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Today, Dodge unveiled what it’s calling “the future of electrified muscle.” The Charger Daytona SRT is an electric performance coupe meant to carry the torch passed by the outgoing Charger and Challenger. The Daytona SRT will have an 800-volt electrical architecture called Banshee. Powertrain specs aren’t available, but Dodge claims it will be faster than a Hellcat. Other features meant to enhance the muscle-car experience include a multi-speed transmission, a temporary horsepower boost button, and an “exhaust” system meant to make the Daytona SRT just as loud as a Hellcat. It seems like the days of proud American muscle cars with forceful V-8 engines and growling exhausts will soon slip gracefully into the past. Dodge’s Charger and Challenger models will take their final bow after 2023, and electric models are encroaching on classic nameplates such as the Chevy Camaro and the Ford Mustang, too.Still, Dodge doesn’t want you to mourn the muscle car just yet. The new Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept is an electric performance coupe set to carry Dodge’s brash legacy forward and become “the future of electrified muscle.”
The heart of the Daytona SRT is its 800-volt electrical architecture christened Banshee. This is double the voltage of the 400-volt architecture used by many other EVs and allows for faster charging, better cooling for the electric motors, and lighter wiring. The Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6 also use 800-volt architectures.Though Dodge hasn’t yet shared any performance or powertrain details for the concept, it claims that the Daytona SRT will be faster than its Hellcat V-8–powered cousins “in all key performance measures.” We assume this means both acceleration and top speed. For reference, the 2023 Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye with the Jailbreak package has a monstrous 807 horsepower, and the Redeye we tested raced to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. A push-to-pass button called PowerShot will provide a temporary power boost. Unlike its ICE-powered, rear-wheel-drive predecessor, the Daytona SRT is all-wheel drive, demonstrated in true Dodge fashion with a four-wheel burnout from a teaser video posted in July of last year. It will also get six-piston brakes, and regenerative braking will surely be incorporated as well.
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To give drivers the feeling of “distinctive shift points”, Dodge has bestowed the Daytona SRT with a multi-speed transmission. Not many details are available beyond that, but a look at a concept image for the interior tells us it’s likely an automatic. The Daytona SRT is also not the first electric car to depart from traditional direct-drive systems; the Taycan and e-tron GT both utilize a two-speed automatic gearbox. Though we can’t say for sure, it seems likely that the Daytona SRT will use a two-speed transmission for improved acceleration and efficiency.
However, the most unique aspect of the Daytona SRT—and the most brazenly gratuitous—is its exhaust. No, Dodge hasn’t found a way for an electric car to pump equal parts engine noise and CO2 into the air, but it did design its Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust to amplify the electric motors’ near silent hum into a 126-decibel cacophony worthy of the SRT badge. The name “Fratzonic” is a variation on Fratzog, the moniker given to the logo featured on Dodge muscle cars in the ’60s and ’70s. That logo makes its return on the Daytona SRT, one of the many ways Dodge has tried to instill the concept with the brand’s history.
Inspired by the tall wing of the original 1969 Charger Daytona, the first NASCAR vehicle to hit 200 mph, the Daytona SRT has a front opening called the R-Wing. The R-Wing is meant to provide better aerodynamics and enhance downforce, assisted by four intakes on the car’s front and rear. The rest of the exterior, evocative of the original Charger’s shapely silhouette, builds on smooth lines and an athletic stance, though the Daytona SRT’s front and rear lights and overall profile are clearly still an evolution of the current Charger and Challenger.
Despite an unmistakable emphasis on performance and muscle, the Daytona SRT aims to be somewhat practical, too. The interior mockups look sleek and modern, and a hatchback design with fold-flat rear seats should provide ample cargo space. Paddle shifters on either side of the squared-off steering wheel control the PowerShot feature and select one of the Daytona SRT’s multiple drive modes.
The Daytona SRT is an ambitious concept, but whether it can live up to all the missions it claims to fulfill remains to be seen. A production version of the car could come as early as 2024, and only then will we know whether an electric car can also be a muscle car.
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• A Canada-built equivalent to the DeLorean DMC-12, the Bricklin SV-1 has many parallels to that legendary car, both in terms of audacity and eventual financial failure.• The name SV-1 stands for Safety Vehicle, and this classic has a number of safety innovations that were quite advanced for its day.• Slightly fewer than 3000 SV-1s were built over a three-year period, but fewer than 150 of them came with the four-speed manual like this example currently up for auction on the Bring a Trailer website.It is said that Icarus, out of pride, flew so close to the sun that his waxen wings melted and he plummeted to his doom. The same fate seems to happen to gullwinged sports cars about once a decade, whether the wings in question are stainless steel (the DeLorean DMC-12) or bonded acrylic resin (as here). But from the financial ashes, a phoenix emerges, ready to be the center of attention at the next car show its new owner might attend.

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And that’s the Bricklin SV-1, a rare and mostly forgotten 1970s sports coupe. The company folded almost 50 years ago, but the cars still have a small but eager fan base. This one’s currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer, which—like Car and Driver—is part of Hearst Autos. With five days to go, bidding sits at just $3500. Malcolm Bricklin was a serial automotive entrepreneur with a shoot-from-the-hip attitude and shoot-from-the-hip accuracy to match. He brought Subaru to America in 1968, and now you can’t visit a hiking trailhead without tripping over a Crosstrek. But he also founded Yugo, and when’s the last time you saw one of those? Or wanted to?

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Between launching these two endeavors, Bricklin launched the SV-1, drawing on the financial assistance of the Canadian government. A factory was built in New Brunswick, the area then economically depressed by the collapse of the local fishing industry, and the car was designed by ArtCenter College graduate Herb Grasse, who had contributed to the original Dodge Challenger.

The idea behind the SV-1 was to embrace incoming U.S. safety regulations wholeheartedly, creating a car fit for modern roads. And not just any car, but a V-8–powered grand tourer capable of going toe to toe with the Chevrolet Corvette. Bricklin’s creation would be striking-looking, with gullwing doors and a sharply sloping nose. It would feature futuristic construction materials and have integrated bumpers and a crash structure to protect its occupants.Launched in 1974 with an AMC-supplied 360-cubic-inch (5.9-liter) V-8 and either a four-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission, the SV-1 was a decent performer. There were teething troubles with overheating, but these were soon solved with a radiator upgrade. Bigger issues were the new factory and inexperienced workforce, cost overruns, and problematic quality control. Six years later, pretty much the exact same problems would kill the DeLorean DMC-12. They did in Bricklin in three.Bricklins can have all kinds of issues to work through, and there are a few with this example. The radio doesn’t work, the A/C isn’t blowing cold, and the windows stick. This last is a pain to address with the heavy gullwing doors, which weigh about 100 pounds each.Signed by the AuthorHowever, this SV-1 has the four-speed manual paired with the 220-hp 5.9-liter AMC V-8. That makes it 10 times rarer than your average Bricklin, and also quite a bit more fun to drive. Provenance is also improved by the signatures of both Malcolm Bricklin and the late Herb Grasse.

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With its conventional, U.S.-sourced powertrain, a Bricklin is a bit tougher than a DeLorean, and easier to keep on the road in terms of mechanical issues. This example also benefits from an upgraded Edelbrock intake manifold and a stainless steel exhaust system.The SV-1 drives far better than you expect it to, and with the exhaust upgrade this version probably honks like an angry Canada goose—they look cute, but Canadians call those birds cobra chickens for a reason. A sense of humor is required for ownership, as there’s a good chance you’ll be propping open one of those gullwing doors with a broom handle at some point. But just think of the stares as you rumble into your local Sunday morning car meet-up.There’s a great deal to be said for a car that was a failure in its day but seems quirky and cool now. Best of all, unlike owning a DeLorean DMC-12, you won’t have to put up with people cracking wise about flux capacitors and hitting 88 miles per hour. Just finish your coffee, pop open the doors, and fly off down the road, 93 million miles away from the sun, a V-8 underfoot, and not a care in the world. The auction ends on Monday, August 22. More

Cadillac has shown off a prototype of the upcoming Celestiq.The new electric hatchback is shown going for its first engineering drive at GM’s Technical Center in Warren, Michigan.We don’t have word on when the Celestiq will reach dealerships. This morning Cadillac shared photos on its social platforms of its new EV flagship, the Celestiq, beginning its road testing in prototype form. As it takes its first drive at GM’s Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, we can see that the production model should look very close to the concept photos released just over a month ago. The Celestiq is expected to reach customers sometime in 2024.

The Celestiq pictured here is wearing blue and white camouflage with hundreds of Cadillac badges in all different orientations meant to create an optical illusion. But the camouflage can’t hide how massive the car is, and its silhouette is remarkably dramatic on the road. The main difference we can tell from the concept is that this prototype has real side-view mirrors.

The electric hatchback is on track to arrive as a 2025 model, although Cadillac hasn’t yet announced exactly when deliveries will begin. We also don’t have any information on how many vehicles Cadillac plans to build, but production will be kept at low volume to ensure exclusivity. The Celestiq EV uses GM’s Ultium battery technology, and we expect it to offer a large battery pack that should be good for at least 300 miles of driving range per charge. Its competitors such as the Tesla Model S and the Lucid Air offer more than 400 and 500 miles of range, respectively. The slinky electric hatchback’s base MSRP has yet to be announced, but we expect it to start in the high-$200,000 to low-$300,000 range. The Celestiq will be hand-built, and customers will be able to customize their car to a large degree. Look for more details on the 2025 Celestiq as Cadillac prepares this new electric hatchback for production and works with customers to spec and build their cars before finally handing them over. More

Dodge is bringing back the GLH (Goes Like Hell) moniker for the 2023 Hornet crossover.The name was originally used on the Omni hot hatch from the 1980s.The GLH package includes a lowered suspension, an upgraded exhaust, and visual add-ons.Dodge is playing up the sporty angle for the new 2023 Hornet and now says it will offer a GLH package that includes several performance upgrades for the SUV. This name, which stands for “Goes Like Hell,” is an homage to the Omni GLH hot hatchback from the 1980s. The dealer-installed upgrades will be sold through Dodge’s Direct Connection parts program. The car you see pictured here is the Hornet GLH concept and is meant to demonstrate what’s possible if you add all the goodies.Available for the Hornet GT, which has a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, the GLH add-ons include a suspension kit that lowers the SUV by more than an inch, an upgraded exhaust, 20-inch wheels, and numerous stripes and GLH logos. Dodge hasn’t yet said how much extra horsepower the exhaust setup will add, but expect a bit more than the standard car’s 265 hp.

