Woodward “Cruise” is Car Lover’s Dream

Today and tomorrow in Berkley, Michigan, millions of car enthusiasts will brave the last of the sweltering summer weather to be a part of the world’s largest one-day car festival, the Woodward Dream Cruise, and Mopar will be there right in the middle of the action.

This year’s “cruise” promises to be the biggest one yet with classic car parades, live music, games and activities for kids, and car shows all along Woodward Avenue. The event is evocative of 1950s culture with drive-in movie theaters and restaurants like Ted’s Drive Inn and Suzie Q’s, and it is family-friendly with no drinks stronger than a chocolate malt served at the cruise. Over 1.5 million people and 50,000 classic cars will participate in the cruise, and Mopar with the Chrysler Group will present the biggest display they’ve ever had in their history with the Woodward Dream Cruise.

Visitors to the Chrysler Group and Mopar display will get to see more than 75 vehicles including the Ram Raminator Monster Truck, the 2013 SRT Viper, and the 2013 Dodge Dart Rally Car. For those craving the classics, there will also be over a dozen Walter P. Chrysler Museum vehicles on display as well.

If you are making it out to the Woodward Dream Cruise, leave us a comment below and let us know! Looking over the line-up for this year, I can’t help but feel jealous, but maybe next year I will make the trek out to Michigan for the 2013 Woodward Dream Cruise.

Looking to fix up your car? Check out Mopar’s E-Store to get a wide assortment of new parts and accessories for your car, and like Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge on Facebook and follow on Twitter to get the latest auto news.

Viper SRT Race Results

We reported on the 2013 SRT Viper GTS-R going to the races. Dodge wanted to see just how the Viper would handle itself. As Bill Riley, owner of Riley Motorsports and Riley Technologies, put it, “Our objective is to have a nice clean race. We need to get one under our belts.” The question is now, just how did the Viper perform out on the track?

According to the teams behind the racer, the mission was a success. Both Vipers made their way across the finish line with no problems. The performance of the car even showed improvement throughout the two-hour, 45-minute timed event. One of the Vipers even made it to the top-10.

Gary Johnson, Road Racing Manger of SRT Motorsports, saw a victory in bringing the Viper to the race. “Our first goal was to get through the race without any major problems. We accomplished that. In fact, we were making progress throughout the race. The cars were getting better. The race gives us an opportunity to know where the issues are and where we need to focus.”

Now word yet on when the Vipers are coming back to race. The team is heading back with all the information on how they did in the race and they plan on taking everything into account. They want to ensure that the next time the Viper goes zooming down the race track that it brings out the best it possibly can.

Mopar’s E-Store is available online for viewing to see how you can sup up your own vehicle for the roads and the race track. Go on Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge’s Facebook page and give us a like, and a follow on Twitter, to see the latest in the industry news.

Viper SRT Readies for Racing Debut

The news cycle for the auto industry this week has been wrapped up in the sales numbers of July. There’s also the fact that the Dodge Dart is getting that much closer to being fully released. One vehicle that also wants to make sure you pay attention is the new Dodge Viper SRT.

This weekend, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the American Le Man Series, the Viper is going to make its highly anticipated return to the world. Two identical Vipers will be racing against the Aston Martin Vantage, BMW M3 GT, Corvette C6.R, Ferrari F458, Lotus Evora, and the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

“We’re thrilled to return to the world-class competition in the American Le Mans Series with our flagship American supercar,” said Ralph Giles, the president and CEO of the SRT Brand and Motorsports. “The new SRT Viper GTS-R represents a rebirth for us on the race track. Now the time has finally come to go head-to-head with the best sports car teams from around the world.”

The makers of the Viper are looking forward to the race this weekend. They plan on carefully studying the performance of the supercar to see just how active the cars will be for the rest of the ALMS schedule this year. They want to make sure the vehicle is ready for full time competition come next year.

To view the race, ABC will be broadcasting on Saturday at 2 p.m. EDT. You can also go to the DriveSRT Facebook Page to follow the action.

Pay a visit to the Mopar’s E-Store to see what can be done for your vehicle to leave an impression on the roads. Like Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for the more industry news.

