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| Articles about Chrysler |
| Gilles: Chrysler done with 'Edge' look, going 'Organic' | | 2008-08-21 14:24:00 | | We're already encouraged by the fact that Ralph Gilles has ascended to the top of Chrysler's design department, as the past vehicles penned under his supervision have all been some of Chrysler's best. Say what you want about the reborn 300 now, but when it was first introduced, it's styling set in motion a major tidal wave of accolades and was a fresh direction for Detroit's number 3. The 'Edge' look, as Gilles calls it, though, is getting a bit stale these days and Chrysler needs a new direction -- Sebring anyone? According to the new design chief, ChryCo's new look will be 'Organic', which Gilles says will get "our cars to be sexy again." Remember "cab forward"? That moniker could make a comeback along with the more stylish interiors that Chrysler so desperately needs.[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]Tag: Time Warp, Trends, Chrysler, LLC. ... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Neat trick: Chrysler claims $1.1 billion profit | | 2008-08-10 09:24:00 | | It's a claim that needs a big, fat asterisk after it, but Chrysler's Jim Press is cheerily touting a $1.1 billion dollar gross profit. The number, which wasn't pulled out of a posterior orifice but has yet to be adjusted, is known as the EBIDA, or earnings before interest, depreciation, and amortization. Well, shoot, if you take all of the albatrosses off the necks of the automakers, they're all cranking along with nice gross profit numbers. Too bad that Chrysler's gross profit will turn into a disgusting loss once the accounting is done. It's good news that Chrysler's still making some money, even if a gross profit will turn into a net loss, and Press seems to indicate that Chrysler is aimed at right-sizing itself for future success. Moving vehicles is increasingly becoming a challenge as we suffer a hangover from the boom years of easy credit, and total volume is bound to be off by millions compared to just a few short years ago. Chrysler's product line doesn't strike us as well situ... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Chrysler in negotiations with Tata, Fiat to help boost bottom line | | 2008-08-01 11:49:00 | | The key to Chrysler LLC remaining as one of the Detroit automakers could turn out to be the rest of the world. Reuters reports that Chrysler has been chatting up both Tata Motors and Fiat as a means of survival. A deal with Tata might see the evergreen Jeep Wrangler being proffered in India by Tata, as well as the possibility of an electric vehicle partnership. The EV deal might be centered around an electron-motivated version of Tata's Ace, and those talks are running concurrently with whatever possible Jeep discussions are underway.A little further west of Tata, in Italy, Fiat is reportedly considering leasing some of Chrysler's manufacturing capacity. A deal that puts business in Chrysler plants would certainly help rustle up some cash, while it would be mutually beneficial for Fiat as it contemplates a return to the North American market. Nobody is commenting officially, but we're likely to continue to see creative deals abound as everyone tries to keep their heads above water.[Sou... | | By: Car News | | |
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| Chrysler's next sedan could be a Nissan Altima (or a Fiat) | | 2008-08-01 11:39:00 | | Motor Trend is reporting that Chrysler is considering a few different options now for its 2012 midsize offerings. The first option is to stick with Project D, which is gobbling up engineering and design resources. Option two is to use either Fiat's premium midsize platform or the Nissan Altima platform, and design and engineer the rest of the vehicle from scratch. Chrysler can also decide to badge-engineer one of the vehicles, which would be a far cry from the original plan to have many vehicles spawned off one platform.Since Fiat currently doesn't have any infrastructure in the U.S. and Nissan already has ties with Chrysler (Dodge will be building the next Nissan Titan and Nissan will be building the Hornet out of Versa parts), the Japanese automaker makes more sense.[Source: Motor Trend] Tag: Sedans Saloons, Chrysler, LLC., Nissan, FIAT... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Signs Chrysler Is Considering Bankruptcy For Profit | | 2008-08-01 10:11:46 | | I was watching the movie Pretty Woman with my wife-to-be last weekend, and there’s a line in that movie that sums up Chrysler’s future:
Vivian: So whadda ya do with the companies once you buy ‘em?
Edward: I sell them.
Vivian: You sell them?
Edward: Well, I… don’t sell the whole company, I break it up into pieces, and [...]... | | By: Tundra Headquarters | | |
| | Chrysler gets specific about this whole lease business | | 2008-07-31 11:15:00 | | With all the news swirling around about the downfall of leasing among the Detroit 3, Chrysler has decided to stick Stuart Schorr, Senior Manager, Sales, Mopar and Dealer Communications, in front of the mic to clear up a few things. The first point he makes is that Chrysler LLC dealers can still offer leases to customers from other financial institutions besides Chrysler Financial. While this is true, some of those financial institutions have also backed out of the business of leasing Chrysler vehicles, including Chase Auto Finance. We're not sure how many lease backers that leaves, but the ones remaining will likely be forced to raise lease prices, much like Ford has done with its truck and SUV leases, to protect themselves from losing tons of money when vehicles leased today are eventually turned back in. The second point made by Schorr is that all current leases are not affected and their lease terms will remain in effect. Well we would hope so! Third is that Chrysler Financial will ... | | By: Car News | | |
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| Daimler forces Chrysler to give up goods on $515M Q2 loss | | 2008-07-27 13:58:00 | | Normally the privately owned Chrysler LLC is under no obligation to reveal its financial performance to Wall Street, but yesterday the Cerberus-owned automaker was forced to show a few pages from its accounting books thanks to one of its largest stakeholders and former owner, Daimler AG. The German automaker revealed that in the last six months, its 19.9% stake in Chrysler has cost it $585 million. To clarify Daimler's numbers, Chrysler also revealed yesterday that the loss being attributed to it, all of which was incurred in Daimler's first fiscal quarter of the year, is around 65 million euro, or $103 million, using American accounting standards. Perhaps realizing that all analysts had to do was multiply Daimler's loss by five to arrive at Chrysler's total loss for the last quarter, the automaker just came right out and said it lost about $515 million. While a mere pittance to the $8.7 billion worth of red ink Ford spilled during Q2, it was enough to drag down Daimler's numbers halfw... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Chrysler's financial arm no longer offering leases | | 2008-07-27 13:36:00 | | Chrysler LLC's financial division will no longer be offering leases to U.S. consumers on Chrysler products as of August 1st. The automaker will be holding a conference call with dealers later today to go over the changes and the reasons behind the decisions, but Chrysler spokesperson, Bill Porter, told Reuters "We are shifting our strategy to focus on retail products."The move comes amidst Chrysler's attempt to get 20 banks to renew a $30 billion credit facility for the automaker's financial arm. The rise in borrowing costs next month will make it more difficult for Chrysler to offer low-interest loans and could spell further disasters on the sales front.Thanks to all who tipped in.[Source: Reuters, WSJ] Tag: Car Buying, Chrysler, LLC., Earnings Financials... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Chrysler offering even more incentives to close out July | | 2008-07-27 13:31:00 | | The automotive sales sector is in a major state of flux as consumers continue to run from SUVs and pickup trucks into smaller, more fuel efficient cars. One manufacturer hit especially hard by this transition is Chrysler, a company that recently posted the worst fleet average fuel economy numbers of all major automakers in the U.S. due to its truck-heavy lineup. Still, the automaker has built up a large supply of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep utility vehicles that they have got to get off dealer lots somehow. To ease consumers into the fuel-thirsy utes, Chrysler has introduced new incentives of zero-percent financing for 72 months on the 2008 Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen and Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander.While the lack of any financing charges will certainly impact the bottom line, it is nothing compared to the losses the automaker has been hit with over its past lease deals. In fact, truck and SUV residuals are so bad these days that Chrysler Financial has gone so far as to completely... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Chrysler may nix top-of-the-line Avenger, Sebring | | 2008-07-19 08:22:00 | | Gas prices are up, which has led to increased interest in midsizers, more specifically, the midsize offerings from Chrysler's competition. The Sebring has taken a 30 percent sales whack this year, mostly due to reduced fleet sales. The Avenger's year has been a little brighter, posting a two-percent gain. Contrast that with everyone else; Malibu, Fusion, and Accord are up ten percent or more this year; and therein lies Chrysler's problem. Ditching Chrysler's outmoded V6 for the four-cylinder powertrain will deliver more competitive fuel economy, if you can stand the NVH increase.Top heavy with trucks and taking fire over the Avenger and Sebring's interior quality and efficiency, Chrysler's seriously looking at re-jiggering the sedan twins, killing the top R/T and Limited trim levels and sliding some of the good stuff down to the SXT and Touring trim levels. The 3.5-liter V6 will be left out as standard equipment, though, as it doesn't post great fuel economy. The goodies that normally ... | | By: Car News | | |
| | GM e Chrysler falidas? | | 2008-07-17 04:00:00 | | A industria automóvel Americana vive tempos conturbados mas ambos Chrysler e General Motors negaram os rumores recentes de possível falência. Ambos os fabricantes tem perdido vendas agora que os consumidores viram-se para carros mais pequenos e eficientes e deixam os SUV’s e Pick-ups (pontos fortes da GM e Chrysler). Pode parecer estranho falar nestes 2 fabricantes, mas não esqueçamos que a GM americana é proprietária da Opel na Europa – se GM cai, a Opel cai. Apesar das negas do CEO da GM, as acções do grupo caíram para um mínimo de 50 anos depois da Merrill Lynch ter avisado que a falência da GM “não era impossível”. ... | | By: Quatro rodas e um volante! | | |
| | Chrysler's Volt competitor coming by 2013 | | 2008-07-16 09:45:00 | | A tanking light truck market has hurt Chrysler more than most automakers, and a quick glance at the Pentastar's lineup shows that its lack of a small car isn't helping matters, either. Another thing that Chrysler doesn't appear to have in the immediate future is a plug-in hybrid or electric car. That doesn't mean such a product will never exist, though (right?). Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa told the Detroit Free Press that Project ENVI will produce an electric vehicle in "three to five years." Though Mr. Cappa didn't give any details about the project, he did say the skunkworks tech could "turn everything into a range-extended vehicle and take it beyond the 2020 campaign for 35 miles per gallon." We're not sure if "turn everything" means that ENVI is going to enable every Chrysler vehicle to surpass 2020 fuel economy levels, but it sure sounds like it.For Chrysler's oversized dealer body, a 2013 time frame might as well be the date of the unveiling of the Chrysler Starship Enterprise... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Chrysler ecoVoyager Pictures | | 2008-07-10 06:28:00 | | The Chrysler ecoVoyager is a concept car revealed on 14 January 2008 and manufactured by Chrysler. It was introduced at the 2008 North American International Auto Show.... | | By: Best Car Pictures | | |
| | Chrysler and Great Wall to share technology, distribution | | 2008-07-07 13:23:00 | | Most automakers are struggling with horrible US market conditions right now, but unlike competitors such as Toyota and Ford, Chrysler doesn't have sales in other areas of the world to fall back on. The Pentastar is looking to improve its fortunes overseas while also benefiting from low labor costs by partnering with the Great Wall Motor Company. The young Chinese automaker doesn't specialize in the small vehicles Chrysler needs here in the States, however, as the company's primary focus is on trucks and SUVs. The goal of the union is to share distribution channels, technology, and components, which should save both companies money in R&D and improve economies of scale. The deal is unrelated to a separate pact with Chery to produce a small, Dodge-branded car for sale in North America.With sales down in the states by 28% in June, Chrysler appears to be in the most trouble of the Detroit automakers in the near term. Branching out to other markets to drive down costs and add sales coul... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Chrysler: Take our fuel, please! $2.99 gas extended through July 31st | | 2008-07-02 16:05:00 | | Sales of Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehciles are down a scary 36 percent year over year, which means even the somewhat interesting marketing gimmick of the $2.99 gas guarantee isn't working very well. Unfortunately, gas for just under $3 is all Chrysler, LLC had up its sleeve this summer, as the Pentastar has extended the deal through July 31. We'd reported earlier that only 5-10 percent of all Chrysler product buyers were opting for the seemingly attractive promotion, which leads us to believe that the deal isn't much of a deal after all. Maybe Chrysler can borrow the tried and true "Do you have a job? Do you have $199?" from Kia, because the Korean automaker's sales are up 21%.[Source: Chrysler]Tag: Marketing/Advertising, Chrysler, LLC., Dodge, Jeep 1... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Chrysler plans to idle minivan plant in St. Louis | | 2008-07-01 12:09:00 | | Now that General Motors and Ford have completely abandoned the minivan market for good, the American originator of the species faces only Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Kia and soon Volkswagen as manufacturers that also offer competitive choices. Perhaps you'd think that Chrysler would be benefiting as the only domestic automaker currently playing in the segment, but it seems that sales are down this year by 13 percent for the Chrysler Town and Country while the Dodge Grand Caravan is down an alarming 35 percent. High gas prices are the obvious reason why the minivan market is seeing such a harsh downward trend, and likely the culprit behind Chrysler's impending move to idle its St. Louis South minivan plant as early as December, which would leave some 1,500 employees jobless.Utility vehicles have been the biggest gas-price casualties, and slow sales are said to be forcing the Jefferson Avenue assembly plant in Detroit where the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander are assembled and the Toledo, O... | | By: Car News | | |
| | | Lexus, Chrysler to join GM in adding CPO fleet to eBay | | 2008-06-15 10:15:00 | | Way back in February, General Motors announced it would be listing all of it Certified Pre-Owned vehicles on eBay Motors, and it took until now to actually make that happen. To go along with GM, Chrysler and Lexus have also joined up, with eBay Motors making a special section of its website specifically for CPO vehicles. The new site, which can be found here, went live yesterday and is sponsored exclusively by Lexus. It's also provided at no cost to any dealer looking for another outlet to advertise its inventory.A quick check of the new hub shows that both eBay's classic auction-style listings and regular classified ads are listed together. The site's search functionality allows users to find vehicles located near their zip code, meaning it should prove awfully easy to find that brand-spanking-used Chrysler Sebring you've been foaming at the mouth for.[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Abu Dhabi fund looking to buy New York's iconic Chrysler Building for $800 million news | | 2008-06-15 00:25:00 | | Just last month, the GM Building and three other properties were sold for nearly $3.95 billion by Macklowe Properties to a group of investors, including the wealth funds of Kuwait and Qatar and Boston Properties.The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco skyscraper in New York City, located on the east side of Manhattan at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Standing at 319 metres (1,047 ft), it was briefly the world's tallest building before the Empire State Building surpassed it in 1931. However, the Chrysler Building remains the world's tallest brick building.After the destruction of the World Trade Center, it was again the second-tallest building in New York City until December 2007, when the spire was raised on the 365.8-metre (1,200 ft) Bank of America building, pushing the Chrysler Building into third position. In addition, the New York Times Building, which opened in 2007, is exactly tied with the Chrysler Building in height.
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| | Only 5-10% of customers choose Chrysler's $2.99 gas guarantee | | 2008-06-11 06:28:00 | | It looks like car shoppers have been smart enough to see past Chrysler's cheap gas guarantee. Despite Chrysler's extension of the offer for an extra month, a very small percentage of actual consumers have actually chosen the gas guarantee over the old fashioned cash back options. As we've reported in the past, the incentive wasn't really as good as it seemed once the math was done. As was pointed out by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a 3 mpg bump in efficiency would be equal to the savings Chrysler was offering. Additionally, Chrysler not only has the worst fleet in terms of fuel efficiency, but many of its products haven't exactly set the world on fire based solely on their own merit. The performance of the incentive deal suggests that in today's world average consumers may not want to be seen driving gas guzzling vehicles, regardless of what they're paying for fuel. Good products are still the only real way to guarantee sales, though cash back incentives still have an impact. Pe... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Iacocca FTW! Chrysler to honor former exec with rally | | 2008-06-11 05:56:00 | | Lee Iacocca is a smart man. Father of both the Mustang and the minivan, the well revered auto exec was Chrysler's savior in the '80s. As such, the current Chrysler LLC will be holding a rally to honor its former patriarch on June 26th at its headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI. The rally will be attended by employees and Iacocca himself (no word on whether his BFF Snoop Dogg will make an appearance). Today's Chrysler, of course, bears little resemblance to the strong automaker helmed by Iacocca in the '80s. During the '90s, Chrysler followed its Big 3 brothers down a path of big pickups and SUVs for which now they are all paying dearly, and Iacocca made no bones about his feelings toward Daimler after the German automaker cut and ran away from their "merger of equals", saying in an interview with BusinessWeek last year that "Daimler screwed Chrysler royally." We can't help but wonder how the 84-year-old would run his old automaker today if given the reigns, but chances are he wouldn't wa... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Chrysler ties Toyota for most productive plants in North America | | 2008-06-06 17:04:00 | | The Harbour Report released today reveals that the Big 3 gained major ground in closing the productivity gap with Japanese automakers building vehicles in North America last year. The report found that Chrysler had actually improved enough to tie Toyota as the most productive multi-plant manufacturer on the continent, with both automakers spending an average of 30.37 hours to build a vehicle. The most productive single plant in North America also belongs to Chrysler, as the once experimental Toledo Supplier Park takes just 13.57 labor hours to build a Jeep. For their parts, General Motors plants averaged 32.29 hours per vehicle and Ford plants averaged 33.88 hours per vehicle, both an improvement over last year's numbers.The news was not all good, however, as the report found that despite improving their productivity, the Big 3 are still unable to match the Japanese in profit made per vehicle. While Honda and Nissan earned $1,641 per vehicle built in North American last year and Toyot... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Incentive Roundup: Chrysler adds more cash to free gas, Ford mum on Employee Pricing | | 2008-06-06 16:54:00 | | Times are tough in Detroit these days as each of the Big 3 saw drastic drops in sales for the month of May. It's not surprising, then, to see that Chrysler, Dodge and Ford have increased incentives in an effort to get those cars off its dealer's lots. For instance, prospective buyers for the Hemi-powered Chrysler 300C can now choose either $4,000 cash back or $2,000 plus Chrysler's $2.99 gas promotion, known as Let's Refuel America. Choosing Chrysler's full-size SUV, the Aspen, will net you $4,500 cash back or $1,000 in cash, plus the Let's Refuel deal. Dodge too is heavy into the incentives game, especially on fuel-gulping SUV's and trucks. The largest savings come with the 2008 Ram truck, which gets you $5,000 in cash or $3,000 plus the cheap gas card.Realizing the sorry state that sales of the F-Series are in, Ford has chosen to offer employee pricing for its full-sizers, although they aren't telling you what how much you'll save without a trip to the dealer. Cars.com has been able... | | By: Car News | | |
| | New SEVAS R66 on CHRYSLER 300C | | 2008-06-06 00:04:00 | | New SEVAS R66 on CHRYSLER 300C Originally uploaded by GREATONE!About the Chrysler 300CBy John EvaThey say that if you want to make a long lasting impression then you should make an impression during the first time. Indeed, the Chrysler 300C was bale to make a big scene upon its release. In fact, in a street where there is a wide array of vehicles, you won't find it hard to spot this model in an instance because of sophisticated look that would draw your eyes to look at it.The Chrysler 300C is the performance version of the 300 but with a Hemi V8 and it is powered by an automatic transmission. Its engine is competent enough in shutting down valves and fuel injectors for vacant cylinders. This is especially helpful to preserve gas during operation which set this model apart from other vehicles on the road because of this unique feature which save fuel therefore helping the owner in their expenses an the whole economy as well. It is also mounted with 18' wheels and SmartBeam headlamps tha... | | By: Car Buying Tips To Save You Money | | |
| | Next Chrysler 300 gets evolutionary exterior, "huge leap" in interior | | 2008-05-28 13:24:00 | | When the Chrysler 300 dropped on an unsuspecting public in 2004, it was all crisp edges and upright stance, with a bulldog face to help drive home the message of urgent thrust delivered by a reborn Hemi V8. Chrysler's got a refreshing in the pipeline for the 300, and that's giving designers fits. It's akin to sophomore album syndrome – when the original is a huge hit, how, exactly, do you follow it up? Chrysler designers are invoking the Porsche philosophy used to update its 911 through the generations as a roadmap for the 300's body changes, so don't expect anything too dramatic on the outside.Inside, however, will be where the real action occurs. While not the worst interior Chrysler puts out, it's certainly got room for improvement. Cerberus chairman Steven Feinburg is reportedly passionate about improving the quality of Chrysler's offerings, and the lower quality materials we have today are being jettisoned in favor of more competitive finery. Whether that means competitive with... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Alfa Romeo exec in talks with Chrysler | | 2008-05-28 13:03:00 | | It was only in December that we mention Alfa Romeo was planning to open a factory in the United States. We followed that story with another in March when Fiat also mentioned a possibility of Iveco truck production coming to the States. It was in that same month that Fiat Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne told the Financial Times that his company was in talks with major U.S. automakers about sharing production. On Saturday, Alfa Romeo brand chief Luca de Meo told a German magazine that talks were under way with Chrysler. With Chrysler cutting domestic production, a move like this by Fiat would help both companies. The Italian carmaker, withdrawn from the U.S. market since 1995, would avoid the effects of the strong Euro on exports, and Chrysler would be able to ramp production back up on an idled plant.[Source: Reuters]... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Why Chrysler’s New $2.99/gallon of Gas Promo Is Merely So-So | | 2008-05-22 08:11:32 | | By now everyone’s heard of Chrysler’s new incentive in which they offer to lock in a gallon of gas at $2.99 for up to three years on a new Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep vehicle, up to 12,000 miles a year of course. Sweet deal, aye? So that leaves just one question; what’s the catch? And [...]
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| | Get in, sit down and shut up! Chrysler confirms drag package for Challenger | | 2008-05-17 11:29:00 | | Fans of going as fast as possible in a straight line, which includes some of us at Autoblog, have reason to rejoice. Chrysler has officially announced that the drag package for its upcoming Challenger, initially shown at SEMA in late 2006, will be released on an unsuspecting public. Previous rumors have the drag pack getting hi-po versions of the 5.9-liter Magnum and Hemi V8's, while jettisoning around eight-hundred pounds of dead weight unnecessary for mass-acceleration. The National Hot Rod Association is said to be going through the package as we speak in order to certify it for racing duty. After all of the necessary paperwork is complete, the Challenger is expected to race in the Stock Eliminator class. According to Chrysler spokeswoman Patricia Georgevich, Chrysler is looking at a possible introduction in July.[Source: Inside Line]... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Canadian Union Reaches Agreements with GM, Chrysler | | 2008-05-16 02:27:16 | | According to a spokesperson for the Canadian Auto Workers, a marathon round of night-time negotiations resulted in a new contract agreement between the CAW and General Motors and the union has also achieved an "in principle" agreement with Chrysler LLC.Shannon Devine of the CAW, speaking to Reuters, announced the tentative GM agreement and said reporters would receive a more thorough briefing later in the day on Thursday, May 15. General Motors spokeswoman Patty Faith confirmed that a deal had been reached.Of the situation with Chrysler LLC, CAW President Buzz Hargrove said, "We have an agreement in principle on all the outstanding issues. Our people are working on the language." Earlier Hargrove had indicated that the deals with both automakers would follow the pattern of the union's already ratified three-year agreement with Ford.The negotiations had a direct bearing on the contracts of approximately 23,000 Canadian union members employed by both GM and Chrysler. The agreement will c... | | By: all news about cars | | |
| | Chrysler Gas Card Incentive; Smart Advertising Or Insult To Intelligence? | | 2008-05-11 13:38:00 | | With Gas Prices rising higher and higher, Chrysler has come up with a promotion to help you spend less at the pump, I think!The May Gas incentive for Chrysler works like this. If you buy a Chrysler, Jeep, or Dodge during may you will only pay $2.99 for gas for 3 years. "Lets Refuel America" is the slogan tag line.Now, for the limitations. You have to use your credit card to purchase the gas and the amount over $2.99 will be billed back to Chrysler. You have to give up rebate money to receive this gas offer. Strike #3, the gas savings are covered for 12000 miles of driving per year for 3 years. And, it does not cover some of the gas guzzlers like the Wrangler, Viper, and Dodge Challenger.I think customers are tired of all the sales gimmicks that are only designed to drive sales and are not for the customer at all. Why not give the customer the rebate and take the gas savings out of the profit of the car? Why not load a card with $1000 that can be used for anything the customer wants to ... | | By: Car Buying Tips To Save You Money | | |
| | Chrysler to guarantee gas at $2.99 a gallon! For three years! | | 2008-05-07 05:21:58 | | Very clever. If gas averages $3.50/gal for the next three years, and you buy 50 gal per month (1,000 miles/mo at 20 mpg), this program saves you $300 per year. Total cost to Chrysler: $900. "Who needs an 18-cent a gallon gas tax holiday from pandering politicians when you have...... | | By: Outhouse Rag | | |
