Dodge Challenger Black Ghost; Sixth Last Call Model Announced
November 22, 2022Continuing its streak of reveals, Dodge is showcasing the Challenger “Black Ghost,” the sixth out of seventh “Last Call” models to be introduced for the Challenger’s (and Charger’s) twilight year.
The 2023 Challenger Black Ghost pays homage to a similarly named model of Woodward Avenue legend. Owned by Godfrey Qualls, the original Black Ghost was a 1970 Challenger RT SE powered by a 426 HEMI. It went on to earn a spot in the National Historic Vehicle Register in 2020, and remains in the Qualls family.
The OG famously flexed its muscle before driving off into the night, gone without a trace; the new one should be equally stealthy thanks to the black and chrome appearance dressing the SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody. Under the hood is something less inconspicuous; the Hellcat Redeye’s supercharged 6.2-liter V8 beefed up to 807 horsepower.
Some of the more standout appearance features include the bright Dodge badging upfront and the “gator skin” roof vinyl. Less noticeable is the Midnight Metallic SRT grille badge, black MOPAR hood pins and six-piston Brembo brakes. The undercover interior is wrapped in a mix of Alcantara and leather, broken up by the red SRT logo on the wheel and carbon fiber bezels.
The sad news is that only 300 of these will be made, allocated to specific dealerships. As with all “Last Call” models, pricing and ordering details will be shared once ordering opens later this fall.
Trump Sets 25% Tariff on Imported Autos
March 27, 2025President Donald Trump has enacted a 25 percent tariff on autos built outside of the U.S., to go into effect on April 3, through an executive order signed on March 26.
Along with this move, part of the president’s ongoing economic and trade reforms, a 25 percent tariff will also be placed on auto parts, like engines and transmissions, that originate from outside the U.S., to go into effect no later than May 3, according to the official statement published by the White House.
The executive order states that parts complying with the current tariff-free trade under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement will not be affected by the additional tariff until the Commerce Department develops a method to identify and appropriately administer the tariff to components made outside of the U.S.. Furthermore, the tariffs will apply solely to the value of non-U.S.-made components in vehicles imported from Canada and Mexico that comply with the agreement.
“What we’re going to be doing is a 25 percent tariff for all cars that are not made in the United States,” Trump said during a news conference at the White House. “We start off with a 2.5 percent base, which is what we’re at, and go to 25 percent.”
These tariffs are designed to boost manufacturing in the U.S. by giving automakers more of a reason to move production to domestic shores; however, a more immediate impact may be increased prices. For example, a vehicle entirely produced and assembled outside of the U.S. may see a 25 percent price increase. That said, vehicles assembled in Mexico or Canada may only see a price increase based on the components not included by the agreement, or excluding components originating from the U.S..
At this time, it’s unclear how other countries will, if at all, react to these new tariffs. The obvious short-term impact may be increased prices. Looking farther ahead, tariffs may spur stateside production, providing more jobs and opportunities for U.S. workers; however, it will take time for those factories to be ready.