Dodge Brand's "Wisdom" a viral sensation!

by Diane Morgan

April 18, 2014 4:08 PM
 

Video Celebrating Brand’s 100th Anniversary Smashes Chrysler Group YouTube Record with Over 4 Million Views in 24 Hours

 

The Dodge brand is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a new video starring centenarians that debuted yesterday (Thursday, 4/16) during the New York International Auto Show and has quickly become a viral hit amassing over 4,444,714 views in 24 hours – surpassing the 24-hour record views previously held by such Chrysler Group iconic Super Bowl commercials including “Born of Fire” (790,258) “Farmer” (542,817), “Whole Again” (321,798), “Halftime in America” (444,420), and “America’s Import” (246,603).
Dodge brand President and CEO Tim Kuniskis revealed the spot as part of the highly anticipated reveals of the brand’s all-new 2015 Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger. The original video went online at 11:30AM EST, with a “Director’s Cut” posted at 3PM ET, on Thursday on the brand’s social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and it quickly went viral.
To commemorate the brand’s century mark, the ad honors centenarians and celebrates their 100 years, giving them voice to offer hard-earned words of wisdom to viewers: “I want to tell the world what I have learned.” “Learn from your mistakes.” “Live for now.” “Because life is good, you make it good.” “There are miracles all around you.” As the spot progresses, their words begin to take on more attitude and defiance, as the sounds of an engine roars in the background. “Keep your eyes open and sometimes your mouth shut.” “Be Strong.” “Don’t complain.” “Don’t always do what you’re told to do.” “Don’t be afraid.” “Suck it up!” “Hesitate and you lose!” “Be a bad boy!” “Raise hell!” Put your pedal to the medal. “Live fast!” “And never…ever…forget where you came from.”
“You learn a lot in 100 years," says on-screen copy, as a 2015 Challenger screeches out of the frame. "Dodge. Born 1914."
“This video shows what the power of the story-telling and human connection at its best,” said Olivier Francois, Chief Marketing Officer of Chrysler Group LLC. “It has aired online only, without television or print support, and has already smashed records, reaching over 4 million viewers in just one day. There is no other brand that could do ‘Wisdom’ because there’s only one Dodge. It has a DNA that’s just not like the others. And, like the centenarians featured in this video, it’s got 100 years of attitude behind it.”
Viewers can vote for the video as it is also in the running for Adweek’s Top 5 Commercials of the week. 

View the videos:
Director’s Cut: http://youtu.be/-ncjRfmYFu4
Original: http://youtu.be/uKoTpcs8ip8

Not So Roughing it: Camping with Your Ram Truck

April 28, 2014 | by Ram Zone

We’re deep into spring now and everyone is certainly hoping the Polar Vortex stays away for the rest of the year. It’s time to get your Ram Truck ready for the warmth, and prepare to spend your time in the wild. Without a doubt, Ram Trucks make fantastic camping vehicles.
If you’re more the rugged type, you’ll want to be roughing it in a tent or sprawled out under the stars. All that gear – sleeping bags, camp stoves, foodstuffs and firewood – will fit neatly into the bed of your Ram 1500. Take advantage of the convenient Ram Boxes to make sure things stay dry, throw in some fishing poles, and you’re ready for the ultimate weekend away. Your Ram Truck will also help you find the perfect campsite. Take it off the beaten path and find an untouched spot of turf. Besides you and your friends, the only life you’ll encounter will be the wild type.
Don’t worry; Ram Trucks also cater to the more sophisticated camper. Grab your Ram Heavy Duty and hitch up your trusty camping trailer. The Ram 3500 offers max towing of over 30,000 pounds, so you’ll be able to haul your home-away-from-home anywhere you desire. This is a great option for an extended camping trip, or if you want to travel and see Americas best treasures. Don’t let anyone tell you that luxury camping isn’t really camping at all. You can do it in a Ram Truck.
Do you have any outdoor activities or camping trips planned for the warm weather? Tell us where you’re going in the comments below.

A Spring Fest Roundup of 5.7-Liter HEMI® Engine Cover Artwork

Posted By RLD | 05.1.2014

By Steve Magnante
 



The ninth annual Spring Festival of LXs is now over, and its 1,200-plus participants are — by now — back to work and getting set for next year’s event. I’m still amazed by the variety of modern Dodge LX-based cars that turned out. We saw 4-door Magnum wagons, 4-door Charger sedans and 2-door Challenger pony cars, most of which packed 5.7-liter HEMI® power beneath their sleek hoods.

Here’s the thing about the 5.7-liter HEMI — unless you’re talking about the just-released Shaker hood scoop option for Challengers, the 5.7 suffers from modernitis, an aesthetic condition brought on by its use of coil-on-plug ignition and single-inlet throttle body architecture. Between that and the various sensors needed to support the electronic control systems, 5.7-liter HEMI engines — like virtually all 21st-century engines, regardless of origin — generally looks better with an engine cover.

But customizers will be customizers. Walking through Spring Fest’s many rows of classy Dodges, I spotted many unique efforts to customize the appearance of the mighty 5.7-liter HEMI. The beauty is, it doesn’t take much money to get a totally original outcome. Here are some highlights.




