Da Viper is coming, and it doesn’t vant to vipe your vindows, either. Obscure G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero reference aside, Dodge SRT has been teasing us with vague images of the next-generation 2013 Viper as well as its new logo in preparation for the vehicle's launch in April at the 2012 New York International Auto Show.



The first image previewed its headlamps, hood scoop, and double-bubble roof; all of the visible parts resemble and obviously pay homage to the the Vipers of yore. The contents of the second image, which Dodge just released on its Facebook page, are much more ambiguous and up for debate. SRT has also previewed the car’s new emblem, which is labeled the “Stryker” badge.



Rumors have the Viper’s V-10 engine increasing from 8.4 to a whopping 8.7 liters. Traction control is standard, but we don’t know if even that will be enough to tame this wild beast.

[via Autoblog]

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More than 2,000 vehicles were auctioned off over a six-day span at the 2012 Scottsdale Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction, which ran from January 16–22, 2012, and amounted to a total of $182 million in sales. The Barrett-Jackson Company was the leading seller at the auction with a total of $90.6 million in sales, selling off all but three of its lots. Its top-selling vehicle was a 1948 Tucker Torpedo, one of only 51 produced, which sold for $2,915,000. Another rare find was the one-of-a-kind 1954 Desoto Adventurer II coupe, which sold for $1,430,000. Not every vehicle did as well, though. The original General Lee, also known as Lee 1, sold for only $110,000, much lower than the seller had hoped.

Gooding & Company sold 97 percent of its lots (116 of 118) for a total amount of $39.8 million. Its top-selling vehicle was a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL alloy Gullwing, which sold for $4,620,000. Russo and Steele sold 63 percent of its lots (401 of 641). Its top-vehicle sold was a 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88, which sold for $687,500. The Silver Auctions company had a total of $2.95 million in sales, selling 66 percent of its lots (175 of 267). Its top-selling car was a 1960 Facel Vega HK500 2dr Hardtop, which sold for $93,960. RM Auctions had a total of $24.7 million in total sales, selling 120 of 140 lots, which is about 86 percent. Its top-selling vehicle was a 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica coupe, which sold for $1,815,000. Last but not least, Bonhams had a cumulative total of $5.7 million in sales, selling about 60 percent of its lots, with its top-selling vehicle being a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet C, which sold for $667,000.

The total amount in sales for all the auction companies combined has risen from 2011 to around $157 million. As we can see, the classics did well this year but the rarer cars were the winners this season. Could this be a sign that the economy is finally turning around?

[via Hagerty]

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Once in a while, a new piece of car technology will come along that will have us grinning with appreciation; it’s just not very often that that technology can be found in the car’s cup holders. So, much to our chagrin, we found ourselves gushing over the heated and cooled cup holders in the center console of our 2011 Dodge Charger SE test car. It’s an interesting bit of technology that we haven’t seen in another production automobile (similar tech was actually in an Audi Q5 we had in our care, but we did not notice that particular feature). Although we did not get a chance to test the units in the Charger, we wondered if they could be as useful as they could be potentially dangerous. What would happen if you put a paper cup or a low-grade plastic into the cup holder when the heating element was on? What about a sealed bottle?



Amerigon Incorporated, the company that produces the cup holders, quelled our concerns. We spoke to John Terech, director of commercial development at Amerigon, who explained that the cup holders do not get hot enough to cause plastic to melt or paper cups to combust; in fact, he assured, many of the car’s tests were conducted with a paper Grande cup from Starbucks. He made clear that the heating feature is designed to warm its contents to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which is below the 140-degree temperatures that can normally be found in a fresh cup of coffee. We can also attest that the temperature ranges offered by Terech are not too far off from the interior temperatures of a car on a hot summer day in Florida, negating any of our concerns that the cup holders’ heating feature could cause a sealed bottle to explode.



We had no reservations with the cup holders’ cooler feature, which is capable of keeping aluminum cans at temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and water bottles near 40 degrees.

