Mopar Insiders Articles

Refreshed Jeep® Wrangler Nails Latest IIHS Crash Test Refreshed JL Gets Top Marks in Tougher Crash Safety Exam The refreshed 2024 and 2025 Jeep® Wrangler (JL) have officially earned solid marks in the latest crash safety evaluations by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), particularly in the updated moderate overlap front crash test. Despite a few hiccups in secondary safety features, the iconic off-roader remains a top contender in rugged capability with a stronger safety story than ever before. https://moparinsiders.com/refreshed-jeep-wrangler-nails-latest-iihs-crash-test/

NextStar Energy Finalizes First Union Deal With Unifor Agreement Covers 450 Hourly Workers At Canadian Battery Plant NextStar Energy has officially ratified its first-ever collective agreement with Unifor Local 444, marking a major milestone for the Canadian battery manufacturing company. The agreement, which was voted in by employees last week, covers hourly production and maintenance workers at the Windsor, Ontario-based facility. https://moparinsiders.com/nextstar-energy-finalizes-first-union-deal-with-unifor/

Fiat Abarth 600e Struggles to Spark Interest in 2025 Sales Fall Flat for Electric Hot Hatch in Europe When Abarth unveiled its all-new 600e late last year, there was hope the sporty subcompact would breathe new life into the brand’s all-electric future. On paper, the specs seemed promising: 280 horsepower, a mechanical limited-slip differential, and aggressive styling wrapped into a compact, Euro-flavored package. But here we are, halfway through 2025, and things aren’t looking good. https://moparinsiders.com/fiat-abarth-600e-struggles-to-spark-interest-in-2025/

Dodge Durango Dominates J.D. Power 2025 APEAL Study Climbs To The Top Of The Upper Midsize SUV Segment, Powers Dodge To Second Place Overall The Dodge Durango just proved it’s more than muscle—it’s a crowd favorite. According to the latest J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, the Durango has taken the top spot in the upper midsize SUV segment, tying for first and helping catapult Dodge to second place among all mass-market automotive brands in the U.S. https://moparinsiders.com/dodge-durango-dominates-j-d-power-2025-apeal-study/

CAUGHT: 2026 Dodge Charger Outlaw Rips Through Detroit Streets Twin-Turbo Charger Coupe Lets Loose While Filming In Downtown Detroit It appears that yesterday, in downtown Detroit, Dodge was caught filming what looks—and sounds—like the all-new 2026 Dodge Charger Outlaw coupe. It didn’t take long for muscle car fans to take notice, especially once the exhaust note echoed off the buildings near Bagley and Cass Streets, near the Rosa Parks Transit Center downtown. A perfect setting for Dodge’s new muscle car, as it’s located near the iconic Woodward Avenue. https://moparinsiders.com/caught-2026-dodge-charger-outlaw-rips-through-detroit-streets/

1968 B029 HEMI® Barracuda Prototype Heads to Mecum Indy 2025 The Car That Launched Super Stock History is Hitting the Auction Block One of the most significant Mopars in drag racing history is finally crossing the auction block — and it’s not just any old HEMI® car. On Saturday, May 17th, 2025, at Mecum Indy, the legendary 1968 Plymouth Barracuda B029 Prototype — known as “The Mule” — will go under the hammer. This isn’t just a Super Stocker. It’s the Super Stocker — the very prototype Chrysler Engineering used to develop the 1968 HEMI Super Stock Barracuda program. https://moparinsiders.com/1968-b029-hemi-barracuda-prototype-heads-to-mecum-indy-2025/

Cassino Assembly Plant Shuts Down Again Amid Weak Demand Alfa Romeo and Maserati Models Hit Hard by Slumping Sales Production at Stellantis’ Cassino Assembly Plant in Italy has ground to a halt once again, and it’s not just a brief pause—it could last well into September. According to sources overseas, the plant officially stopped all operations on Wednesday, July 23, after limping along with limited activity in the assembly area. What’s more, Stellantis has moved the plant’s summer shutdown forward by a full week, originally scheduled to start on August 4. https://moparinsiders.com/cassino-assembly-plant-shuts-down-again-amid-weak-demand/

