Automotive News is wrong
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By Keith Crain, Editor-in-Chief, Automotive News
Albeit I have written a lot of our editorials over the last few decades, the one in last week`s the April twenty four issue of Automotive News slipped by me. That editorial, which maintained that the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon should be banned from public roads, was misinformed and wrong.
It is up to consumers to determine if they want to buy a Demon.
The 840-hp Demon is not even the most powerful car available for purchase in the United States. There are several vehicles with more horsepower than the Demon and that may not be able to run at National Hot Rod Association haul strips without certain safety modifications (as is the case with the Demon). But they are all street legal, including a 1,500-hp Bugatti.
To suggest that a company should limit its choices to the public is simply wrong. We may have differences of opinion in our newsroom, but Automotive News will never suggest that if a vehicle obeys with all rules and regulations, it shouldn`t have a right to rival in our marketplace.
Last week, a Honda Civic Type-R with a few chunks of safety equipment set a record for the fastest-ever lap for a front-wheel-drive production car at Germany`s Nurburgring Nordschleife racetrack.
Supercars
Official Autoweek Editorial Policy: The Dodge Demon is good
In light of a latest editorial that appeared on our beloved, respected, award-winning sister publication, Automotive News, Autoweek wishes to issue the following statement:It is Autoweek’s .
It will be available for sale soon. No one, including Automotive News, should suggest that any vehicle should be prohibited from sale.
One of the good things about the auto industry today is that even with rough emission and safety standards and CAFE, there are more choices today than at any time in the industry`s history. It is truly remarkable that in spite of such rigorous standards, engineers are able to create vehicles that thrust the boundaries further and further.
Any buyer of a high-performance vehicle might be wise to attend one of the very good driving schools available. But it should be based on a conversation with the potential customer and the dealer.
This is a good time in the history of this industry, with so many choices from gasoline to electrical to hydrogen. To suggest that anyone should limit the creativity of our engineers is simply wrong.