Dodge and Ram Earn Top Honors at First Annual Southwest Lifestyle Media Drive

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Oct 24, 2018, 12:00 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye named the Southwest Lifestyle Car of the Year – Performance/Luxury
All-new 2019 Ram 1500 Longhorn named Southwest Lifestyle Truck of the Year
Inaugural awards recognize vehicles based on features that are most desirable for every day, active lives

FCA US LLC took home two awards at the inaugural Southwest Lifestyle Media Drive competition earning the top spot in their respective categories:

Southwest Lifestyle Car of the Year – Performance/Luxury: 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye
Southwest Lifestyle Truck of the Year: 2019 Ram 1500 Longhorn

"Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye is about as much fun as any vehicle we've driven. You can't help but get a rush from the engine growl, the all-out power, and the superb handling. Yet, it's surprisingly manageable and comfortable enough to be an everyday driver - if you can resist the temptation to push the speed limit," said Becky Antioco, president of the Southwest Lifestyle Media group. "The Ram 1500 Longhorn really captures the spirit of what the Southwest is all about. It perfectly handles our rugged landscapes when we're out exploring, yet is exceedingly comfortable for everyday driving. It's the perfect mix of luxury, technology, and capability, and that's why it earned our Truck of the Year award."

The first annual Southwest Lifestyle Media Drive was held at Bondurant Racing School in Chandler, Arizona, where a panel of 18 automotive journalists evaluated cars, crossovers, SUVs and trucks in four categories. Jurors ranked individual vehicles in categories related to fuel efficiency, performance, comfort, storage solutions and safety systems. At the end of the day, FCA took home two of the four awards.

"Overall, FCA brought some excellent vehicles to the Southwest Lifestyle Media Drive, and earned some well-deserved kudos for their entries," said Antioco.

2019 Dodge Challenger
Dodge launches the most powerful SRT Hellcat lineup ever in 2019, by leveraging the power of the record-setting Dodge Challenger SRT Demon to introduce the new performance halo for the brand and the most powerful, quickest and fastest muscle car – the 797-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye.

The Challenger SRT Hellcat returns with output now starting at 717-horsepower and both Hellcat models feature a new dual-snorkel hood that pays homage to the distinctive Dodge design themes from some of its most famous muscle cars, including the 1970 Dart Swinger and 1971 Demon. The new R/T Scat Pack Widebody includes fender flares, adding 3.5 inches of body width, 20 x 11-inch forged wheels, 305/35ZR20 Pirelli tires and larger six-piston Brembo brakes in the front for improved on-road and on-track performance. The new Challenger GT rear-wheel-drive model extends its performance capabilities with standard Super Track Pak features, performance hood, splitter and seats, for the first time ever with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine.

Eight distinct models make up the reconfigured vehicle lineup for 2019: SXT, SXT AWD, GT, GT AWD, R/T, R/T Scat Pack, SRT Hellcat and SRT Hellcat Redeye. Numerous option packages offer all the upgrades, unique heritage cues and additional performance that Dodge//SRT customers demand. Challenger offers a full range of engine options, including the award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 on SXT, SXT AWD, GT and GT AWD models, the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 in the R/T models, the naturally aspirated 392 HEMI V-8 on R/T Scat Pack models, the supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V-8 on the SRT Hellcat and a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI high-output V-8 on the SRT Hellcat Redeye.

2019 Ram 1500
The all-new 2019 Ram 1500 is a no-compromise truck, leading in luxury, efficiency, capability and innovation. Defining future pickup trucks, the 2019 Ram 1500 commands with innovative design, the highest quality materials and class-exclusive technology.

Ram leads the full-size truck segment with the most safety and security features and now delivers significant gains in fuel efficiency with an all-new eTorque system in both V-6 and V-8 configurations. Overall weight for the Ram 1500 has been reduced by 225 pounds. As the truck's backbone, the frame uses advanced materials and engineering to eliminate 100 pounds while increasing stiffness and durability for 12,750 pounds of towing capability and 2,300 pounds of payload. The new Uconnect 4C with a massive 12-inch touchscreen leads the pickup world with technology featuring split-screen capability, 360-degree camera views and exclusive content from SiriusXM with 360L. Active safety and security systems join the technology onslaught with adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and Blind-spot Monitoring.

The 2019 Ram 1500 went on sale earlier this year and has a starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $31,695 plus $1,645 destination fee.

About FCA US LLC
FCA US LLC is a North American automaker based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It designs, manufactures, and sells or distributes vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram, FIAT and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as the SRT performance designation. The Company also distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo parts and accessories. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler Corp., established in 1925 by industry visionary Walter P. Chrysler and Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (F.I.A.T.), founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli. FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA).

FCA is an international automotive group listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA."

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