Does a couple degrees difference make a drink any less refreshing? Yes, according to Amerigon’s web site, which points to an Associated Press article titled “Temperature Does Make a Difference in How Your Favorite Beverage Tastes.” It states that Coca-Cola is most enjoyed at 38 degrees, Pepsi at 42 degrees, and water at 55 degrees.



If the heated and cooled features weren’t enough, we found another aspect of the Dodge Charger’s cup holders to be quite interesting. The extra bottle holders near the doors’ map pockets offer a small seal warning against the use of open containers. Common sense tells us that this is just to assert the need for a closed container in such a precarious position, but its depiction of an open container—complete with straw and garnish—made us immediately question whether it was also an official message from Dodge against drinking alcohol while driving; Dodge did not reply to our e-mail.

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Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale, Arizona, event has become arguably the world’s premier collector-car auction. Starting out as a small charity function in 1967, the multi-day event now attracts more than 250,000 people and hundreds of classic cars. Scottsdale’s 2012 auction appears to be just as big since many rare and exclusive automobiles have already registered to cross the auction block.

Because every collector has his or her own particular likes and dislikes and considering the variety of cars, I could never label a small set of automobiles as standing absolutely above all the rest. But, despite the glorious assortment of fine and collectible cars, I have assembled a list of seven of the more notable automobiles (in no particular order) that will go under the auctioneer’s hammer.

Follow the jump to read our guest post at MyCarQuest.

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The very best collectible automobiles are sometimes tucked away and off-limits to prying eyes. In the upcoming months, we will be gaining access to some of these amazing collections and bringing you never-before-seen photographs as well as insight into the cars and the people that collect them.



This fabulous collection is stored in a nondescript warehouse on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee. It holds some of the most-sought-after, best-performing models of the 1960s as well as some distinctive older classics. All of the examples reflect the individual character of the collector, and each one comes with its own story. We met with the owner, Cliff Ernst, who gave us a guided tour and educated us on drag racing, big blocks, and choosing the perfect car. His passion for performance is rooted in drag racing; he cut his teeth on the drag strips and stoplights of Ohio during the 1960s.



Walking around his immaculate white-tile showroom, we were shocked to see everything from Super Duty Pontiacs, Shelby Mustangs, factory-supercharged Thunderbirds, Corvettes and more! His awe-inspiring collection seems to culminate with two of the rarest and most desirable Camaros ever made: a gold 1969 Yenko Camaro and a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The former was the product of Chevy-dealer-turned-aftermarket-tuner Don Yenko. The latter was Chevrolet’s answer for the serious drag racer who could append an extra $4,500 for an all-aluminum 427-cubic-inch engine option. Both are as powerful as they are rare.

Ernst sat down with us to answer a few questions and tell us more about his passion.



What was the first car in your collection?

In the mid-‘70s, I bought a 1930 Model A Ford. I always wanted one in high school, but I needed to save $150 for college.



At what point did this evolve from a garage at your home into a dedicated facility?

In the 1980s, I allocated space at my business to keep the growing collection safely stored. In 1991, we built a dedicated warehouse for the collection. It was around thirty cars at the time. We now have around 45 cars.



Tell us a little bit about the gold Yenko.

The gold car was the prototype for the ‘69 Yenko. Certain features of this car did not make it into the 1969 Yenko production models. I am the second owner, and I have professionally restored it twice. It was featured in the July 1969 issue of Super Stock and Drag Illustrated magazine. Ed Professional driver Ed Hedrick was able to run an 11.94 (quarter-mile time) in stock form.



Do you think the previous owner regrets parting with it?

I sent him photos I had taken after the restoration, but I never heard back from him, so I like to think they got lost in the mail!



What feature of the Yenko cars do you like most?

The performance. When the Yenko cars first hit the streets, I was drag racing a ‘65 Corvette. They consistently posted faster times (than the Corvette). They made winning look easy!



Besides the gold Yenko, what is your favorite car?

The ‘32 Packard V12 or the supercharged ‘57 T-bird.



Performance does seem to be the theme here. Was it a goal of yours to have the ultimate production versions of these cars or is it a coincidence?

I prefer to have the highest-performance model available. The ‘57 Chevy is fuel injected and the T-birds are supercharged. You get the idea!



