Dodge Phoenix Reviews

Carmakers spend up big on the annual Super Bowl commercials, with a 30-second in-game spot costing $3.7m and even slots at the start and end of the game commanding premium prices. It's money well spent if they can attract attention – and turn it into sales. And a good ad can go far beyond the game day, turning viral and getting millions of views. Volkswagen's Darth Vader from the 2011 Super Bowl and the hot Adriana Lima commercial from the 2012 Super Bowl are just two of the stars that went on to become global successes.So which were the big contenders this year? Mercedes-Benz was early out of the gates with a teaser featuring swimsuit model Kate Upton 'washing a car slowly'. The shapely Ms Upton didn't actually get her own hands wet – except to blow a bit of foam around – and her role seems to be mainly distracting the footballers who are doing all the hard work. Merc followed up with what must have been a costly exercise for the CLA, with a pact offered by Willem Dafoe as Satan, and the Rolling Stones 'Sympathy for the Devil' as the soundtrack.Watch the Mercedes-Benz Kate Upton car wash adWatch the Mercedes-Benz Soul adWe reckon Coke filched ideas from two top Aussie movies. Their Coke Chase ad featured a gang of Mad Max baddies and a crew of showgirls in a pink Priscilla bus, vying with a Great Escape motorbike, a posse of cowboys and a camel-leading Arabian sheik – all in a race to a giant Coke bottle. The ad was the key creative in an online campaign that lets viewers vote to let three of the teams reach the bottle first – or delay the other teams by watching linked 'sabotage' videos. Watch the Coke Chase adThe early teaser for Toyota's 'Wish' spot featured The Big Bang Theory's Kaley Cuoco – it looked like fun and was backed up with the 'Careful What You Wish For' full ad, which gained much from Cuoco's perky personality as Penny.Watch the Toyota Wish teaser ad Watch the Toyota RAV4 Wish adKia's Space Babies teaser shows some fantastic CGI, and an even more fantastic answer to kids asking where they come from. The ad works well nearly right to the slightly lame ending, but it's doubtful it stacks up as something to rival their viral stars, the Soul Hamsters.Watch the Kia Space Baby adBut the Kia ad that had everybody talking -- including motoring journos -- was 'Hotbots', where a robotic motor show stand attendant (we don't call them booth babes here) gets revenge on a grubby guy.Watch the Kia HotBot adHyundai went all-out for the Super Bowl with several spots. The 'Team' one for Santa Fe was an early favourite, with some great performances from child actors -- and a very scary mum.Watch the Hyundai Santa Fe Team adThe 'Playdate' took you on an extreme day out of having fun and upsetting security guards, bikies and police, with the Flaming Lips providing the soundtrack.Watch the Hyundai Playdate adThe Genesis was talked up in 'Excited' with Hyundai touting its advantages over high end, and particularly German, luxury cars.Watch the Hyundai Genesis Excited adAnd then there was the aversion therapy of 'Stuck', showing some of the worst vehicles you can be stuck behind in traffic -- unless you have a Hyundai Sonata to overtake them, of course.Watch the Hyundai Sonata Stuck adVolkswagen ditched the Star Wars theme, and instead drafted reggae legend Jimmy Cliff for their 'Get Happy' teaser – and then got into a little hot water with the full ad, which shows Caucasian men taking off Jamaican accents. Perhaps it's still a Star Wars link ... the movie franchise faced similar accusations of racial stereotyping with the Jamaican-sounding Jar Jar Binks.Watch the VW Get Happy adWatch the VW Jimmy Cliff adVW then followed up with a low-key but effective 'bad dog' ad, showing what to do when the dog eats your car keys.Watch the VW Bad Dog adAudi tapped into every adolescent boy's fantasy with a lad heading off to prom night alone being tossed the keys to his dad's Audi S6, kissing the football jock's girlfriend and generally making it a night to remember.Watch the Audi Prom adFiat has launched a trio of ads for the 500L, all aimed at emphasising how much larger it is than the garden variety 500. Date, Sisters and Wedding are all flavoured with Italian dressing and – while not as scorching at the Catrinel Menghia Abarth ads – still manage to be cheeky.Watch the Fiat 500L Date adWatch the Fiat 500L Sisters adWatch the Fiat 500L Wedding adThe Chrysler group turned on the patriotism for their slightly saccharine ode to a farmer and Whole Again ads.Watch the Dodge Ram Farmer adWatch the Jeep  Whole again adAnd even snack food Doritos has got in on the car act, with one of the finalists for its Crash the Super Bowl ad playoff featuring the perfect solution to a back seat dog problem.Watch the Doritos Road Chip ad 

