The Chrysler Group has just announced that when the 2013
Dodge Dart hits dealerships later this year, it will be the first vehicle in the
American auto industry to offer wireless charging for cell phones, iPods and
other portable electronic gadgets.This wireless
charging system joins a long list of industry firsts introduced by the Chrysler
Group over the past few years with other “firsts” including vehicle information
applications for smartphone users, an electronic vehicle tracking system,
built-in Wi-Fi and electronic owner’s manuals.
The way that the wireless charging system in the 2013 Dodge
Dart is very simple – saving you the hassle of carrying around a charging wire
in your vehicle. At the bottom of the
center stack and just in front of the shifter, there is a bin with an
integrated power grid in the “floor” of that special compartment (shown in the
image above).The owner of the new Dart
can place their iPhone, Droid, Blackberry, iPod or other personal electronic
devices in a special case that is included with the system.When the car is started, simply setting the
phone or MP3 player in the bin activates the charging system and away you
go.No need to plug in your phone to
have it charge while driving.
Chrysler has not stated whether this new wireless charging
system for the 2013 Dodge Dart will be optional across the entire Dart lineup
or if it will come standard in highline models. However, Chrysler has announced that it will carry an MSRP of $199.99
plus the cost of installation.Two
hundred bucks is a healthy chunk of change for a cell phone charger but for
those new Dodge Dart owners who spend lots of time stuck in traffic each day –
their cell phone will remain charged with the help of their sexy new Dart
sedan.
"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.
The Chrysler Group has just announced that when the 2013