2026 Dodge Durango SRT HELLCAT Spotted Filming In Detroit Supercharged SUV Returns with Fresh Color and Classic Attitude It looks like Dodge is cooking up something exciting again—and it’s loud, fast, and mean. Just a couple of days after the new 550-horsepower 2026 Dodge Charger Outlaw was spotted shooting a commercial, a brand-new 2026 Dodge Durango SRT HELLCAT was also seen filming in downtown Detroit. The sighting was shared by the “Metro Detroit News” Facebook page, and it’s got Mopar fans buzzing for good reason. https://moparinsiders.com/2026-dodge-durango-srt-hellcat-spotted-filming-in-detroit/

One-of-One 1969 Dodge HEMI® Charger R/T Sells for $176K Bright Green Metallic Automatic Sets Auction Record at Mecum Harrisburg 2025 This 1969 Dodge Charger R/T HEMI® just shattered records at Mecum Harrisburg 2025, selling for a staggering $176,000 with buyer premiums included. That makes it the most expensive 1969 HEMI Charger with an automatic transmission ever sold at public auction. https://moparinsiders.com/one-of-one-1969-dodge-hemi-charger-r-t-sells-for-176k/

Chrysler Recalls 21 Pacifica Minivans for Rearview Camera Issue Incorrect Radio Installation Causes Rearview Image Failure Stellantis (FCA US, LLC) is recalling approximately 21 units of its 2024 to 2025 Chrysler Pacifica (RU) minivansthat were built with an incorrect radio, which may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 111, “Rear Visibility.” https://moparinsiders.com/chrysler-recalls-21-pacifica-minivans-for-rearview-camera-issue/

One-Off Jensen Interceptor “Viperceptor” Stuns at Auction Viper V10-Powered 1973 Jensen Interceptor Sells for £75,000 When you think of iconic British GT cars, the Jensen Interceptor usually isn’t the first to come to mind—but maybe it should be. Especially when someone goes and stuffs a massive 8.3-liter (505 cubic-inch) VIPER V10 from a Dodge Viper SRT-10 under the hood, hand-builds the entire thing from the ground up, and dubs it the “Viperceptor.” That’s exactly what happened with this one-of-one 1973 Jensen Interceptor restomod, and it just sold at auction for a surprising £75,000 (or about $96,000 USD). https://moparinsiders.com/one-off-jensen-interceptor-viperceptor-stuns-at-auction/

Mopar Madness Set to Invade M1 Cars & Coffee on August 2nd SRT, HELLCATs, and Jeep® Legends to Take Over Woodward’s M1 Concourse Mark your calendars, Mopar fans—Saturday, August 2, 2025, is shaping up to be one of the biggest mornings of the summer for car enthusiasts across Metro Detroit. That’s when M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan, hosts its next Cars & Coffee event, and this time it’s all about Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Plymouth, Ram, and everything Mopar. https://moparinsiders.com/mopar-madness-set-to-invade-m1-cars-coffee-on-august-2nd/

Sources Say Ram 1500 TRX Will Return In Early 2026 Updated TRX Will Make Start Production In Late-January Back in March, we reported that Ram was working behind the scenes to bring back its apex predator, the Ram 1500 TRX. Now, our well-placed sources within the company have confirmed that the high-performance off-roader is indeed set to return, with production (Job #1) expected to begin in late January 2026. While Ram has not officially announced the TRX’s comeback, everything we’re hearing points to a serious return—one that will also mark the first vehicle launch under the newly relaunched Street and Racing Technology (SRT) division. https://moparinsiders.com/sources-say-ram-1500-trx-will-return-in-early-2026/

