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apple really wants to build a car?

I guess you might call me a dyed-in-the-wool Apple enthusiast. After all, my Apple Computer product ownership goes back to Apple II, the first Macintosh computer, first PowerBook, first iPod, iPhone and Apple Watch. And I'm still a fan of the brand, typing this on my trusty MacBook.

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It's not that I doubt that Apple can design and produce a perfectly decent battery electric vehicle, but if and when they do, it better be as cool and dramatic as the original iPhone was compared to my Palm Treo 650 back in 2007. Up 'till then, my "smartphone" was the envy of many colleagues. And that's the same Job's inspired Apple drama that the company will need to jump into the car business.

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badly driven vehicles according to insurers

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You may have heard, or even experienced, the apparent rudeness of BMW drivers. Well according to Insurify Insights, an organization that measurers such things, that's the case, especially when operating 4-Series models. Not only do these drivers score rudest in the nation, they're third in the DUI category.

 

While not so rude, RAM Heavy Duty drivers score number one in the drinking while driving category. Considering the size, that's a bad combo.

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Surprisingly, the ignominious title of first place in drunk driving conveyance goes to the rather self-effacing vintage Chevy S-10. It's also the least costly and that savings may help buy insurance coverage.

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And while Subaru WRX drivers aren't as buzzed (# 6 in the top ten) as afore mentioned operators, they get the top prize for speeding, are forth rudest and third most likely to cause an accident. Watch me fly!

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For some of us who’ve been around the automotive industry for more than a handful of decades, the term “muscle car” was popularized in the 1960s era of American automakers stuffing big V8 engines into coupes, sedans and a few convertibles. Fast forward to today’s market and, at least for the moment, the only former “Big Three” automaker stuffing snorting V8 engines into passenger cars is Ford. But this hardly means that petrol powered bragging rights are the sole province of the fellas in Dearborn, Michigan.

First a short history lesson. The Dodge brothers built their first car in 1914 and in 1928 their company was acquired by Chrysler. In 1998 the iconic American automaker joined Mercedes-Benz parent to create DaimlerChrysler Motors, an alleged “Merger of Equals”. In 2007 Cerberus Capital Management took control and along with a weak economy, steered the automaker into further distress. After a short restructuring, Fiat acquired a majority stake in Chrysler Corp and in 2014 renamed the automaker to FCA US LLC. Finally in 2021, Fiat and the French PSA Group joined to become Stellantis N.V. with headquarters in Hoofddorp, North Holland.

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I share this very condensed history to enable readers to grasp how challenging it has been for the Dodge product planners to get really competitive cars to market. Today’s Charger is a great example. After successfully positioning Dodge as a provider of rip-snorting, thunderous performance vehicles, the Netherlands-based Stellantis decided that electricity was the best propulsion system for the Dodge Charger. They might have asked Harley Davidson how sales of their battery-powered motorcycle were doing but wasn’t the car business pivoting to plugs? So 2025 was not a banner year for electric Chargers.

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This year Chargers are literally roaring back and while not “yet” with HEMI V8 power, the 3.0-liter, twin-turbo, six-cylinder engine offerings are compelling. Charger’s standard offering produces 420 HP with a deep growl out the twin exhaust pipes. Not enough to make your right foot happy? Option the high-output version and 550 HP is on tap, plenty enough to take on most V8s. And early buyers could acquire a Super Bee Launch Edition with 600 HP and that high-octane bee on the fenders. Sadly, they didn’t send me that version.

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Today’s Dodge fellas position the Daytona as a muscle car rivaling Ford’s Mustang and when applied to the two-door coupe version, that’s fair. But I found this good-looking, well-equipped four-door sports sedan a reasonable rival to a few luxury brands. If you want a GM competitor, it’s Cadillac’s CT5 V, a quite nice sports sedan but you’ll give up 100 HP and some interior space. BMW’s 540i xDrive and the Mercedes-Benz E 450 4MATIC also offer smooth power and handling, but you’ll spend luxury money to sit in those heated seats.

 

Our Dodge didn’t really rival luxury brands in the elevated detail of materials and precision but our Charger continued to impress me with a long list of attributes that are not often found in high-volume models. And the handling characteristics are quite good for a full-size sedan that adds even more utility with a big rear hatch opening and folding rear seats. The new Charger is a welcome offering in today’s utilitarian marketplace.

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THE FINE PRINT

2026 Dodge Charger R/T Plus

TYPE:  Front Engine, all-wheel-drive

ENGINE:  3.0 -liter twin-turbo I-6

HORSEPOWER:  420 @ 5,200 RPM

TORQUE:  469 lb.ft. @ 3,500 RPM

BASE PRICE: $51,995

AS TESTED:  $65,365

FUEL CONSUMPTION:  

17-city, 26-highway, 20-combined

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