Chrysler Might be Investing in Plant for New Pentastar Engines

A news story on Mlive.com is about a rumor going around that Chrysler is looking to add a huge investment into one of its plants with the purpose of building a new Pentastar engine. Chrysler Group LLC is allegedly going to put forth $198 million to make this happen at their Mack Avenue Engine I plant in Detroit. An added benefit of this additional funding for the plant would lead to the creation of 250 new jobs.

The company said in a statement, “Chrysler Group will be working with the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan regarding potential economic development incentives to assist us in making the business case for the investment.”

The Mack Avenue Engine I plant currently makes the 4.7-liter V8 engines in the Ram 1500. The plant was converted to produce the Dodge Viper in 1992 but unfortunately, it was moved to the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in 1995, and that includes the new Viper SRT. The plant currently employs 144 hourly workers.

As soon as Chrysler makes an official comment on the speculations, we’ll be sure to let you know. Until then, check out the available Mopar E-Store online at Bayside’s website. Also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for constant updates on Mopar deals and news.

Lone Star Mopar Fest Announced

Mopar enthusiasts in Texas have something to really look forward to in October. The Lone Star Mopar Fest has been scheduled for October 20th.

The fest is described as a “family friendly gathering of 2005-2013 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Dodge Magnum, Dodge Challenger, and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT owners.” It’s a place for enthusiasts to go where owners can gather around and show off their vehicles. It’s a placed where “Appearance and Performance Converge.”

Additions for the 2012 event are a Kickoff Meet and Greet. Other notable events are a Best Lightning Contest being sponsored by Advanced Automotive Concepts/Oracle of Houston.

The previous years Mopar Fest had in attendance over 275 vehicles and the owners of them put them to the test in different contests. There’s no need to be the owner of a tricked-out ride, but if you have the love, you’re more than welcome to come and have fun.

If you’re an enthusiasts looking to give your own vehicle an upgrade, the Mopar E-Store is available for browsing on Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge. Make sure you like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to say current on the latest in the news.

Chrysler SRT Planning New Models

The Chrysler SRT division has been making a big name for itself of late. The line-up they have been presenting this year is nothing short of impressive. From the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 to the Dodge Charger SRT8, they have been giving Chrysler models some added boosts in performance and style. The only thing that SRT really hasn’t done of late is make an original model. They have recently been handed full control of the new 2013 Dodge Viper, but the company is looking to branch out some more.

In order to build their brand, SRT is starting to play with the idea of creating original creations. The Viper will be the first out of the door, with a new model in the planning phase. The one they are still imagining is a Mustang/Camaro that is being referred to as the Barracuda. This new vehicle is being styled to replace the Dodge Challenger.

Two cars isn’t enough though. Motorauthority.com is reporting that SRT is looking to add a third model to their line-up. It’s all just rumors and speculation at this point, but the one that seems to be picking up steam is a possible revival of the Dodge Demon roadster. As of right now, anything is possible, but with the recent showings of the SRT line-up, I can only imagine that it’s going to be stellar.

Check out the full showrooms of all the makes and models of cars at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge online. Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Chrysler Begins Work on 8 and 9 Speed Transmissions

Chrysler is looking to start having more power underneath the hood. To this end, they have decided to have a 8 and 9 speed transmission in their cars by 2013. It’s quite the goal, but the company is making sure to lay the foundation to make it possible.

The recruiting program, according to Rushlane.com, is already underway for this endeavor. Chrysler has already started to put the new equipment needed into three of their plants in Kokomo, Indiana. The production of 8 speed transmission will start later in the year with the 9 speed transmission scheduled to begin the first quarter of 2013. Chrysler is bringing in German auto supplier ZF Group to co-developed the new transmissions.

“It replaces everything, literally. Everything that we are making today will get it,” says Brian Harlow, Vice President Powertrain of Chrysler. The 8 speed transmission upgrades are currently available in the Dodge Charger and the Chrysler 300. The plan is next to put them inside their SUV’s and trucks such as Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Challenger, the Jeep Wrangler, and Ram trucks. The new transmissions look to be 25% more fuel efficient than the current transmissions.

Make sure to pay a visit to the Mopar e-shop on Bayside’s website. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on parts news.