The Dodge Electric Muscle Car Is Coming and So Is the Return of the Mysterious Fratzog

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Dodge has just released a new teaser for the unnamed Dodge electric muscle car. More exciting than whatever fell beast Dodge plans on releasing into the wild is the flashing old and deeply mysterious Fratzog badge around. Ever heard of the Fratzog? 

The Fratzog | Dodge

While the Fratzog might sound like olde timey German composer and look like a Klingon symbol, it is not. It’s actually a relic of the old Dodge futurist days. Make way for the Fratzog. Heghlu’meH QaQ jajvam!

What is the Fratzog?

In the upcoming Dodge electric muscle car teaser, a keen eye might have noticed a mysterious red badge on the hood of Dodge’s new dark creation. Although many people have never seen this enigmatic little red triangle-shaped badge, that doesn’t mean it’s new. This red triangle is called the Fratzog, and it’s finally resurfacing after nearly 50 years in hiding. 

According to MotorTrend, during the mid-1950s, Chrysler (and its sub-brand Dodge) began using a new styling language called “forward look,” developed by a fella named Virgil Exner. This new vision translated to “let’s slap giant fins on EVERYTHING!” The semi-futurist designs were all about aerospace and space ships. To accompany this new design style, Dodge got a new, somewhat menacing badge to go along with the fins and nose cones. 

Entering the 1960s, the space age was in full swing, and the futurist double boomerang logo, along with the flashy tailfins, was fully out of Vogue. Dodge switched from the Jetsons-looking logo to the more serious red triangle we see here. 

This logo change came along with the attempt at the legendary Chrysler Turbine Car. It was still futuristic, but instead of the 50s swoops, it had a hard-lined Star Trek look that fit the age a bit better. 

Why is the Dodge electric muscle car using the Fratzog now? 

Dodge is the premier “power over everything” automaker. So, of course, its entrance into the electric muscle car world has to be done with excess and flair. If we knew what the word “Fratzog” means or at least came from, we would have some context clues for why Dodge is unearthing its vintage futurist logo. Unfortunately, there seems to be no meaning to the word. 

After some digging, there is no traceable etymology or meaning to the word. It appears to have been made up. According to MotorTrend, “ It’s not derived from any language, it’s not an acronym, it’s just an invented word for an interesting logo.” 

The logo was used sparingly from 1962-1976. Although we now know that Dodge intends to use it to brand its new electric muscle car, we still don’t know if this will become some sort of E sub-brand or adorn only the most powerful versions like the Dodge Demon or Hellcat. 

If we have learned anything from Dodge over the years, it’s that it isn’t afraid to throw otherworldly power into its cars just for the hell of it. We can only assume that if Dodge promises a super-powerful electric muscle car that it will be fully bananas and have a menacing name like, oh, I don’t know, the Fratzog. 

RELATED: There Definitely Won’t Be Another Dodge Demon

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I’m Selling My Used Car at Auction, and You Should Too

by Gabrielle DeSantis

I’d like to say that I’m not a gambling man. However, selling a used car at an auction can be just that. It has its ups and downs but may just net a seller more cash than selling privately. There’s always the possibility of a bidding war starting with your used vehicle, and you stand to benefit. For these reasons, I’ve decided to auction my beloved 2010 VW GTI over on Cars & Bids in the coming weeks. For now, let’s talk about how beneficial this may be for you the consumer.

Why sell a used car at auction?

2010 Volkswagen GTI | Jobe Teehan

Frankly, taking a car to auction may seem like more work for you upfront. In reality, it often pans out to be less headache than just throwing your car up on Craigslist and hoping for the best. This is especially true of selling a performance car. No one wants to give out test drives to tire kickers, and an auction is a great way to prevent that from happening. A larger site like Bring a Trailer will have bidders from across the country, most of whom aren’t local and just looking for a joy ride.

There’s also a certain amount of peace of mind to be found in auctioning off your ride. Should you choose not to set a reserve (a cash value that the vehicle must sell for), it’s pretty much guaranteed that your vehicle will sell. If you’ve already mentally let go of the vehicle and want it gone, chances are the auction will get pretty close to the number you wanted anyways. Just be realistic about what you think the car will sell for.

Auctions may bring more cash than selling privately

A gray Volkswagen GTI at sunset photographed from the rear 3/4.
2010 Volkswagen GTI | Jobe Teehan

Of course, there’s also the financial benefits of an auction, some of which we got into above. There’s always the chance of a bidding war, where buyers bid back and forth in the hopes of winning a vehicle they’re all foaming at the mouth over. This is far and away the most ideal circumstance for your auction but beware. It’s a very rare thing to have happen. That is unless you’ve got something truly rare and special.

There’s also the current market climate to consider. Due to the semiconductor shortage, supply chains are in shambles. I mean, how many times has Ford been unlucky enough to push back Bronco production? As a result, consumers are turning to the used market to satisfy their demand. Should you be looking to get the most out of your auction, be you bidder or seller, look here for some pointers.

Photos are everything

A gray Volkswagen GTI at sunset photographed with the Rocky Mountains in the background
2010 Volkswagen GTI | Jobe Teehan

In summary, an attractive listing is everything. I’m no Larry Chen, but some half-decent photos can make or break an auction. Don’t let your car look like a ****box because you took your photos on a 25-year-old Nokia cameraphone. Having service records handy is another great way to help you succeed. I’ll be going into the process more in-depth when my car is listed, and be sure to report the results. Overall, I expect the process to be a relatively painless one, and you should too.