| | Chrysler execs doing house calls | | 2008-05-04 16:08:00 | | If you have a Dodge Ram in the driveway and someone claiming to be Jim Press calls you asking if you're satisfied with your truck, it just might be him. Chrysler recognizes that it has a customer service problem, and the Pentastar is going to extraordinary lengths to correct it. Its top 300 executives and directors are participating in a program called "Customer First" that puts a priority on -- you guessed it -- the customer. The executives, even guys named Nardelli, Press, and LaSorda, are responsible for at least one customer call per day, and all execs will man at least one shift at Chrysler's customer call center.The Pentastar elite are also partaking in a three month competition to see who can generate the most sales. We don't know what the prize is for the winner, but whomever claims top sales should get something really, really good. Like a lifetime supply of Chrysler Sebrings.[Source: Detroit Free Press]... | | By: Car News | | |
| | Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger by DUB | | 2008-04-23 04:20:00 | | Chrysler has called in the help of tuning experts DUB Magazine to create two limited edition models, one for the Chrysler 300 Touring and one for the Dodge Charger SXT. Both cars will go on sale later this spring with an MSRP of USD 33,140 for the 300 Touring and USD 30,235 for the Charger. Both DUB Editions receive more than their fair share of chrome exterior details like mirror caps, MOPAR honeycomb grille and door handles. Under the hood both cars use a 250-horsepower 3.5 liter V6 engine hooked up to a five speed automatic transmission with Auto Stick feature. Chrysler has also fitted a performance tuned suspension. Of course DUB logos are found throughout the car, both inside and outside. The limited edition models both feature leather-trimmed seats, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, 13-speaker KICKER audio system and a MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System. The cars sit on 20-inch aluminum wheels with 245/45R20 all-season performance tires. "The Dodge Charger and Chry... | | By: Car Tuning Styling | | |
| | Chrysler hints at future model reduction strategy | | 2008-04-21 00:00:41 | | From the article: “”What we’ll do in our business model is not build similar vehicles on the same platform that kind of look and act like they have the same DNA,” Landry said. “To give you an example: Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro, basically a similar vehicle with different skin and a little bit of different interior; Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango, same platform; Sebring, Avenger, same platform. We’re not going to have vehicles like that. We’re not going to have twin vehicles, one for one brand and one for another.” Aspen vs. Durango Sebring vs. Avenger Caravan vs. T&C Liberty vs. Nitro Here are my picks: Durango Sebring T&C Liberty Chrysler won’t produce more twins, exec says - freep.com ... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | Hot News: Chrysler Recalls 181,000 Sebrings and Avengers | | 2008-04-05 19:02:00 | | Chrysler has announced it is recalling of approximately 181,000 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger models built for the 2007-2008 model year, citing defective electrical connectors as the problem.The faulty connectors are located in the vehicles' tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and, if unused by the system, will corrode and short out, preventing vehicles from running properly. Various electrical problems may arise as a result of the faulty TPMS connectors such as stalling engines, dead ba... | | By: My Blog | | |
| | 2008 New York Auto Show: Chrysler CEO Nardelli Bracing Speech | | 2008-03-20 11:09:00 | | Bob Nardelli, chairman and CEO of Chrysler LLC, made a valiant effort to sound like one in his kickoff speech on Wednesday at the 2008 New York Auto Show.Chrysler Chief Executive Bob Nardelli said Wednesday that the automaker was braced for a worsening U.S. economy, and had not planned on U.S. auto sales rebounding in the second half of the year.In the opening speech of the New York Auto Show, Nardelli said the automaker had an "aggressively conservative" business plan, and vowed that "in the not too distant future Chrysler will return to profit.""We did not build in a second-half recovery" into its forecasts, Nardelli said. "If we were wrong and the economy worsens enough, we'll be quick to adjust."Chrysler's internal numbers indicate that it lost $2.9 billion last year on operations and restructuring costs, the Free Press has reported.Under the 80% ownership of Cerberus Capital Management, Nardelli has ordered job cuts of up to 12,000 workers, required white-collar workers to take va... | | By: Autos Space | | |
| | Chrysler plans to make vehicle improvements on the fly | | 2008-03-17 04:03:40 | | Filed under: Car Buying, Gadgets, Minivans/MPVs, Sedans/Saloons, Chrysler, Dodge
The interior woes of recent Chrysler products have been well documented, and consumers rightly expect better these days. Chrysler has come to realize this fact and is taking appropriate measures to fix the problem and be sure that its future products come better equipped to face the [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler to keep lineup fresh through continual improvements | | 2008-03-16 22:38:04 | | Chrysler to keep lineup fresh through continual improvements
While the past few years have been difficult times for the Big Three, the last decade has been a particularly tough stretch for Chrysler. The Michigan-based automaker's sales have been hurt by an SUV and truck-heavy lineup and its interiors have been criticized for being substandard, but Chrysler believes it has a way to bolster sales in the short term. Instead of waiting for the typical mid-cycle refresh to make improvements to its vehicles, Chrysler will add improvements as they become available. Chrysler just launched its brand-new line of minivans last year — the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country — but will add several new features to the 2009 models. Some of the improvements will include a new backseat entertainment system, blind-spot warning system and a new back up monitoring system. By year's end, Chrysler also hopes to have a wireless internet option available through its ... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | Chrysler plans to make vehicle improvemens on the fly | | 2008-03-16 04:03:23 | | Filed under: Car Buying, Gadgets, Minivans/MPVs, Sedans/Saloons, Chrysler, Dodge
