Chrysler
Quick Drive: 2012 Volkswagen Eos
On my usual way in to the office, there’s a nice, wide on-ramp with a very sharp righthand corner before a very short entrance to the freeway. In most cars, to make it to highway speeds before having to merge, I have to carry a lot of speed through that corner. No problem, it’s a great way to start my day, and get a small sense of what the car can do. I start wide on the left, and try to hit the late apex while putting the power back on.
First Look: 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth
At the LA Auto Show, Fiat is unveiling the juiced-up Abarth version of the tiny Fiat 500.
Secondhand Gems: Grand Touring, Three Ways
We’re going out on a limb here to assume that, as a Winding Road reader, you like to drive. (Bold, we know.) Let’s try another tenuous branch and say that not all driving enthusiasts are always enthused about driving, especially those who are required by work or other circumstances to spend a significant amount of time behind the wheel.
Secondhand Gems: $10K Turbo Dreams
We’ve been on a bit of a V-8 kick here in the Secondhand Gems garage for a while, but that shouldn’t suggest we’re biased towards the disemboweling torque and baritone voice those engine are known for.
List: Top Ten American Cars On The Comfort Index
In case you haven’t heard, we are in the process of ramping up for our inaugural Comfort Index Awards. These awards will highlight the most comfortable vehicles in a variety of categories. So to whet your appetite for the awards, here’s a list of the most comfortable American cars on the Winding Road Comfort Index.
Winding Road Issue 73 Is Now Available!
In the newest issue of Winding Road, we review cars with lift gate, from the stylish and compact Scion iQ, to the super sporty new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. Plus, there are lots of other fun, practical vehicles in The Functional Issue 2.0.
Driven: 2011 Dodge Charger Rallye
On the road, the new Charger leaves the old one behind in a few key areas. For a start, the ride feels more balanced between involvement and comfort. Whereas the old car had a tendency to float along, oblivious to the goings on between it and the road, this new model feels decidedly more planted and stable. We did experience a bit of suspension and tire noise, but this is more likely due to the large chrome wheels than anything else.
Comparison Test: 2011 Chrysler Town & Country vs. 2011 Honda Odyssey vs. 2011 Nissan Quest
In the world of the workaday enthusiast, minivans don’t usually come to mind as the fun, stylish vehicle that drivers are clamoring to own or drive. The segment is, however, not without its charms. Especially with the advancement of technology, minivans are seeing more and more in terms of entertainment, convenience, and other ways to keep its occupants assuaged—not always an easy task when some of those occupants are antsy children. Often, it’s the addition of children—and, ultimately, belongings—to one’s life that makes a person begin to see the values of the kind of vehicle they swore they’d never own.
Winding Road Video: 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Tires Up In Smoke
When we traveled to Willow Springs, California and drove the Chrysler Group’s 2012 SRT8 lineup (including a lengthy drive in the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8), the tires on the cars, understandably, underwent a lot of wear and tear on the track. At one point, the tires on a Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 were slated for replacement in just a few minutes, and of brand representatives decided the rubber should go out in style (i.e., in a huge cloud of smoke).
Driven: 2011 Jeep Compass 4×4
Jeep has gotten a number of things right with this new Compass. For a start, a Grand Cherokee-inspired front fascia has replaced the cutesy, on-road-only looks of the last-generation model. We heard more than one passerby mention just how handsome the new front end looks on this small Jeep. From the profile, the Compass benefits from an extra inch of ride height, making it look like it’s actually capable of crossing something tougher than the street. The slightly awkward looking rear end is still there, but the addition of LED taillights improves the overall look, especially at night.
Quick Drive: 2011 Chrysler 200 Convertible Limited
The retractable hard top was a nice touch. When I went to put some groceries in the trunk, though, I could hardly lift the lid with one hand. I was ashamed at my own weakness, so I went home, had a sandwich, and tried again. It wasn’t a fluke; that sucker is heavy.
Blog: Driving New England In The Dodge Challenger SRT8
Planning to see my fiancé Molly’s parents and extended family—stopping first in Boston, and then heading north to New Hampshire and Maine—I really wanted to borrow a car that was both fun and kind of laidback to drive. I’d always thought that the Challenger SRT8 would make a hell of a good GT car, so this seemed the perfect opportunity to try out that theory.
New York And Shanghai Auto Show Wrap-Up
With two major auto shows in the history books, we look back on all the new and improved models, as well as the concept cars, that debuted at the New York and Shanghai shows.
First Look: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
The new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 we’ve been patiently waiting for has arrived in New York. The 2012 model, which will go on sale the third quarter of this year, promises to be the fastest Jeep yet.
First Look: 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8
Well-heeled hooligans, your car has arrived. This is the 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8. It shares the same 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 found in the Dodge Charger SRT8 and the Dodge Challenger SRT8 392. It goes fast.
First Look: 2011 Mopar Charger
Looking to get a zesty version of Dodge’s all-new Charger without making the jump to the rather insane SRT8? Mopar has a limited-edition solution for you, in the form of the creatively named Mopar Charger.
List: Five Convertibles To Bring In Spring
It may still be just a wee bit wintry where we live (okay, okay, it snowed five inches last weekend), but we can’t help but feel that spring weather is just around the corner. Good thing, then, that there are these handful of all-new droptops ready and waiting to be driven and reviewed. Here are five of the convertibles we most anticipate driving in the coming months—a group that should have you excited about top-down, springtime motoring, too.
Winding Road Issue 67 Is Now Available!
In this issue of Winding Road, we go to Portugal for a first drive of McLaren’s stunning MP4-12C.
Driven: 2011 Year In Review(s)
2011 has been a busy year in the Winding Road offices, with auto shows, new model launches, and the usual comings and goings of the automotive industry filling the virtual pages of our website. Even with all the activity, there has been a near-constant stream of automobiles filtering in and out of our parking lot, giving us no shortage of vehicular material to write about.
Driven: 2012 Ford Focus
For what seems like forever, we’ve been hearing the gripes (many originating in our own offices) about how Europe always gets the good stuff. For instance, they get all the small cars with diesel engines and hatchbacks that we don’t see but would love to drive, and maybe even own. It seems that times are a-changin’, thankfully, with the likes of the Chrysler-Fiat connection and Ford’s revised global strategy. The newest no-longer-forbidden fruit is the 2012 Ford Focus, which we were eager to sample when invited to drive it in sunny Los Angeles this winter.
Driven: 2011 Chrysler 300C
There is little argument to the fact of the last-generation Chrysler 300C being a very well received car during its time on sale in the US (2005-2010). Not only did the 300 record massive sales in those first few years—over 250K units through model year 2007—but it was a critical darling, too. That’s a fact that was far from lost on Chrysler’s PR team as they introduced members of the media to the new car this week, as the assemblage of marketers, executives, and engineers managed to utter some version of the phrase “most awarded car in history” about once every four minutes. We get it, people liked what the 300 was selling.
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