Without the engine cover, the 5.7-liter HEMI engine’s exposed coil-on-plug ignition, fuel rails and front-loader throttle body looks pretty busy.







These days even soccer moms ask if “that thing’s got a HEMI in it,” and viewers expect to see something customized. That’s why Dodge stylists conjured this tidy and effective engine cover. But to many Dodge owners, it’s a blank canvas, ripe for decoration.






This patriotic scene was painted onto the otherwise stock cover using an air brush. Only a light sanding of the plastic surface is needed to help the paint adhere. Engine heat is low enough to prevent fading and blisters.






Complementing the purple paint on the car body, this cover has been painted darker purple and highlighted with grape-hued smoke swirls. Note how the cover’s horizontal ribs and HEMI call-out logos are decked out with paint to match the body color. It’s tasteful and easy on the eyes.






This Charger is called the Black Widow and plays up the deadly arachnid’s black and red hues. The standard gray center insert was blacked out, then vivid red highlights were applied to the ribs and logos. The effect is furthered by color-coordinated under-hood accessories.






The engine shroud on this yellow Charger Daytona is stock except for the substitution of a contrasting-color center panel, done appropriately enough in HEMI Orange. Thanks to its sheer size, the 5.7-liter HEMI’s engine cover delivers bold results when custom decorated.






Fans of Southern rock will immediately identify with this treatment. Again, without a single physical modification to the engine shroud, a totally fresh look is achieved through paint alone.






The shroud on this HEMI Charger has been cut open to remove the horizontal ribs. In their place, the owner added black anodized aluminum mesh to help heat escape. The body-matched red paint and Charger graphics set it apart.






This Charger wears a home-brewed Shaker/shroud setup. The beauty of the 5.7-liter HEMI engine shroud configuration is that it simply snaps in place. A quartet of mounting pins, attached to the engine, accept rubber O-rings. Installation, or swaps, can be done in seconds and requires no tools.






It may look like a second gen 426 HEMI in this LC Challenger, but don’t be fooled! Those “cast aluminum” valve covers are actually textured plastic replicas intended to give this third gen HEMI some retro looks while covering up the coil-on-plug ignition architecture. The car is the Dodge 1320 Challenger show car. Thus far, these nifty rocker covers are a one-off exercise… thus far.

–Steve Magnante

 

2014 Ram 1500 Named to AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Stars--Two Years in a Row

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ram 1500 has been named a 2014 AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Star by the publication's editorial staff for the second year in a row and the fourth time in the past five years.

AUTOMOBILE Magazine chooses its All-Stars from the complete array of vehicles on sale in the U.S. for the 2014 model year, including passenger cars, sports cars, sport-utilities, minivans and trucks. The magazine's collective editorial staff and contributors cast their private ballots after three days of driving a variety of 2014 contenders. This year, for the first time, the magazine's staff took all ten winners on a great American road trip, from AUTOMOBILE'S editorial offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to New Orleans. The whole story is available at automobilemag.com/2014AllStars.

"The AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Star award doesn't just focus on all-new trucks, but all current model trucks, and the results place our Ram 1500 at the top, four out of the last five years," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "With 28 MPG best-in-class fuel economy and the only diesel available in the half-ton truck segment, the 2014 Ram 1500 is making its mark."

For 2014, the Ram 1500 offers buyers best-in-class 28 MPG fuel efficiency with the exclusive 3.0-liter V-6 EcoDiesel, new technology and new features without sacrificing capability. Ram 1500–the most recognizable pickup on the road–marks a milestone for Ram as this truck delivers a truckload of pioneering and fuel-saving systems. Equipped with a choice of engines, including the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine or the award-winning Pentastar V-6, the Ram 1500 offers the best powertrains in the industry, known for their reliability.

"Chrysler doesn't get the credit it deserves for what it's done in the truck segment," said Michael Jordan, West Coast Editor—AUTOMOBILE Magazine. "First, it reinvented the way trucks look with its big-rig grille. Then it was the first to offer a cabin that held more people and more stuff. Later they did a chassis that would both steer and stop, and now they've delivered a great ride with air springs."

The 2014 Ram 1500 features first-in-segment technologies: diesel engine, eight-speed automatic transmission, stop-start system, thermal management system, pulse-width modulation and active aerodynamics, including grille shutters and active air suspension. 

The Ram 1500 is top of the segment, holding the top two spots in fuel economy within the entire pickup truck market, including mid-sized trucks. An award winning interior and the next-generation Uconnect® Access system keep passengers comfortable and connected. With best-in-class ride and handling and best-in-class aerodynamics, the 2014 Ram 1500 delivers unmatched content, performance and capability to truck buyers. 

The 2014 Ram 1500 comes standard with a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 and is available in nine trim levels. Pricing starts at $23,745, not including $1,195 destination charge.

About the AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Stars 
AUTOMOBILE Magazine, America's leading automotive lifestyle publication chooses only ten cars and trucks each year from the vast number of vehicles that are sold in the United States. This is the 25th edition of the Automobile Magazine All-Stars awards, which officially began in 1990.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC