Auto Industry News: Dodge Delivers Electric Muscle, Chevy Ramps Up Silverado’s Off-Road Chops, and Ford Faces More Parts Quality Issues

It’s been a busy week for Detroit’s big players. Dodge threw an info-dump at fans right before the Woodward Dream Cruise, announcing the end of the Charger and Challenger models – only to pull the covers off seven tribute models, the all-new Hornet crossover, and the fully electric the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept.

While we attempted to recover from that emotional rollercoaster, Chevy dazzled us with the new Silverado ZR2 Bison. As the “next chapter of off-road dominance,” the pickup features a laundry list of rugged upgrades and hopes to stand up to the impressive RAM 1500 TRX and new Ford Raptor R.

Speaking of Ford, the Blue Oval had a much less enjoyable week than its Motor City neighbors. In addition to finding itself at the center of a new NHTSA recall query for sudden brake hose ruptures, the automaker was slammed with a $1.7 billion verdict for a 2014 pickup crash involving a defective roof design.

Big Dodge News

Last week during Dodge’s Speed Week at M1 Concourse in Detroit, the brand made some startling announcements. Perhaps the most shocking is that production of the much-beloved Charger and Challenger models will come to an end after the 2023 model year. Or at least, the models as we know them will be ending.

The big news comes as Dodge prepares for its electric future – using an updated version of its traditional muscle persona to do so.

“We are celebrating the end of an era — and the start of a bright new electrified future — by staying true to our brand,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge CEO. “At Dodge, we never lift, and the brand will mark the last of our iconic Charger and Challenger nameplates in their current form in the same way that got us here, with a passion both for our products and our enthusiasts that drives us to create as much uniqueness in the muscle car community and marketplace as possible.”

Before they leave the lineup, the ICE-powered Charger and Challenger muscles will be available in some exciting configurations, including seven tribute models. Dodge also plans to expand the SRT Jailbreak models to include the 717-hp SRT Hellcats, as well as unlock new color combinations and add special heritage badging to other Charger and Challenger editions.

A New Muscle Era

The brand offered a sneak peak of its much-anticipated all-electric muscle car with the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept. Aiming to rethink what a battery-electric vehicle can be, the two-door coupe features a new “Banshee” propulsion system that churns out greater performance numbers than the famed SRT Hellcat engine, accompanied by an industry-first BEV exhaust sound.

That’s right, in addition to wearing a familiar-yet-updated aggressive design, this is an electric muscle car you’ll be able to hear coming.

Other “game-changing” features on the concept that will “rewrite the rules of the BEV segment,” according to Dodge, are:

• R-Wing: A unique aerodynamic pass-through design feature that connects the concept with its iconic Dodge Daytona namesake.
• Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust: An industry-first BEV exhaust that can reach 126 dB, making it as loud as a Hellcat-powered Dodge.
• eRupt: A multi-speed transmission with an electro-mechanical shifting experience that’s pure Dodge.

While this model remains a concept, Kuniskis stressed that the Charger Daytona SRT was “not a science project” and said the vehicle “does more than define where Dodge is headed; it will redefine American muscle in the process.”

More Buzz

Another exciting development from Dodge is the return of the Durango Hellcat for the 2023 model year. According to Automotive News, the model doesn’t lose anything from the special 2021 version, serving up “the same 710 hp and 645 pound-feet of torque that made the original such a standout in the three-row utility segment.”

Debuting alongside the resurrected fire-breathing Durango is the all-new Dodge Hornet – the brand’s first plug-in hybrid. The compact crossover will share much of its construction with the 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale (which itself is a heavily-modified version of the Jeep Renegade platform), and aims to fill a gap in Dodge’s lineup since it nixed the Journey in 2020.

The Dodge Hornet will be available in two configurations. An internal-combustion GT version will wear the brand’s new 2.0-liter turbo Hurricane I-4 as standard equipment. With 268 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, as well as a 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds, it will be one of the most powerful small SUVs available.

The higher-end, R/T Hornet plug-in variant marries a 15.5-kWh battery and 90-kW motor to a 1.3-liter turbo I-4 engine and six-speed automatic to create 288 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. Dodge says the model will get more than 30 miles of all-electric range.

Chevy’s Ultimate Off-Roader

The market for supremely capable off-road pickup trucks has been dominated by domestic players thoroughly committed to one-upping each other at every turn. But while the RAM TRX and Ford Raptor duked it out with Jurassic-sized performance numbers, Chevy stayed relatively quiet on the supertruck front – until now.

The bowtie brand pulled the covers off its 2023 Silverado ZR2 Bison, a special-edition designed to “unlock the pinnacle of the nameplate’s off-road capability,” according to the automaker. Made in collaboration with overlanding experts American Expedition Vehicles, Chevy’s new beast builds upon both the Colorado ZR2 Bison from 2019 and the Silverado ZR2 that launched earlier this year.

