specified for the gearbox case, bell housing, differential case, sump and rear hub carriers. The gearbox has been uprated to a carefully re-engineered, all synchromesh five speed unit, taking care to provide a perfect period feel to the change with no compromise in the position of the lever. There is no compromise allowed in the gearbox ratios either, as each one has been designed to ensure a seamless flow of torque that is ideally matched to the weight of the car and the characteristics of the engine.
Attention to detail is continued throughout the Eagle Lightweight GT in the most comprehensive review and enhancement of an E-Type ever undertaken, accomplished with great sensitivity to the original feel and aesthetic. Take the driving position as an example. The design of the floor pan, pedal mountings and the rear bulkhead have been tweaked to dramatically increase legroom in the E-Type’s notoriously cramped cabin while the seats are redesigned to improve safety, retention and long-term comfort. The remarkable attention to detail has even increased finger room around the seat adjusters, using the latest 3D printing techniques to create bespoke control levers. Comfortable road use also means resisting the temptation to give the Eagle Lightweight GT an exhaust note that shouts "race car" or a track-focused suspension calibration that too often makes such vehicles too harsh. “Far more challenging is to combine taught, sportscar dynamics with the ride quality and refinement of a world-class Grand Tourer,” explains technical director Paul Brace. Working together with the seats and tires, Eagle’s lightweight suspension, carefully specified geometry, spring rates, bushings and bespoke Ohlins adjustable dampers, ensures long distances can be completed in refreshing comfort.
Most of the revisions, like the gorgeous peg-drive magnesium alloy wheels and aluminum three-eared wheel spinner nuts, could be described as ultimate developments of the correct period technologies, but there are also carefully selected modern systems that have been discreetly integrated. Braking is by four piston, servo assisted vented discs, a subtly integrated electrical distribution panel increases safety and reliability and the extreme cabin heat of the original is solved by modern thermal barrier materials and the careful integration of a discreet air conditioning system designed in-house to eliminate the compromises that would be inevitable with a bought-in design.
Pearman says the Lightweight GT is a classic supercar that fuses the character and charm of the original Jaguar E-Type with the intoxicating thrills of a 1963 factory Lightweight, thoughtfully and comprehensively re-engineered to ensure the new owner enjoys every mile, every day. For enthusiasts wanting to wrap the intense flavors of 60s motorsport in the sumptuous, hand crafted comforts of a luxury GT, “this,” he states with confidence, “is as good as an E-Type can be.” The Lightweight GT joins Eagle’s three established E-Type special editions: the Speedster, Low Drag GT and Spyder GT. Just two of these E-Types will slip discreetly from their UK workshops each year, each one the product of more than 8,000 hours of skilled workmanship and 35 years of focused, passionate, E-Type experience. More? Go here: www.eaglegb.com
Question: What’s the best an E-Type can be? Eagle - the world’s leading specialist in legendary Jaguars - from East Sussex, England, believes it has the answer. The company's more than 35 years of E-Type experience has been focused on the analysis of every component, identifying no compromise design improvements, followed by an 8,000 hour build to create the missing model in Jaguar’s E-Type evolution: a Lightweight, thoroughly re-engineered to be enjoyed on the road. Only twelve Lightweights were manufactured by Jaguar, introducing their most exotic E-Type for the 1963 season. Noisy, brutal, exhilarating and exhausting, these brilliant race cars were intoxicating on the track and visceral on the road. Six years earlier, Jaguar had re-equipped and re-tuned sixteen of their legendary D-Type racers to create the XKSS: race car fast, yet with a level of comfort and refinement that allowed owners such as Steve McQueen to drive them every day. Until now, there has been no Lightweight E-Type equivalent. “An Eagle E-Type is always an ultimate development of the model, with each variation created for a different type of driver,” explains Eagle founder Henry Pearman. “Three years ago, a customer asked us to create Eagle’s vision of Jaguar’s ultimate E-Type, the Lightweight. The result of that project is the Eagle Lightweight GT, rigorously developed and proven and now ready for further builds.” The challenge for Pearman’s team was even greater than that of creating its three other E-Type Special Editions, the Speedster, Low Drag GT and Spyder GT. “The factory Lightweight was a stripped-out racer. We wanted to retain that special feel of a 60s competition car from an incredible era in British motorsport, but with the comfort, refinement and reliability that would make it an exhilarating daily driver or long-distance GT.”
