(July 12, 2014) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Dodge is giving its Challenger owners full on bragging rights at the drag strip and racing to the front line of the horsepower wars with its new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
 
The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is the fastest muscle car ever with a National Hot Rod Association-certified ¼-mile elapsed time of 11.2 seconds at 125 miles per hour (mph) with stock Pirelli P275/40ZR20 P Zero tires. With drag radials, the run dropped to just 10.8 seconds at 126 mph!

(July 11, 2014) MUNICH — BMW Motorrad has achieved an all-time six-month high in the first half of this year. With worldwide sales of 70,978 motorcycles and maxi scooters compared to 64,941 units in 2013, this amounts to an increase of 9.3%. June sales were down 5.7 percent, however, from 2013 totals with 11,827 units sold.

(July 11, 2014)  General Motors is recalling 28,789 Saab convertibles because the driver’s seat belt retractor can break. The recall involves vehicles from the 2004-2011 model years, according to press reports.

GM says if the retractor breaks, the seat belt will immediately loosen and won’t work properly. That increases the risk of an injury in an accident. The company isn’t aware of any injuries related to the issue. GM will contact owners and dealers will replace the seat belt retractors for free.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(July 11, 2014) The last generation Sonata put Hyundai at the forefront of the styling sweepstakes. That car had a bold, prominent spear-like character line that swept across the car’s otherwise slab-sided flanks, and gave it character and presence it otherwise lacked. It also broke the mold that had Sonata styling caught in the box it came in; they were as aerodynamic as a brick.