An American heavyweight SUV is being readied for a potential attack on Toyota's LandCruiser. After more than 15 years of unfulfilled dreams and broken promises, Dodge is finally planning to bring its Durango seven-seater to Australia.American sources confirm to Carsguide the early stages of a right-hand drive program that's been promised on the Durango since it was launched in 1998. The RHD plan exploits a mechanical platform and factory shared with the latest Grand Cherokee that's been a big success for Jeep in Australia.The massive SUV could be here inside 18 months. The Durango could even be badged as a Jeep and could, potentially, be sold with a price tag that's $5000 or less above the current $43,000 starting sticker for the Grand Cherokee.The Durango is big and bold, sells well in the US and would be relatively cheap and easy to produce in right-hand drive. Fiat Chrysler admits the idea of a Durango in Australia is a good one."If it was available, with the right mix of specifications and pricing, we are confident that Australians would love the Durango," says company spokeswoman Karla Leach."With nearly 50 per cent of the SUVs in the Grand Cherokee's competitive set being seven-seaters (having the same number) would allow us to offer a fresh and appealing alternative in this significant market segment."This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover 

Fiat-Chrysler is the latest carmaker to reveal its 2013 SEMA concepts, ahead of the Las Vegas aftermarket expo’s official opening next week. The Italian/US partnership will unveil no less than 20 Mopar-equipped concepts from its suite of brands, matching the efforts of fellow US giants Ford and General Motors. Five of these concepts have been teased this week, representing the Jeep, Ram Trucks, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat brands. Jeep has created the 2014 Cherokee-based Trail Carver, which features a unique decal package and roof basket, mud-terrain tyres, and orange-coloured tow hooks. The interior is covered in Katzkin Amaretto leather, and includes several Mopar optional accessories such as a wireless phone charger. The Ram Sun Chaser dual-cab truck will represent the Ram Trucks brand, with Vibrant Orange Blast and Brilliant Black two-tone paint, the Sun Chaser asserts its presence with chunky wheelarch flares to cover big mud-terrain tyres on bead-locked rims. The Sun Chaser’s roof rack has been specially designed to carry four surfboards, and features a portable shower system for post-surf wash downs. Chrysler will display a more discreet take on the 300 sedan, with menacing black paint  replacing all chrome work and tinted lighting and windows, with a dropped stance over 20 inch alloys. Dodge has created a stormtrooper-like Durango SUV, with black detailing contrasting with a stark-white exterior, and red highlights to accompany the Dodge badge detail.    A relative newcomer to the US market, Fiat will show the 500L Adventurer, which expands on the standard 500L tall-boy hatch with wheelarch flares, 18 inch wheels and a roof basket. A Dodge Challenger-based concept is also set to appear, but the brand is keeping its appearance close to its chest until the show’s November 5 opening. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn  

We've seen plenty of vehicle comparisons done as head-to-heads, but this time it's a back-to-back as a Land Rover Defender and a Dodge Ram pick-up battle for supremacy in a tug-of-war.The American-built Ram has more under the bonnet, with all the power and torque of a massive 5.9-litre V8 diesel engine to tackle the 2.5-litre diesel of the British Defender.However, the Land Rover has the advantages of an arsenal of down-and-dirty offroad kit: differential locks, permanent all-wheel drive, a manual gearbox and a more even distribution of weight across its axles.But perhaps more importantly, in this case it clearly has the benefit of better driver technique. There's no more clever way to win a tug of war than to let your opponent spin up their wheels first and lose all their traction advantage.Sadly, the reign of the Defender as we know it is coming to a close, with Land Rover recently announcing it will cease production in December 2015. Its successor is likely to appear a year or two later -- and we're pretty sure we'll see a tug-of-war rematch between the newcomer and rivals.See the Land Rover Defender vs Dodge Ram tug-of-war video here.www.motorauthority.com 