The process begins with a 100 per cent strip-down of an original Series 1 E-Type. Every panel is replaced with lightweight aluminum of a modern grade more suited to road use than the thin, fragile material of the original Lightweights. Specialist craftsmen invest more than 2,500 hours forming the sensual curves, then fitting them to a tolerance many times more demanding than those specified by Jaguar’s Competition Department. The famous Lightweight profile is faithfully recreated, with subtle enhancements to aerodynamics including a deeper rear ramp angle, deeper sills (which also increase chassis stiffness and allow the driver to sit lower, improving headroom and lowering the center of gravity) and increased screen rake front and rear with bespoke glass. Wheel arch size has also been enlarged to accommodate 16” peg-drive magnesium alloy wheels, modeled on the original Dunlop racing wheels but wider, with a little more offset and one inch taller to allow more modern tires.The heart of the car is Eagle’s 4.7-liter evolution of the famous Jaguar XK straight six that was fitted not just to E-Types, but also to the C and D-Types that, in the 1950s, won an astonishing five outright victories at Le Mans. Factory Lightweights were specified with an aluminum block replacing the iron block of road cars, an upgrade replicated by Eagle. A bespoke crankshaft, pistons and con rods improve responsiveness and durability, while a wide-angle head, as specified for factory Lightweights, accommodates larger valves and a higher lift camshaft for improved breathing. Peak power of 380HP arrives at 5,750 rpm, but the pleasure of this unit is the vast wave of torque: 375 lb ft at 4,000 rpm and a wonderfully flat curve that makes the Eagle Lightweight GT feel effortlessly fast, before an urgent, howling dash for the redline. Ultra-lightweight magnesium alloys are specified for the gearbox case, bell housing, differential case, sump and rear hub carriers. The gearbox has been uprated to a carefully re-engineered, all synchromesh five speed unit, taking care to provide a perfect period feel to the change with no compromise in the position of the lever. There is no compromise allowed in the gearbox ratios either, as each one has been designed to ensure a seamless flow of torque that is ideally matched to the weight of the car and the characteristics of the engine. Attention to detail is continued throughout the Eagle Lightweight GT in the most comprehensive review and enhancement of an E-Type ever undertaken, accomplished with great sensitivity to the original feel and aesthetic. Take the driving position as an example. The design of the floor pan, pedal mountings and the rear bulkhead have been tweaked to dramatically increase legroom in the E-Type’s notoriously cramped cabin while the seats are redesigned to improve safety, retention and long-term comfort. The remarkable attention to detail has even increased finger room around the seat adjusters, using the latest 3D printing techniques to create bespoke control levers. Comfortable road use also means resisting the temptation to give the Eagle Lightweight GT an exhaust note that shouts "race car" or a track-focused suspension calibration that too often makes such vehicles too harsh. “Far more challenging is to combine taught, sportscar dynamics with the ride quality and refinement of a world-class Grand Tourer,” explains technical director Paul Brace. Working together with the seats and tires, Eagle’s lightweight suspension, carefully specified geometry, spring rates, bushings and bespoke Ohlins adjustable dampers, ensures long distances can be completed in refreshing comfort.Most of the revisions, like the gorgeous peg-drive magnesium alloy wheels and aluminum three-eared wheel spinner nuts, could be described as ultimate developments of the correct period technologies, but there are also carefully selected modern systems that have been discreetly integrated. Braking is by four piston, servo assisted vented discs, a subtly integrated electrical distribution panel increases safety and reliability and the extreme cabin heat of the original is solved by modern thermal barrier materials and the careful integration of a discreet air conditioning system designed in-house to eliminate the compromises that would be inevitable with a bought-in design.Pearman says the Lightweight GT is a classic supercar that fuses the character and charm of the original Jaguar E-Type with the intoxicating thrills of a 1963 factory Lightweight, thoughtfully and comprehensively re-engineered to ensure the new owner enjoys every mile, every day. For enthusiasts wanting to wrap the intense flavors of 60s motorsport in the sumptuous, hand crafted comforts of a luxury GT, “this,” he states with confidence, “is as good as an E-Type can be.” The Lightweight GT joins Eagle’s three established E-Type special editions: the Speedster, Low Drag GT and Spyder GT. Just two of these E-Types will slip discreetly from their UK workshops each year, each one the product of more than 8,000 hours of skilled workmanship and 35 years of focused, passionate, E-Type experience. More? Go here: www.eaglegb.com