It may not serve up the same kind of performance numbers as its dinosaur-themed competitors. However, as “the ultimate half-ton truck for backcountry adventures,” the Silverado ZR2 Bison comes standard with:

• Robust, 3-millimeter-thick AEV-stamped steel bumpers with heavy duty recovery points and integrated step pads
• Five unique hot-stamped boron steel skid plates offering complete underbody protection
• Steel rocker panel protection
• Exclusive gloss black 18-inch AEV wheels paired with 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires

The rugged off-roader also includes exciting standard features from the ZR2, including:

• 2L V-8 engine with 10-speed automatic transmission delivering 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque to power through tough terrains
• Uniquely tuned springs that work with Multimatic 40-millimeter DSSV spool-valve dampers to increase maximum front and rear suspension travel
• Front and rear e-lockers
• Specific off-road chassis and suspension calibrations, including Terrain Mode, which allows one-pedal rock crawling

When compared to its 2022 Silverado ZR2 sibling, the Bison special edition will deliver sharper front approach (32.5 degrees) and departure (23.4 degrees) angles, but share the same 11.2-inch ground clearance. The Silverado ZR2 Bison is expected to start production in early 2023, with a $78,490 starting price tag.

New Diesel Option

Silverado fans will be glad to know the automaker is also launching a more powerful diesel option for 2023. The refined second-generation 3.0L inline-six turbo-diesel Duramax offers a max 305 hp, a 10% increase over the 2022 model, and a max torque output of 495 lb-ft, a 7.6% increase over 2022.

Chevy says several key component upgrades are to thank for the better performance, including new steel pistons with a revised combustion bowl, a retuned turbo compressor, new fuel injectors, and improved temperature control features. The diesel engine will be available on Custom Trail Boss, LT, RST, LT Trail Boss, LTZ and High Country trims, and will continue to be exclusively paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Did you know…?

GM now requires all Buick and GMC owners to pony up an additional $1,500 for a three-year subscription to OnStar, the automaker’s in-vehicle safety service that used to be optional. GM believes bundling the software into standard equipment costs will create “a more seamless onboarding experience” and will deliver more customer value. It should also help drive revenue, delivering a potential $25 billion by 2030 according to GM’s own estimates.

Rough Week for Ford

While Chevy and Dodge spent the past few weeks serving up buzzy debuts, Ford battled bad news on a couple fronts.

NHTSA Query

On August 8, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a recall query into 2013-2018 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans after receiving 50 complaints alleging front brake hose failures. The investigation concerns roughly 1.7 million vehicles.

According to the federal agency, several complainants said their brake hoses ruptured and leaked brake fluid with little to no warning. Inadequate brake fluid often results in a soft brake pedal or extended stopping distances, alerting the driver to a problem. However, it can also lead to a total brake system failure. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation said at least one of the failed brake hose complaints included a non-injury crash.

For now, NHTSA is just investigating to see if the problem warrants a recall. It’s worth noting, however, that Ford had a similar problem in 2020. Front brake hoses were rupturing prematurely in that instance as well, leading to a recall on 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. According to NHTSA, these new complaints fall outside the scope of the previous recall.

Parts quality continues to be an issue for Ford – and many automakers. The most recent J.D. Power Initial Quality Study shows that pandemic disruptions caused an 11% increase in problems per 100 vehicles compared to 2021 results, marking a record high in the benchmark study’s 36-year history.

Ford is currently navigating a few high-profile NHSTA investigations concerning Ford Bronco engine failures, Mustang Mach-E battery issues, and Ford F-150 driveshaft problems.

$1.7 Billion Verdict

Late last week, a family’s yearslong civil case against Ford Motor Company came to an end when a jury ordered the automaker to pay $1.7 billion in damages over a 2014 rollover wreck. The plaintiffs, Kim and Adam Hill, are the children of a Georgia couple who died when their 2002 Ford F-250 crashed after a tire rupture.

According to Automotive News, the Hill family claimed that Ford knew the F-250 pickup roofs could not protect occupants during a roll-over event, and not only failed to warn customers but also kept using the defective roof design until 2016. The plaintiffs’ lawyers presented evidence of nearly 80 similar rollover incidents involving crushed truck roofs that injured or killed motorists.

“An award of punitive damages to hopefully warn people riding around in the millions of those trucks Ford sold was the reason the Hill family insisted on a verdict,” lawyer James Butler Jr. said.

In Georgia, 75% of proceeds from punitive damage verdicts go to the state. The rest is split between the plaintiffs and the lawyers.

Ford plans to appeal, telling the Associated Press via statement that “while our sympathies go out to the Hill family, we do not believe the verdict is supported by the evidence.”

The Engine Block is your one-stop source for any and all auto industry news. Keep an eye on our weekly round-up of enthusiast coverage, product reviews, vehicle spotlights, auto show/expo features, and more. Be sure to check back Friday for the next Competition Corner, full of must-see September auto events.