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The Ram 1500 Classic is being discontinued after the 2024 model year, the company confirmed.The Classic was a continuation of the previous-generation truck, meant to serve as a more affordable alternative to the Ram 1500 that launched in 2019.Without the Classic on sale, Ram will no longer offer a new half-ton pickup with a Hemi V-8 engine.The Ram 1500 Classic is finally being laid to rest. The Classic was a continuation of the previous-generation Ram 1500, which first launched in 2009. When the latest iteration of the Ram 1500 arrived in 2019, the older truck adopted the Classic moniker and stuck around as a more affordable, bare-bones option. But now the Ram 1500 Classic is being discontinued, meaning Ram will no longer offer a half-ton truck with a V-8 engine.A company spokesperson today confirmed the news to Car and Driver, stating that the Ram 1500 Classic’s departure comes as the result of “the introduction of the Tradesman trim on the newer Ram 1500 for the 2024 model year.” For 2025, the Tradesman remains the 1500’s entry-level trim, and it comes with a $42,270 base price.StellantisThe 2024 Ram 1500 Classic was offered in two trims, the Tradesman and the Warlock. The former started at $40,700, a $6460 increase over the Classic’s 2023 starting price and only $715 cheaper than the 2024 version of the newer-generation truck. Previous versions of the Classic had represented a more notable savings over modern 1500s.The 1500 Classic had been offered with both the Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 and the Hemi 5.7-liter V-8. The latest update to the Ram 1500 for the 2025 model year sees the truck come standard with the Hurricane twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, so without the Classic on sale, it is now no longer possible to buy a current-model-year 1500 pickup with a Hemi V-8.The Hemi V-8 lives on for the time being in the 2025 Dodge Durango, and Ram’s heavy-duty trucks still offer the 6.4-liter V-8. If you want the old-school 1500 Classic, Ram still has some left on dealership lots, with the spokesperson confirming that “the Hemi-powered Ram 1500 Classic will sell into 2025.”More Ram ReadingCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

The Mitsubishi Mirage has officially been declared dead, as it will not return to the U.S. market for the 2025 model year.With the Mirage hatchback and the Mirage G4 sedan going away, that leaves the Nissan Versa as the last new car that starts under $20K. A Mitsubishi spokesperson told Car and Driver that the company expects dealers stock of the outgoing Mirage models to last into next summer. The time has finally come for the Mitsubishi Mirage to take a dirt nap. The death of the Mirage hatchback and Mirage G4 sedan, which for the 2024 model year started at $18,015 and $19,115, respectively, means that new cars priced below $20,000 are bordering on extinction. The Nissan Versa, with its $17,820 base price, is currently all that remains.The news of the Mirage’s demise was confirmed today to Car and Driver by Jeremy Barnes, Mitsubishi’s North American spokesman. “Mirage is being discontinued in the U.S. market, and there will not be a 2025 model,” he said. “Production will cease late this year, and we expect to have sufficient dealer stock to last into the summer of 2025.”MitsubishiMitsubishiWhen it comes to the death of the Mitsubishi Mirage siblings, the writing was on the wall. Last year, it was reported that the subcompact car was on the chopping block due to shrinking sales. While affordable new cars are still popular among shoppers, it was clear that the Mirage was well past its sell-by date. Sure, it was among the cheapest new cars on sale in the U.S., but it also had the distinction of being the wimpiest, with both body styles featuring a 78-hp(!) three-cylinder engine.More Mirage ReadingEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

Dodge has posted a video on social media showing off the faux exhaust sound of the new Charger Daytona EV.The “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust” emits a roar that does an impressive job of imitating a V-8 engine.The Charger Daytona also has a Stealth mode for drivers who prefer subtlety.Over the past two decades, the Dodge Charger has gained notoriety for its aggressive looks, tire-spinning power figures, and, most notably, its V-8 roar. When Dodge unveiled the Charger Daytona EV in March, the new electric car checked off two of those boxes, with a square-jawed face and a maximum output of 670 horsepower. But the question remained as to what the Charger Daytona would sound like, with the original 2022 concept boasting a “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust” that promised head-turning levels of noise despite its electric powertrain.Now we have an answer. Dodge has posted a video on social media showing a production-spec Charger Daytona zipping under an overpass, giving us a taste of the aural experience the Charger Daytona will provide once sales kick off later this year. And unsurprisingly, while the noise is artificial, it sounds quite a bit like a V-8 engine.This synthetic soundtrack is produced by the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust. Although Dodge hasn’t revealed much about how the system works, we know it utilizes two passive radiators to create a noise that amps up as speed builds. The original concept was said to be capable of producing 126 decibels, but it’s unclear if that degree of noise will be available on the production vehicle. Regardless, it will likely run afoul of noise restrictions that have popped up in certain cities, such as New York City.Still, from the video, the “exhaust” certainly sounds deafening. If we were to hear it without any context, we have to admit we could be fooled into believing it is the sound of a gas-powered car. There’s even a slight high-pitched whine as the Charger Daytona begins its acceleration, which seems to reference both the whir of electric motors and the wail of a supercharger. For those who prefer the silence of an EV, choosing Stealth mode will turn off the Fratzonic system. More on the New ChargerCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

Some 2024 Toyota Tacoma owners are reporting transmission failures to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.The reported failures seem to affect both manual and automatic gearboxes, with some owners reporting failure within the first 1000 miles. Car and Driver reached out to Toyota for comment on the matter, but we’ve yet to hear back from the company. Toyota hasn’t been having the best summer. After recalling over 102,000 Tundras and Lexus LX models and then agreeing to replace their engines, some Toyota Tacoma owners have now reported transmission failures in the new mid-size pickup truck.Tacoma owners began reporting transmission failures on forums this past June, according to a report by The Drive, and even more complaints have been filed through official channels with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Since the new 2024 Tacoma hasn’t been around very long, most models don’t have very many miles on them, so it’s surprising to see that some of the reports cite trucks with well below 1000 miles on the odometer.Michael Simari|Car and DriverThe problem is reportedly compounded by long wait times for replacement transmissions in the United States, according to The Drive article. On the forums, affected customers have posted wait times of two to four months. Still, it’s important to note that while multiple reports have been filed with NHTSA, currently there are no active investigations or open recalls. Car and Driver reached out to Toyota for comment on the transmission situation, but we have not heard back at the time of publishing. We will update this story if we get a response.More on the 2024 TacomaJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More