With the quality of the restorations you have here, have you ever considered restoring and building cars as a business?

No, my employees are so meticulous that this could not be a profitable business!



Did you foresee that the ’69 Camaro would be the iconic collector car that it is today?

No, I just thought they had great styling and a multitude of performance options.



I know your cars are well documented, but what do you think about clones and recreation cars?

Let’s just say they are not for me.



Owning one of the original ZL1 Camaros is a real honor; do you see the 2012 ZL1 as a worthy successor?

It is a good continuation of the name and a nice move by Chevy.



Do you have anything special in your home garage?

I have my first ‘69 Yenko that I purchased in 1987. It is kept at the house for weekend cruises.

My daily driver is a 2008 black (Dodge) Challenger SRT8.



Are you done collecting, or is there always room for one more?

Certain cars will continue to be possible additions, but, more realistically, I need to be thinking about thinning the herd.



Thanks, Cliff, and happy motoring!

Follow the link to the full Facebook photo album.

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Two facts become clear when you read the press release from Chrysler regarding the next Viper being built in Detroit: the 2013 Viper is very close to being introduced, and it will drop the Dodge logo for the new SRT nameplate. That’s right; it will just be called the SRT Viper from now on. This will assumingly give the SRT group a lot more room to play with the American sport car. It has also been reported that there will be “no parts sharing with the two Fiat Group premium sports-car brands, Maserati or Ferrari,” according to Dan Reid, Chrysler’s spokesperson. That means that the iconic American sports car will remain as authentic as possible, all the way down to being produced in Motor City.

Back in August, Chrysler announced the separation of SRT from Dodge to form a unique high-performance brand. Currently, the SRT brand features four vehicles: Dodge Challenger SRT8, Dodge Charger RT8, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, and Chrysler 300 SRT8. Unlike the Viper, the four aforementioned cars will still wear the badges of their respective nameplates.

There have been no reports to the actual reason behind the Viper dropping the Dodge name. It is rumored that it may have something to do with the recent CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) regulations, or maybe it’s because of the more badge-conscious market. Either way, we don’t think we will have to worry about SRT making this vehicle any less worthy of its name because anything that carries the SRT insignia usually turns out pretty badass!

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Dodge has unveiled a new package for the 2012 Challenger 392 called the “Yellow Jacket.” Its name may be instantly paired with the other Dodge designation that comes from both the muscle-car era and the Hymenoptera order: the Super Bee. But the two share few similarities, making the history of the Challenger Yellow Jacket more intriguing.



The Yellow Jacket name comes from a classic Challenger that was only briefly shown on the show car circuit. It was a special honey-gold color concept car that made its rounds in 1970. Chrysler was testing the waters to see if a people would be interested in a Corvette competitor, so it designed a two-seat targa-style show car formed from the first 1970 E-body Hemi Challenger Convertible. The Yellow Jacket featured all the amenities including a Hemi engine, four-speed transmission, leather, power windows and door locks, side pipes, power rear glass, and even a power rear wing. It also included styling elements that would influence future Challengers including a grille that would later debut on the ’71 Challenger and rear lamps later used on the ‘72–‘74 cars. The public’s reaction must not have been sufficient or the cost to produce would have been too much because the idea was scrapped after a year on the show circuit.



A young Steven Juliano was particularly struck by the “Corvette Killer” when he first saw it at the New York Auto Show in 1970, and again, when it reappeared in Diamante form in 1971. The difference between the Yellow Jacket and the Diamante were pretty minor, but its new name and color did end the Yellow Jacket’s run. The Diamante featured a new aerodynamic nose with pop-up headlamps, new intakes on the hood, and a Diamond Dust color. The car was such a success that Chrysler kept it on as a normal show car until 1975.