The interior woes of recent Chrysler products have been well documented, and consumers rightly expect better these days. Chrysler has come to realize this fact and is taking appropriate measures to fix the problem and be sure that its future products come better equipped to face the [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler likely to miss goal of 10,000 buyouts | | 2008-03-14 04:03:08 | | Filed under: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, UAW/Unions
A key part of Chrysler LLC’s agreement last year with the UAW gave the automaker the ability to hire new employees at a fraction of wages and health care of current workers. Since the deal was signed, Chrysler has been trying to show high-cost workers the door. The privately-owned automaker [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler plans summer shutdown, mandatory vacation for workers | | 2008-03-13 21:03:29 | | Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler
The AP got a hold of an internal email sent to all Chrysler employees informing them in no uncertain terms that they will be taking a vacation from July 7 through July 21. While some kind of plant shutdown is apparently common for most automakers during the summer, this corporate-wide stoppage will [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler celebrating 25,000th Viper built | | 2008-03-11 18:03:44 | | Filed under: Convertibles, Coupes, Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, Dodge
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Dodge Viper.
Chrysler is planning a big bash to commemorate the production of the 25,000th Dodge Viper at its Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Auburn Hills, MI. The event, due to take place tomorrow, will celebrate the big snake’s penchant for [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler to close the Pacifica Advance Product Design Center | | 2008-03-08 04:28:16 | | From the article: “Chrysler LLC on Friday said it would close a California studio that has helped design some of the automaker’s biggest recent hits, including the Chrysler 300 sedan and the revived Dodge Challenger. Now owned by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management CBS.UL, Chrysler said it would consolidate its next-generation design work with its existing studios at its headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Chrysler spokesman David Barnas said the move was consistent with the automaker’s strategy of controlling costs and consolidating operations where it can.” I think it makes sense to have designers closer to the headquarters. What do you guys think? Do you buy into the need for a trend-setting California presence? Does it matter if the designers are on the West Coast or the Midwest? I think the bigger question is how many of their key designers will jump ship so they don’t have to abandon their California lifestyle. Will this short term c... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | Threats of violence prompt security boost at Chrysler plant after layoff | | 2008-03-08 03:03:20 | | Threats of violence prompt security boost at Chrysler plant after layoff
In response to threats of violence and vandalism, Chrysler boosted security and added police presence at its Belvidere, IL assembly plant Thursday. The rumors have been circulating all week, and are believed to be in response to the elimination of the third shift, which amounts to 1,069 workers being laid off this week, as announced in January. The added Chrysler security staff together with the police on-site are patrolling the plant and parking lots, searching workers’ bags as they enter the factory. These measures are in response to threats that refer to last month’s shooting at the nearby Northern Illinois University, which killed six, according to local media. There have been no reports of any trouble. The Dodge Caliber, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass, all of which share a common platform, are assembled at the Belvidere plant, which is one of five at which Chrysler announced it will end a shift.... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | Chrysler closing west coast design center | | 2008-03-08 03:03:16 | | Filed under: Chrysler
Word just came down from on high that Chrysler will be closing its Pacifica Advanced Product Design Center in Carlsbad, California. We received word about the shuttering of Chrysler’s West Coast design operations about 20 minutes ago, on a Friday night, so we’re assuming that the Pentastar people were trying to fly this [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler exec says all its vehicles will be hybrids | | 2008-03-02 14:03:38 | | Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep
Chrysler president Jim Press saw what hybrid technology did for Toyota, and now the 37-year auto industry vet wants to repeat that success with the Pentastar brands. Press informed attendees at a seminar in New York recently that Chrysler would one day utilize hybrid power in each and every [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler Unveils Diesel 300C SRT | | 2008-02-24 11:15:00 | | Chrysler unveils the diesel powered 300C SRT in Europe. But not exactly what you think. Basically a trim package for the 300C in Europe, the SRT model gets visual enhancements such as a new rear taillight clusters and a deck lid spoiler, but the car still uses the same 3.0L V6 diesel producing 218 bhp and 376 pound feet of torque you can get in other models.While the wheels appear to be the same 10-spokers as the US spec 300C SRT8, the front fascia lacks the deeper chin spoiler and the grille is Chrysler's Euro-spec Bentley-like tight mesh.
