Safe and Sane: 2009 Dodge Challenger Gets Five-Star Front and Side Impact Rating Posted Today 10:12 AM by Scott_Evans

While classic muscle cars are lauded for their good looks and incredible power, they're fairly unsafe by today's standards. Dodge was well aware of both of these facts when they designed the new Challenger and the proof is in the pudding. The 2009 Dodge Challenger not only looks great but has now received five-star front- and side-impact ratings for front- and rear-seat passengers, as well as a four-star rollover rating. "Safety is a top priority in all Chrysler vehicles, and the all-new 2009 Dodge Challenger features the latest in safety and security features providing our customers with the peace of mind they want and expect," said Larry Lyons, Vice President of the Car and Minivan Product Team for Chrysler. "Dodge Challenger offers an unmistakable heritage design and delivers numerous advanced safety and security features." Thanks to front airbags for both the driver and front seat passenger and side-curtain airbags for all the occupants, the Challenger gets five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in both front and side impacts. The Challenger also fell just one percentage point shy of receiving a five-star rollover rating. Dodge credits a host of safety features including Traction Control, Electronic Stability Protection, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System, an Enhanced Accident Response System and more for the top safety ratings. Source: Dodge, NHTSA

Buy One, Get One Free Dodge Rams in Florida

Posted: Nov. 24, 2008 10:11 a.m.

As the automotive industry struggles with the worst sales figures seen in almost two decades, ridiculous deals have begun appearing. They're typically short-lived, apply only to a handful of cars on one particular dealer's lot, and cover only models that aren't selling well. But they're still jaw-dropping.

Take, for instance, the buy-one-get-one-free Dodge Ram pickup truck at Rob Lambdin's University Dodge in Davie, Florida.

Consumerist spotted it first. They note, "The deal is you buy one Dodge Ram Quad Cab 1500 and you get a Dodge Ram Single Cab for free."

The fine print of the ad says that the offer is only valid on the day of publication, and may change without notice. But it's probably not a trick. Car dealers make payments on the cars on their lots - and when the vehicles sit unsold long enough, it can become cost-effective for the dealer to sell them at a loss just to free space on their lot for a car that's more likely to sell quickly.

The buy-one-get-one-free Ram comes on the heels of the buy-a-Chrysler-Pacifica-get-a-Chrysler-PT-Cruiser-for-$1 deal we saw last week. Have you seen a ridiculous car deal offered in your local newspaper? Let us know.

Research the best car deals for November with U.S. News' Car Reviews.

Detroit 3: Bankruptcy = doom Could General Motors, Chrysler LLC or Ford Motor Co. survive a bankruptcy filing? Could the domestic industry? The CEOs of the Detroit 3 answered with an emphatic "no" last week when some Washington lawmakers broached bankruptcy -- even a quick, prepackaged one -- as an alternative to a $25 billion rescue package. FULL STORY

Ch. 11 would hit dealers hard -- fast A bankruptcy filing by a Detroit 3 automaker would kill many of its dealerships quickly even if the company successfully reorganizes, dealers' lawyers predict. Many dealerships that already are struggling with frozen credit and an economic recession would not survive the instant cash crunch if an automaker decides to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the lawyers say. FULL STORY

Cuts beyond UAW's jobs bank seen

Concessions by the UAW on the jobs banks may help win support for federal loans to help Detroit's automakers survive the global credit crisis, but it would need to be part of a broad package of concessions from all levels of the companies, workers and analysts told the Free Press on Friday.

Carmakers defend use of planes for execs

With the airplanes used by the Detroit Three attracting almost as much attention this week as the cars they make, each automaker issued statements defending the way it uses airplanes for corporate travel.

Business news in brief: Mitsubishi to skip Detroit auto show

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said it won't bring its latest models to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, becoming at least the sixth automaker to abandon the industry's main U.S. showcase.

Democrats: Prove you can repay $25 billion

Democratic leaders in Congress called on Detroit's automakers Friday to submit "credible" financial plans to lawmakers by Dec. 2 for spending up to $25 billion in government money, including vows for "significant sacrifices" by top executives.