(Lamborghini)
Automobili Lamborghini and The Italian Sea Group have unveiled the "Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63," the Tecnomar fleet’s new motor yacht available in a limited edition in reference to Lamborghini’s 1963 foundation. Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 is "not just an exercise in style and design; it represents the vanguard in luxury speed boats," according to Lamborghini PR minions. Powered by two MAN V12-2000 hp engines, the motor yacht reaches 60 knots and will be the fastest of the Tecnomar fleet, satisfying the demands of the collector as well as those loving life at sea. The carbon fiber material, typical of Lamborghini super sports cars, puts this motor yacht firmly in the ultra-lightweight boat classification, with its 63-foot length weighing in at just 24 tons.
Automobili Lamborghini and The Italian Sea Group have unveiled the "Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63," the Tecnomar fleet’s new motor yacht available in a limited edition in reference to Lamborghini’s 1963 foundation. Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 is "not just an exercise in style and design; it represents the vanguard in luxury speed boats," according to Lamborghini PR minions. Powered by two MAN V12-2000 hp engines, the motor yacht reaches 60 knots and will be the fastest of the Tecnomar fleet, satisfying the demands of the collector as well as those loving life at sea. The carbon fiber material, typical of Lamborghini super sports cars, puts this motor yacht firmly in the ultra-lightweight boat classification, with its 63-foot length weighing in at just 24 tons.
(Dodge images)
2021 marks the year that Dodge is distilled into a pure performance brand, offering Hellcat-powered, 700+ horsepower SRT versions of every model across the lineup, starting with the new 710HP Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat (above), the most powerful SUV ever. The 2021 Dodge Durango features new exterior styling, a new interior with "driver-centric" cockpit and, of course, the new 710HP SRT Hellcat model, powered by the proven supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® Hellcat V-8 engine (with 645 lb.-ft. of torque) paired with the quick-shifting TorqueFlite 8HP95 eight-speed automatic transmission. It has massivestandard Brembo high-performance six-piston, two-piece (front) and four-piston (rear) calipers, and vented rotors at all four corners measuring 15.75 inches (front) and 13.8 inches (rear). The three-row muscle SUV runs 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, has a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) certified quarter-mile elapsed time of 11.5 seconds, a top speed of 180 mph and runs 1.5 seconds faster than the SRT 392 on a 2.1-mile road course, equal to nine car lengths after one lap, according to Dodge PR minions. Dodge will build the Durango SRT Hellcat for the 2021 model year only; dealer orders open this summer and vehicles are scheduled to start arriving in Dodge//SRT dealerships this fall. Editor-in-Chief's Note: After reading all of the gushing praise for the new Porsche Cayenne GTS from the mainstream automotive media of late - and reading about the heavily optioned sticker prices going well over $150,000 - the Durango SRT Hellcat sounds like the perfect antidote for stupid money spending. -PMD
Dodge is calling its new, 797HP Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye "the Most Powerful and Fastest Mass-produced Sedan in the World," and who are we to argue? To back its claim Dodge offers these statistics: It has the most powerful production V8 engine with 797HP and 707 lb.-ft. of torque; it has a top speed of 203 mph; and it is the quickest production Charger ever with a quarter-mile elapsed time (ET) of 10.6 seconds at 129 mph. The Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye features the aggressive Widebody, introduced on the Charger SRT Hellcat in 2020 as standard, with integrated fender flares that add 3.5 inches of width over the wider wheels and tires. Redeye models also feature a newly designed, functional performance hood. Dealer orders open for 2021 Dodge Charger models this fall, including the new SRT Hellcat Redeye; vehicles are scheduled to start arriving in dealerships in early 2021.