Chrysler Group has done a deal with the makers of the new Superman movie Man of Steel, to promote its Ram ute as well as the soon to be released movie.It has come up with a special Superman-themed truck that was presented at the New York premier of the movie earlier this month and will be rolled out at a series of promotional events across the US.Chrysler Group provided “several vintage trucks and other vehicles” to Warner Bros. for use in the Man of Steel movie, although it wasn’t clear when this story was written whether the current model Ram pick-up is featured.It did develop a special Man of Steel version of the Ram Power Wagon, which is still a ute despite the use of the word wagon in its name. The custom Man of Steel pick-up truck uses several visual cues to align itself with the movie.These include anodised red grille inserts and a high gloss black roof, with painters applying 14 coats for maximum effect. The rest of the body is covered in a dull grey, best described as steel grey, body wrap, with a black strip along the sills that matches the black front and rear bumpers.Chrysler Group says the texture was designed to match Superman’s suit. There are S-shield logos on several locations around the truck’s exterior and also the inside. The cabin features grey leather seats, with red trim sections on the doors, dashboard and seats, which also feature mesh inserts modelled on Superman’s suit. Forged 17-inch alloys and chunky off-road tyres finish of the muscular look.At this stage, Chrysler Group says the Man of Steel ute is a one-off and will be auctioned off for charity once it has finished its promo role. Even so, if it gets a good reception, the idea of a special edition Superman Ram ute might just take off. 

If there’s anyone doubting the Fast and Furious franchise’s ability to still stun audiences after all these years, then this is the trailer to watch.

The American shell is just the same, but the Freemont has an Italian heart that reflects the future of transatlantic development deals between Fiat and Chrysler.It comes to Australia with a starting price of $27,000 driveaway, as well as smaller engines and a five-seater cabin - with seven on call - that provides clear space around the Journey and a new opportunity for Fiat.The Italian brand claims the Freemont is the most fuel efficient vehicle in its people mover class, thanks to the 2-litre turbodiesel that starts at $32,600. The Freemont is not the most imaginative model spawned by the Fiat-Chrysler Alliance, with Maserati set to tap the Jeep well for its upcoming SUV and also picking up parts from the 300C, but it shows the new thinking at the company"This is the start of our new product offensive. You have to start somewhere," says Clyde Campbell, the president of Fiat Chrysler Group Australia."This was readily available and we thought we should give it a go. We think it will do reasonable volume, be a good contributor." Campbell, who has led the re-branding the re-positioning of Fiat and Alfa Romeo in Australia, says there is a lot happening at the Italian-American conglomerate."The thinking behind the Fiat-Chrysler alliance, which has become more than an alliance, now, is that they can share from what each other does well. We'll see it in multiple platforms."Fiat is good at small engines, so the Freemont gets launched here with a four-cylinder petrol and a good little diesel engine. Dodge and what Dodge stands for is probably not a 2-litre petrol."The Freemont is a mid-sized people mover with a flexible cabin that brings five seats and up to 1461 litres of cargo space - third-row seating costs $1500 - with Base, Urban and Lounge trim levels but even the starter car getting remote central locking, 17-inch alloys, aircon and power steering, rear parking radar, tyre-pressure monitoring and a 4.3-inch touch screen for an infotainment system including Bluetooth audio streaming."There's a lot of value. And there are a lot of trim levels, compared to the Dodge," says Campbell. But it's the planning around the Freemont that shows where Fiat-Chrysler is going."Chrysler builds it and ships it. But they fit it with the Italian engines," Campbell says. And he says there is much more action planned for 2013."We've got other Fiat product coming this year. We're going to re-launch the Punto and launch the Panda."We've already re-positioned Fiat and Alfa here with lower prices and more models. Now it's the product."This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover 

The US might be the "home of custom cars" but an Australian from a country town has outclassed them.Justin Hills has taken the title of World's Most Beautiful Custom Car away from the Americans at the renowned Sacramento Autorama with his 1960 Dodge Phoenix.It's the second time Mr Hills has entered the Autorama competition, which showcases more than 450 cars from hot rods to classics.Read more here.  

A car dealership in the Adelaide suburb of Frewville will be forced to take down its latest marketing after complaints were raised with Burnside Council. Belcar Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership, on Glen Osmond Rd, erected a bright orange jeep that rotates atop a 12m pole last month. Burnside Council received two complaints about the jeep last month. The council's communications adviser, Jenny Barrett, said the dealership did not apply for approval. The dealership has been given until February 28 to take it down, otherwise council would take legal action. Belcar Chrysler Jeep Dodge general manager Grant Jasper said the dealership did not apply for approval as it believed it was unnecessary for a temporary structure. He said Belcar offered to submit a retrospective application and lower the pole's height. "We spoke to the council and we were just shut down," Mr Jasper said. "We were flatly told if we made an application it would be denied." Belcar staff were disappointed the "Jeep on a stick", which would have been on display for six months, would be removed.