Juliano would see the car again at an Indy car show in the 80s, but it wasn’t until the 90s that he got the chance to own his previous object of lust. Juliano, by then an avid collector of rare one-off Chrysler cars, met the then-owner in Chicago, but unfortunately, the car was not for sale. As the future centerpiece of his collection, Juliano did not give up, and consistently called the car's owner until it was agreed Juliano could purchase the car for $250,000. It was in near-original condition when Juliano obtained it, except for a fresh orange paint job that was applied by Chrysler later in the car’s career. Juliano is a purist that despises reproductions, but his only choice was to repaint the Diamante to its original pearl white paint. Juliano insists that everything else is original from the hoses to the air in the tires, and with only 670 miles on the odometer (only two of which are from Juliano), we have no reason to doubt it.



Today, it sits under a blanket in Juliano’s garage in Southern California, which looks like a showroom for rare Dodge and Plymouth cars and is covered in dealership signs and other Dodge and Plymouth memorabilia from the 60s and 70s. He has spent much of his life scouring dealerships like, as he calls it, a “real-life American picker,” referring to a television show called American Pickers, in which two hosts search out, find, and restore antiques and other relics. The only difference between Juliano and the television show's hosts is that Juliano is bringing together these items with no intention of publicly displaying or selling. He says he has been offered as much as two-million dollars for the Diamante, but in the end, he knows that money would just go towards another car, and at that point, he would only want his Diamante back.



The only thing that appears to be missing from Juliano’s garage is a new Challenger. His resistance to reproduction items has kept him from looking at the current car, but with Yellow Jacket package coming out in December, Juliano no longer sees it as a choice.

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This is the 2012 Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 Special Service package (remember Dodge and Ram are different brands now) designed for police duty. Powering the package is the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 pushing 390 horsepower and 407 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. To endure police work, it has been fitted with 100,000-mile sparkplugs, a larger oil cooler, and a 220-amp alternator to handle the normal lights, sirens, computers, modems, radars and/or camera systems. It is also equipped with a unique instrument panel that displays engine hours and idle hours. To make more room for the normal batch of police equipment, the center console has been removed and the shifter has been moved to the steering wheel.

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The 1954 Dodge Firearrow III concept car will go under the hammer once again, this time at RM Auctions Monterey on August 19, 2011. Its claim to fame occurred in 1954 when Betty Skelton, an at-the-time-well-known aerobatic pilot, set a world top speed record for a woman on a closed course of 143.44 mph. The car’s history includes three trips across the Atlantic, 30-plus years with a French owner, and a complete restoration.

The original Firearrow debuted in 1953 as a non-running show car. Public interest caused Dodge to build two more running copies. Both were based on Dodge Royal running gear but utilized the latest weight distribution knowledge for superior handling. Power came from a 241 cu. in. Hemi V-8 engine creating 150 hp.



After Skelton’s record-setting run at the Chelsea Proving Grounds, the Firearrow III was placed on the show circuit and served as the basis for the Firearrow IV, an open-top variant. Although Dodge decided it wasn’t going to build the car, a deal with Eugene Casaroll made a similar car available for purchase through Dodge showrooms in 1957. He purchased the design rights from Dodge and hired the concept car’s original designer, Italian-coachbuilder Ghia, to produce the car. Eugene Casaroll called his car the Dual-Ghia Convertible.



Dual-Ghia Convertibles normally fetch between $200,000 to $300,000 at today’s auctions but the Firearrow III concept is expected to sell for $800,000–$1,000,000. It was sent back to its country of origin in 1955 to avoid hefty fines by U.S. Customs, returning it to Ghia in Turin, Italy. From there it was purchased by a private individual in France and remained in his collection for 30-plus years. An American collector, upon hearing about the car’s whereabouts, contacted the owner, purchased the car, and returned it to the U.S. It was then completely restored. In 2009, it sold for $880,000 at the RM Auctions’ Automobiles of Phoenix and is now preparing to go under the hammer for a second time and for a similar price.

Follow the link for more information on the Dodge Firearrow III concept.

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In case you missed it, the 2012 Corvette ZR1, which is now available with ultra-sticky wear-quickly street-legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, lapped the Nürburgring in 7:19.63, besting the Dodge Viper ACR (which also wears Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires) by nearly two and a half seconds and its previous record by more than six seconds. It still has some work to do to catch up to the 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS (which wears special Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires) and its lap time of seven minutes and 18 seconds flat.

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