Dodge is calling its 2020 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock "the World’s Quickest and Most Powerful Muscle Car." The 2020 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock is powered by the same supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® high-output V-8 that powers the SRT Hellcat Redeye, but features a revised powertrain calibration that increases power output to a staggering 807HP. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.25 seconds and has a quarter-mile elapsed time of 10.5 seconds at 131 mph with a tire-limited top speed of 168 mph. The widebody comes standard on the Challenger SRT Super Stock, making room for the bigger wheels and standard drag radials adding 3.5 inches of overall width to the vehicle. About those radials? The Challenger SRT Super Stock is equipped with standard lightweight 18-inch-by-11-inch wheels in Low Gloss Granite finish, riding on sticky 315/40R18 Nitto NT05R drag radials at all four corners. Dealer orders are scheduled to open for the 2020 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock this summer with production starting at the Brampton (Ont.) Assembly Plant this fall. Deliveries to Dodge//SRT dealerships are scheduled to begin later this year. Editor-in-Chief's Note: Dodge is choosing to ride this "home of bad-ass cars" thing as far as they can take it. And frankly, I applaud the True Believers at Dodge for doing so. If we are truly in the last throes of the Golden Era of Performance - and I believe we are - then kudos to Dodge for keeping the hammer down hard. -PMD
2021 marks the year that Dodge is distilled into a pure performance brand, offering Hellcat-powered, 700+ horsepower SRT versions of every model across the lineup, starting with the new 710HP Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat (above), the most powerful SUV ever. The 2021 Dodge Durango features new exterior styling, a new interior with "driver-centric" cockpit and, of course, the new 710HP SRT Hellcat model, powered by the proven supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® Hellcat V-8 engine (with 645 lb.-ft. of torque) paired with the quick-shifting TorqueFlite 8HP95 eight-speed automatic transmission. It has massivestandard Brembo high-performance six-piston, two-piece (front) and four-piston (rear) calipers, and vented rotors at all four corners measuring 15.75 inches (front) and 13.8 inches (rear). The three-row muscle SUV runs 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, has a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) certified quarter-mile elapsed time of 11.5 seconds, a top speed of 180 mph and runs 1.5 seconds faster than the SRT 392 on a 2.1-mile road course, equal to nine car lengths after one lap, according to Dodge PR minions. Dodge will build the Durango SRT Hellcat for the 2021 model year only; dealer orders open this summer and vehicles are scheduled to start arriving in Dodge//SRT dealerships this fall. Editor-in-Chief's Note: After reading all of the gushing praise for the new Porsche Cayenne GTS from the mainstream automotive media of late - and reading about the heavily optioned sticker prices going well over $150,000 - the Durango SRT Hellcat sounds like the perfect antidote for stupid money spending. -PMD
Dodge is calling its new, 797HP Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye "the Most Powerful and Fastest Mass-produced Sedan in the World," and who are we to argue? To back its claim Dodge offers these statistics: It has the most powerful production V8 engine with 797HP and 707 lb.-ft. of torque; it has a top speed of 203 mph; and it is the quickest production Charger ever with a quarter-mile elapsed time (ET) of 10.6 seconds at 129 mph. The Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye features the aggressive Widebody, introduced on the Charger SRT Hellcat in 2020 as standard, with integrated fender flares that add 3.5 inches of width over the wider wheels and tires. Redeye models also feature a newly designed, functional performance hood. Dealer orders open for 2021 Dodge Charger models this fall, including the new SRT Hellcat Redeye; vehicles are scheduled to start arriving in dealerships in early 2021.Dodge is calling its 2020 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock "the World’s Quickest and Most Powerful Muscle Car." The 2020 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock is powered by the same supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® high-output V-8 that powers the SRT Hellcat Redeye, but features a revised powertrain calibration that increases power output to a staggering 807HP. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.25 seconds and has a quarter-mile elapsed time of 10.5 seconds at 131 mph with a tire-limited top speed of 168 mph. The widebody comes standard on the Challenger SRT Super Stock, making room for the bigger wheels and standard drag radials adding 3.5 inches of overall width to the vehicle. About those radials? The Challenger SRT Super Stock is equipped with standard lightweight 18-inch-by-11-inch wheels in Low Gloss Granite finish, riding on sticky 315/40R18 Nitto NT05R drag radials at all four corners. Dealer orders are scheduled to open for the 2020 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock this summer with production starting at the Brampton (Ont.) Assembly Plant this fall. Deliveries to Dodge//SRT dealerships are scheduled to begin later this year. Editor-in-Chief's Note: Dodge is choosing to ride this "home of bad-ass cars" thing as far as they can take it. And frankly, I applaud the True Believers at Dodge for doing so. If we are truly in the last throes of the Golden Era of Performance - and I believe we are - then kudos to Dodge for keeping the hammer down hard. -PMDEditor's Note: Back in early April, metro Detroit-based ad agency Doner created an ad called "When the Motor Stops," which paid tribute to the resilience and determination of the Motor City as it fought the COVID-19 pandemic. We decided to re-run it this week for those who may have missed it. This is an example of true magic in advertising, when all things come together just so to create something exceptionally powerful. But what is it that differentiates this Doner ad from just about any other car advertising we're seeing today? PASSION. The Doner team had a passion for their subject that literally dripped off every frame of the video and every word of the script. It resonates because it is so heartfelt and also because it is so rare to see passion at all in advertising. You can't convey what you don't feel (i.e., if you have no real idea what you are writing about); the result just feels and sounds hollow. "When the Motor Stops" is one of our all-time favorite ads. -WG
AE Song Lyrics of the Week:
Forgive? Sounds good
Forget? I'm not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I'm still waiting
I'm through with doubt
There's nothing left for me to figure out
I've paid a price
And I'll keep paying
I'm not ready to make nice
I'm not ready to back down
I'm still mad as hell and
I don't have time to go 'round and 'round and 'round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
'Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should
I know you said
Can't you just get over it?
It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it
I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don't mind sayin'
It's a sad, sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Sayin' that I better
Shut up and sing or my life will be over
I'm not ready to make nice
I'm not ready to back down
I'm still mad as hell and
I don't have time to go 'round and 'round and 'round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
'Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should
I'm not ready to back down
I'm still mad as hell and
I don't have time to go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
'Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should
What it is you think I should
Forgive? Sounds good
Forget? I'm not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I'm still waiting
"Not Ready To Make Nice" - The Dixie Chicks (now officially known as "The Chicks"), from the album "Taking The Long Way" (2006) produced by Rick Rubin.* Watch it here.
