Mysterious Ram, Dodge Sublime Muscle Cars Set to Hit Chicago Auto Show

Expect a balance of Dodge performance cars and hard-working Ram trucks at Windy City event that runs from Feb. 9-18.

Last week, Dodge announced that the Sublime 2019 Challenger and Charger would be on display at the Chicago Auto Show, which runs Feb. 9-18. However, all the pre-show hype surrounding the Chicago event does not specify exactly what Ram, Chrysler and Mopar have in store for the Windy City crowd. Each of those three brands has a press conference scheduled over the course of the two-day media preview, but without any teasers from the automaker, we can only guess as to what the news from each brand will be.

Dodge Gets Sublime

We know for sure that the Sublime is returning to the Dodge Challenger and Charger lineup for the 2019 model year (above). The Challenger was last offered in the light metallic green hue back in 2015, when it was the most popular choice of Hellcat buyers in their first model year, but it was offered on the entire lineup. The Charger was last offered in Sublime back in 2007 in Daytona trim, so this marks the first time that the current generation of the sedan has been offered in this popular green.

In addition to the Sublime cars, the Dodge display should have a big spread of the two performance cars in varying trim, along with a few examples of the Durango and the Journey.

Ram New Vehicle

The press conference schedule states that at 11 a.m. on Feb. 7, there will be a “Ram New Vehicle Debut,” but there has been no indication as to what that vehicle might be. There have been many rumors about high-performance packages for the Ram 1500 and there hasn’t been any news on the half-ton in quite some time. Also, with the debut of the new Ram Heavy Duty last month in Detroit, it is hard to imagine that is left to roll out in the world of the heavy duty trucks.

In any case, the FCA display is sure to showcase plenty of Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups, including an indoor off-road course where show-goers can drive some of the new trucks.

Chrysler and Mopar

Both Chrysler and Mopar have press conferences scheduled, with Chrysler set to announce something at 2:20 on Thursday while Mopar has an announcement at breakfast on Friday morning. Chrysler only has two vehicles, so it will have to be news about the Pacifica or the 300 while the Mopar announcement could pertain to almost anything in the company lineup.

Mopar offers parts for every FCA vehicle, so the odds are good that the aftermarket upfitting brand will introduce new items, but we don’t know what those vehicles might be.

Jeep Drive

It doesn’t look like Jeep will have any news or announcements in Chicago, but as has been the case for years, the Trail Rated brand will have an indoor off-road course where show-goers can drive a few different vehicles in fairly extreme situations. Of those vehicles on display, the odds are good that the new Renegade pickup will be displayed in a variety of trim levels, along with showcasing some Mopar parts as well.

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Patrick Rall

"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.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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