The Chrysler Group and Dodge brand CEO Tim Kuniskis have announced that there will be a big debut on August 16th at the 2014 Woodward Dream Cruise near Detroit and that model – teased as the “next ultimate performance vehicle” – will be introduced to invited media next Wednesday, August 13th. No other information of any kind has been offered but it is widely expected that this new ultimate performance vehicle will be the new Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. However, with no other hints as to what might be debuting on the week of the Woodward Dream Cruise, there is no guarantee that the 707hp Charger will debut next week.
If not the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, there is a chance that it could be the Dodge Dart SRT or the Dodge Journey SRT – both of which are slated to arrive within the next few years. Since it is supposed to be at least a couple of years before those SRT models arrive, anything along those lines would likely just be a concept model. Then again, are either of those going to be ultimate performance models? Im guessing no.
The other option – and possibly the most likely aside from the Hellcat Charger, would be the next Dodge Viper. It has been promised that there would be a refreshed Viper in 2015 and maybe the company has moved that debut up to late 2014. Of course, this mystery car could also be the Dodge Viper Roadster…as we are expecting that model to arrive soon as well.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