RELATED: How to Get the Best Used Car for Your Money Online

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People Are Already Flipping Ford Broncos

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2021 Ford Bronco has been red-hot since its debut a few years back. Journalists are already raving about the model, and Ford is struggling to keep up with demand. So much so, that the brand has begun selling off test vehicle inventory to help meet demand. Additionally, the Bronco is also one of the vehicles hit hardest by the semiconductor shortage. This issue delayed production significantly.

The Ford Bronco is a hot commodity

2021 Ford Bronco | Ford

However, that has done little to temper demand for the new off-roader. The vehicle has been a topic of discussion both in and out of the off-road community since it was teased some years ago. After all, the new pony car from Ford is one of the first real challengers to the long-standing Jeep Wrangler dynasty. Moreover, people should be excited. I mean, look at it!

Modern vehicle design can be a controversial thing, and journalists like myself love to debate its pros and cons. In the case of the Ford Bronco, the design has been received as a smash hit. The vehicle manages to pack plenty of useful features onto the exterior without appearing overly aggressive or over-styled. Inside, the story is much the same. The Bronco packs a cornucopia of useful features into a variety of packages, sure to please consumers.

Ford is struggling to meet demand

A new Bronco on the production line at Ford.
Ford can’t make enough Broncos | Jeff Kowalsky via Getty Images

It’s because of these factors, coupled with the insane hype around the vehicle, that Ford has struggled to meet the demand for the new off-roader. As discussed above, production delays haven’t helped. The semiconductor shortage practically kneecapped production of some new Ford models, the Bronco included. At the brand’s Michigan assembly plant, Ford Bronco production was stopped entirely for a while.

Delays like this are what has led to an insane markup on new models. Not from dealers, but from private parties. Take a look at eBay Motors. There’s several Ford Broncos listed for well above sticker price. One is even listed for a whopping $102,000. Now, this could be because of the claimed build date listed in the description. The vehicle is supposedly slated for August production, which would make it one of the faster ways to get ahold of the hot new off-roader.

It’ll be a long time before the market calms down

A new Cyber Orange Bronco posed with a classic one on a sand dune
2021 Ford Bronco | Ford

Regardless, it’ll be some time before the market calms down on these. The chip shortage, combined with the production delays, as well as the utterly rabid demand for these models means it’ll be a while before you can just walk into a dealership and get a new Bronco. Frankly, you’d have better luck trying to get an old one. For the price of that eBay listing, you could have yourself a perfectly resto-modded Ford Bronco with all the modern features of a newer one and the charm of the iconic off-roader rolled into one. New or old, it’s safe to say that the Bronco will stay a hot commodity for quite some time.

RELATED: These Are the Best Features on the 2021 Ford Bronco

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Why Are Cars With Automatic Transmissions Quicker Than Those With Manual Ones?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you were to buy a Porsche 911, would buy the automatic version with the quick-shifted PDK, or would you opt for the good ‘ol seven-speed manual transmission? Of course, any real car enthusiast would likely choose to row their own gears, but they would be remiss to ignore the fact that the automatic version is actually quicker. But why?

Power loss doesn’t have that much to do with it

Before dual-clutch transmissions were a thing, many cars equipped with automatic transmissions were slower than their manual-transmission counterparts. For years, many people figured that it was due to the power loss that you get when the horsepower routes from the engine and through the drivetrain. However, according to Jason Cammisa from Hagerty, that wasn’t necessarily the reason they were slower.

In a recent video, Cammisa points out that the computer controls that govern the operation of many automatic transmissions from the past would lock up the torque converter most of the time. This would effectively eliminate a lot of “slush” from the gearbox. This also led to no power loss between shifts, which meant that automatic transmissions started to catch up to their manual transmission counterparts over time. However, they still weren’t as quick off the line.

The dual-clutch transmission evened the playing field

An 8-Speed Dual-Clutch Plug in-Hybrid-Transmission. | (Photo by Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images)

Eventually, manufacturers started to incorporate the dual-clutch transmission (DCT). This quick-shifting transmission utilizes two different clutches – one on the even gears and one on the odd gears – which basically made shifting between the gears much faster. According to Cammisa, the DCT also allowed for “clutch dumps,” or the act of revving the engine to a high rpm in order to accelerate rapidly.

In a traditional automatic transmission, you can’t really do a clutch dump because the car would essentially bog off the line and suffer from some initial power loss. But since the DCT acts more like a manual transmission, it can do manual transmission-type things.

“DCTs can perform spectacularly abusive redline clutch dumps for launches just as quick as a manual. And since their larger clutches have more thermal capacity than the small bands and clutches in traditional automatics, they can often shift with no interruption in power. Suddenly, automatics were pulling slightly ahead,” Cammisa says in the video.

Gear ratios also play a large factor

Porsche 997 GT2 RS interior featuring a manual transmission
Interior detail of a Porsche 997 GT2 RS sports car, taken on March 11, 2019. | (Photo by Daniel Pullen/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Cammisa then goes on to use the aforementioned Porsche 911 Carrera S as an example. He notes that the car can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds when equipped with a manual transmission and 3.2 seconds with an automatic transmission. Why is the automatic version so much quicker?

According to Camissa, the main culprit for the difference in acceleration times is that “Porsche geared the manual to lose.” More specifically, Porsche actually geared first and second gear to be quicker on the automatic than on the manual transmission. In fact, the automatic’s first gear is 30% shorter than the manual counterpart and its second gear is 43% shorter. That means that the automatic version of the 911 is much quicker off the line, resulting in a quicker 0 to 60 mph time.

In conclusion, automatics are getting better, but what makes them quicker than most manual transmission cars is the fact that the computers controlling them can optimize the gearing and shifting to be more economical and even more sporty. Of course, it also helps if they’re manufactured with closer gear ratios is the case for the Porsche 911 and many other cars in the current market.  

RELATED: Is a Manual Transmission More Reliable?

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