*When Natalie Maines remarked at a London concert on March 10, 2003 that she was "ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas," the Dixie Chicks were dropped from playlists at many radio stations and subjected to attacks on their character, even death threats. This song finds them standing up for themselves and refusing to back down from their statements. They might be willing to forgive at some point, but they're never going to forget. Dan Wilson from the group Semisonic wrote this song with the Dixie Chicks. The collaboration came about when Rick Rubin, who was working with Wilson on his 2005 solo album Free Life and also on the Chicks' album Taking The Long Way, teamed them up. Wilson drove from Los Angeles to Santa Monica, on the way thinking up an idea for a song called "Undivided," which would find the trio singing about the things that unite Americans. When Wilson shared the idea during their first songwriting session, Natalie Maines asked, "Does that mean that in the song, we would have to forgive all the people that screwed us?" "For the song, maybe," Wilson replied. "Nope." With a clear idea of what they were looking for, Wilson started working on what became "Not Ready to Make Nice." Emily Robison said: "The stakes were definitely higher on that song. We knew it was special because it was so autobiographical, and we had to get it right. We've all gone through so many emotions about the incident. We talked for days with Dan before putting pen to paper, and he really helped get inside our heads and put these feelings out. And once we had this song done, it freed us up to do the rest of the album without that burden." Natalie Maines added: "We tried to write about the incident a few times, but you get nervous that you're being too preachy or too victimized or too nonchalant. Dan came in with an idea that was some kind of concession, more 'can't we all just get along?' and I said, nope, I can't say that, can't do it. And we talked about it, and he said, what about "I'm not ready to make nice?" From the outside, normal people really weren't aware of how bizarre and absurd it got. Dan was really good at clueing in to that, saying something that didn't back down, but still had a vulnerability to it. This album was therapy. To write these songs allowed me to find peace with everything and move on." The title is something Dan Wilson's mother used to say to him when she wasn't yet ready to forgive his latest misdeed. (Knowledge courtesy of songfacts.com)
Forgive? Sounds good
Forget? I'm not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I'm still waiting
I'm through with doubt
There's nothing left for me to figure out
I've paid a price
And I'll keep paying
I'm not ready to make nice
I'm not ready to back down
I'm still mad as hell and
I don't have time to go 'round and 'round and 'round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
'Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should
I know you said
Can't you just get over it?
It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it
I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don't mind sayin'
It's a sad, sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Sayin' that I better
Shut up and sing or my life will be over
I'm not ready to make nice
I'm not ready to back down
I'm still mad as hell and
I don't have time to go 'round and 'round and 'round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
'Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should
I'm not ready to back down
I'm still mad as hell and
I don't have time to go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
'Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should
What it is you think I should
Forgive? Sounds good
Forget? I'm not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I'm still waiting
"Not Ready To Make Nice" - The Dixie Chicks (now officially known as "The Chicks"), from the album "Taking The Long Way" (2006) produced by Rick Rubin.* Watch it here.
*When Natalie Maines remarked at a London concert on March 10, 2003 that she was "ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas," the Dixie Chicks were dropped from playlists at many radio stations and subjected to attacks on their character, even death threats. This song finds them standing up for themselves and refusing to back down from their statements. They might be willing to forgive at some point, but they're never going to forget. Dan Wilson from the group Semisonic wrote this song with the Dixie Chicks. The collaboration came about when Rick Rubin, who was working with Wilson on his 2005 solo album Free Life and also on the Chicks' album Taking The Long Way, teamed them up. Wilson drove from Los Angeles to Santa Monica, on the way thinking up an idea for a song called "Undivided," which would find the trio singing about the things that unite Americans. When Wilson shared the idea during their first songwriting session, Natalie Maines asked, "Does that mean that in the song, we would have to forgive all the people that screwed us?" "For the song, maybe," Wilson replied. "Nope." With a clear idea of what they were looking for, Wilson started working on what became "Not Ready to Make Nice." Emily Robison said: "The stakes were definitely higher on that song. We knew it was special because it was so autobiographical, and we had to get it right. We've all gone through so many emotions about the incident. We talked for days with Dan before putting pen to paper, and he really helped get inside our heads and put these feelings out. And once we had this song done, it freed us up to do the rest of the album without that burden." Natalie Maines added: "We tried to write about the incident a few times, but you get nervous that you're being too preachy or too victimized or too nonchalant. Dan came in with an idea that was some kind of concession, more 'can't we all just get along?' and I said, nope, I can't say that, can't do it. And we talked about it, and he said, what about "I'm not ready to make nice?" From the outside, normal people really weren't aware of how bizarre and absurd it got. Dan was really good at clueing in to that, saying something that didn't back down, but still had a vulnerability to it. This album was therapy. To write these songs allowed me to find peace with everything and move on." The title is something Dan Wilson's mother used to say to him when she wasn't yet ready to forgive his latest misdeed. (Knowledge courtesy of songfacts.com)