Tiny Topolino Touches Down In The U.S. FIAT’s Quirky City EV Visits Select Dealers For American Feedback Since 2021, Stellantis has been pushing the boundaries of urban mobility with its trio of all-electric quadricycles: the Citroën Ami, Opel Rocks-e, and the Fiat Topolino. Originally designed for dense European city centers and Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZs), these pint-sized EVs are getting a surprising test run—right here in the U.S. Recently, Stellantis quietly sent 20 Fiat Topolinos to select American dealerships, including Golling Alfa Romeo Fiat in Birmingham, Michigan, to gauge public interest. https://moparinsiders.com/tiny-topolino-touches-down-in-the-u-s/

EXOMOD “Goldfinger” Blends ’68 Charger Style with HELLCAT Fury One-Off C68 Carbon Redeye with 797 HP Hits the BringATrailer Auction Block Just one day after we spotted EXOMOD’s D69 Carbon Daytona up for auction, another wild build from the Pennsylvania-based shop has surfaced — and this one is just as jaw-dropping. Meet “Goldfinger,” a 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT HELLCAT Redeye rebodied in full carbon fiber to mimic the iconic 1968 Dodge Charger, with EXOMOD’s signature twist. https://moparinsiders.com/exomod-goldfinger-blends-68-charger-style-with-hellcat-fury/

Stellantis Teams Up with 4screen to Boost In-Car Convenience New Real-Time Service Helps Drivers Find What They Need, Right From The Dash Stellantis is stepping up its tech game once again—this time teaming up with 4screen, a German-based mobility platform, to bring real-time, location-based services directly into the infotainment screens of select vehicles. This new partnership is all about giving drivers a smarter, more helpful in-car experience without pulling their attention off the road. https://moparinsiders.com/stellantis-teams-up-with-4screen-to-boost-in-car-convenience/

Smyth Performance Ends Production of Jeep WJ Truck Conversion Kit Final Orders for the 1999–2004 Grand Cherokee Ute Kit Must Be Placed by August 1st If you’ve ever dreamed of turning your old Jeep Grand Cherokee (WJ) into a head-turning pickup, you probably already know about the Smyth Performance Ute kit. Built for the 1999 to 2004 Grand Cherokee platform, this do-it-yourself truck bed conversion kit has gained a cult following over the years — and now, it’s heading off into the sunset. https://moparinsiders.com/smyth-performance-ends-production-of-jeep-wj-truck-conversion-kit/

EXOMOD D69 Carbon Daytona Roars to Auction One-Off HELLCAT Redeye with Full Carbon Fiber Charger Body Hits BringATrailer If you’ve ever wished Dodge would build a modern version of the 1969 Charger Daytona with today’s HELLCAT power, this might be as close as it gets — and then some. https://moparinsiders.com/exomod-d69-carbon-daytona-roars-to-auction/

Discovering the Chrysler That Never Was A Personal Encounter with the 1996 Chrysler Lugano Concept During a recent trip to Los Angeles, I decided to break away from the usual tourist traps and spend a day immersing myself in car culture with the family. While the original plan was centered on Disneyland and family fun, I couldn’t pass up the chance to visit the Petersen Automotive Museum, a bucket-list stop for any true gearhead. https://moparinsiders.com/discovering-the-chrysler-that-never-was/

Stellantis Recalls Over 121,000 Jeep® Grand Cherokee Models Second-Row Head Restraints May Fail To Lock Upright Stellantis (FCA US, LLC) is recalling approximately 121,398 units of its 2023 to 2024 Jeep® Grand Cherokee (WL74) and Grand Cherokee L (WL75) due to a defect in the second-row head restraints. The issue involves an internal locking mechanism that may not properly secure the head restraint in the upright position, thereby violating Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 202a, “Head Restraints.” https://moparinsiders.com/stellantis-recalls-over-121000-jeep-grand-cherokee-models/