We also don’t yet know pricing for these extras, but Dodge says the GLH upgrades will be “stackable,” meaning you will likely be able to add one, some, or all of these options to your Hornet. We’d guess there will be an all-in price for the GLH package if you want everything. The Direct Connection parts will be covered under the vehicle’s warranty if you have them installed by a designated dealership, which Dodge calls a “Power Broker.” Eventually, Direct Connection will also offer performance parts for the more powerful Hornet R/T plug-in-hybrid model, but we don’t know details on those yet.Look for more info on the GLH upgrades later this year, as the Hornet GT is scheduled to arrive at dealerships in December.
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Acura has revealed the ARX-06, which features a twin-turbo 2.4-liter V-6 producing between 630 and 670 hp. It’s mated to a hybrid motor mounted in the transmission case. Development of the ARX-06 was a joint collaboration of chassis supplier ORECA, Honda Performance Development, and Acura Design Studio.Brand identity is usually an afterthought in modern racing. Form generally follows function, leaving little room for creativity. But IMSA’s new GTP class is designed to encourage just that, with guidelines that entries “will carry significant design cues and styling to closely align with each manufacturer’s roadgoing products.” And while it’s been decades since race cars even remotely resembled their street counterparts, Acura’s design team was tasked with bringing a family resemblance to the exterior of the new ARX-06 prototype.

The ARX-06 is Acura’s entry into the nascent GTP class. An all-new twin-turbocharged 90-degree 2.4-liter V6 was developed by Honda Performance Development (HPD). Capable of reaching 10,000 rpm, this tiny screamer is mated to an IMSA-specified hybrid system and drives the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential transaxle. Longtime Acura partner ORECA supplied the underpinnings. Riding on 123.9-inch wheelbase, the carbon-fiber monocoque chassis has an unequal-length-control-arm suspension with pushrod-style dampers at both axles. While altering the chassis is off limits, manufacturers can personalize the exterior to a much greater extent.

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Acura executive creative director Dave Marek said he relished the challenge. “I told my team, ‘Let’s just make the thing cool and look like a show car,’ ” he joked. Marek knew from his previous experience with the ARX-05 design process that even simple ideas might be difficult to execute. “At the time, IMSA wanted to make the [race cars] look more like passenger cars. So we started doing it and they said, But you can’t change that, or that, or that. At the end of the day, I want it to look like our car, but I also want to win. So let’s make the best car we can.” In hindsight, Marek and his team arrived too late in the development process of the ARX-05 to make any meaningful changes. The exterior styling of the ARX-06, however, was designed from the ground up at the Los Angeles-based Acura Design Studio. Stylists from Acura’s production car division created the initial sketches, which ultimately led to scale models. Once the scale model was finalized, the design team worked with HPD and ORECA to further refine aerodynamic performance. Special projects leader Bill Yex points out that achieving good looks were only half of the design equation. “The aerodynamics quickly took over on the developmental side. Production cars are very aerodynamically efficient, but it kind of stops there. This thing needs to be low drag, high downforce balanced.”

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Additional input from racing partners Meyer Shank and Wayne Taylor helped to fine tune details from a real-world perspective. Driver complaints about the ARX-05’s lighting enabled Marek to redesign the front clusters on the ARX-06, improving both their appearance as well as intensity. Using VR allowed drivers to “sit” in the cockpit and adjust their driving position. Those Lights Look FamiliarWhen viewed in full-scale form, the ARX-06 conveys a successful collaboration among everyone involved. The familiar Acura styling elements play a functional role in the car’s design, from the purposefully exaggerated headlight clusters to the “chicane” taillights out back. Still, Marek wasn’t able to win every battle. “The rear is still very dominated by restrictions.” After attempting to soften a particularly blocky part, he was shot down by IMSA regulators. “It was illegal. I said, ‘why is that illegal? What the hell, man?’” Constraints aside, Marek is still proud of what they were able to accomplish. “I’m not going to say the other cars aren’t real yet, but to me the fact that this is completely legal and still looks as good as it does is a shout-out to the team.”The ARX-06 will make its racing debut starting with the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January 2023. Though Acura has recently dominated IMSA endurance racing, it will be facing a slew of fresh competition in the GTP class. Longtime rival Cadillac is once again fielding a entry, along with newcomers Porsche and BMW. Still, it should be easy to spot the Acura in this newly crowded field. Just look for the headlights.
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