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Test Drive: 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye

2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Dodge summons the spirit of the Demon in this ferocious muscle car. By Nick Kurczewski, Car-ED.com | August 2018 With the 840-horsepower Demon now gone from its lineup, Dodge finds a way to translate that car's drag-strip performance into this new Camaro and Mustang-baiting muscle machine. What is this vehicle? The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye has a whole lot of attitude and horsepower to go along with its very long name. For simplicity, let's simply refer to it as the Redeye. And just in case you're wondering, this brand new muscle car has not been named after an early-morning flight option. If you look closely at the Hellcat logo placed on the front fenders, you'll see the growling kitty now sports a set of red eyes. Unbelievably, that's one of the few visual cues that this Dodge has close to 800 horsepower under its heavily-sculpted front hood. Other than the red beady eyes, the Hellcat logo changes from silver to black and, in the case of our test car, you can also choose to add the wide-body exterior treatment, which adds fender flares and bigger tires at the front and rear. Then again, this design flourish is also available on less powerful versions of the Challenger, too. So is this what we'd call an under-the-radar kind of sport machine? Well, the answer is 'yes'...until you get [...]

Nick Kurczewski2018-09-12T14:58:52-04:00Aug 2018|Car Reviews|

First Impressions: 2018 Volkswagen GTI

2018 Volkswagen GTI Finally, a sports car the whole family can agree on (and fit into). By Nick Kurczewski, Contributor, Car-ED.com | July 2018 What is this vehicle? The 2018 Volkswagen GTI proves compromise is still possible, at least when it comes to finding a car that's functional and fun-to-drive on a daily basis. Beneath the GTI's stoic four-door body, and tucked somewhere behind its handy hatchback, is a feisty side that loves to play whenever you punch the gas pedal. Granted, this isn't a Hemi-powered, chest-thumping kind of sports machine. If a Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger are the heavyweight boxing bruisers of the affordable performance world, think of the VW GTI as more of a world-class fencer or slalom skier. For starters, the VW's 220-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine gets you going, quickly. But if smoky burnouts and look-at-me driving shenanigans are what you're after, the GTI could leave you feeling suddenly very...sensible. For the 2018 model year, the GTI is only available in four-door format, as the coupe model sadly got the heave-ho from the lineup. A six-speed manual is the standard transmission, though many buyers will probably spend extra for the available six-speed automatic (which is how our test car was equipped). While we're proponents of manuals, the automatic does an excellent job of smoothly delivering power to the front wheels. Inside the cabin, the materials feel a cut above the [...]

Nick Kurczewski2018-07-30T16:29:45-04:00Jul 2018|Car Reviews|

First Impressions: 2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA

2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA We get a look at Subaru's highest-performance vehicle at Road America. By Cherise Threewitt, Contributor, Car-ED.com | May 2018 At the 2018 Midwest Automotive Association annual Spring Rally, Subaru provided the Type RA variant of the high-performance STI sedan. The STI Type RA was available to test on laps around the Road America track, although it also would have been delightful on the winding roads of Wisconsin. We’re already fans of the WRX and STI, so taking the Type RA for a quick track drive is icing on the cake. Protocol for this particular event emphasizes that we have the privilege of testing cars at Road America, rather than the obligation to pretend that we’re all racing experts, so bear in mind that we weren’t trying to set any records with the STI Type RA, nor was this really the time or place to attempt to find its limits. During those precious few minutes, we found little to complain about. The price is an eye-opener, to be sure, and it will be hard for most buyers to justify the premium over the STI (or even the WRX, for that matter). And while the ultrasuede-finished steering wheel looks great, it quickly gets a little sweaty under high-pressure driving situations. Besides that, the interior is comfortable and easy to set up the way you like, and the firm, [...]

Cherise Threewitt2018-06-04T14:29:03-04:00Jun 2018|Car Reviews|