... | | By: Car Freaks Blog | | |
| | Chrysler v. Plastech: Round 1 goes to Plastech | | 2008-02-20 02:02:36 | | Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler
It looks like Chrysler won’t have to idle its operations for a week to transfer over tooling from Plastech plants to its own. Judge Phillip Shefferly decided to deny Chrysler’s motion to seize tools and transfer assembly operations to another supplier. There’s been no comment from Chrysler’s PR people yet, but we’ll [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler to resume production at Illinois plant | | 2008-02-16 21:02:31 | | Filed under: Economy, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchbacks, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep
After a five-day shutdown due to a mechanical glitch at Chrysler’s Belvidere stamping plant, the facility will again be able to resume building the Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot. In the short term, Chrysler will keep the assembly facility running smoothly by outsourcing stamping to other [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler’s Project Genesis: Trim models, consolidate dealers | | 2008-02-08 04:02:53 | | Filed under: Hirings/Firings, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep
Chrysler’s previous consolidation strategy, dubbed “Project Alpha,” was implemented in 2004 to trim and combine dealers. All told, Chrysler was able to cut its dealer network down from 4,000 to 3,600. Not nearly enough to get outlets on par with demand. So Chrysler’s co-pres, Jim Press, announced today that Project [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler “Journey of a Lifetime” winners to get married at Chicago Auto Show | | 2008-02-01 17:02:05 | | Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Etc., Crossovers/CUVs, Chrysler, Dodge
Back in December Chrysler announced a special promotion to help kick off the launch of the Dodge Journey crossover. They were offering engaged couples the opportunity to get hitched on the show floor at the Chicago Auto Show on Valentines day. As it turned out, the odds [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Photoshop fun: Plymouth Chrysler Barracuda concept | | 2008-01-31 05:01:13 | | Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupes, Chrysler, Dodge
Click either image for a high-res gallery.
When Chrysler trotted out the ‘Cuda concept this past November at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, our first thought, after wanting to give it our lunch money, was that it might be one of the few examples in recent memory where Chrysler’s [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler offering buyouts up to $100,000 to hourly workers in Detroit | | 2008-01-29 03:01:27 | | Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, UAW/Unions
Seven months ago, so many Chrysler workers took up the offer of a buyout that the newly purchased pentastar slowed the whole process down while it sorted things out. To start 2008, the axe is back out again, with Chrysler working to reduce reduce its workforce by up to 12,000 people [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Jim Press: Chrysler sees market for “very small” pickup trucks | | 2008-01-28 11:00:40 | | Jim Press: Chrysler sees market for "very small" pickup trucks
With rising fuel prices and growing environmental concerns, most automakers are beginning to offer more compact cars, smaller engines, and crossover SUVs that are more like wagons and less like trucks. One segment that hasn't seen too much downsizing so far is the pickup truck market. But that might be about to change, says Chrysler's Jim Press. Earlier this month at a roundtable meeting with journalists, Mr. Press said he sees an emerging market for "very small, very fuel efficient" pickups, according to PickupTruck.com. Press joined Chrysler in September 2007, after working for 37 years at Toyota. His former employer used the Detroit auto show this year to roll out the small A-BAT concept truck, while American automakers were busy launching their largest trucks — the 2009 Dodge Ram and 2009 Ford F-150. In recent years, we can think of only one compact pickup from a Chrysler brand — the Dodge M80 Concept (pictured). If Mr. Press gets his way, might we see a vehicle like this produced in the coming years? With Generals Motors expected to reveal a car-based GMC pickup concept early next month and an El Camino-like Pontiac model in March, we think Mr. Press is probably on to something. ... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | Tata And Chrysler Sign Deal To Import Electric Vehicle | | 2008-01-24 14:24:05 | | India's top vehicle builder really wants to become a world player. To that aim, Tata Motors has entered into a new deal with Chrysler, LLC to develop an electric version of Tata's Ace mini truck for sale in North America.Chrysler's Global Electric Motorcars division (GEM) is working with Tata to import fully-assembled vehicles that meet all the appropriate U.S. regulations. The battery-operated Ace has successfully navigated the required safety tests, and they're reportedly ready for production. Tata wants to eventually export up to 50,000 vehicles to the US, but they've pegged the goal for 2008 at 10,000 units.... | | By: Car Freaks Blog | | |
| | Chrysler Hurst 300 | | 2008-01-24 05:30:00 | | Outro modelo de carro no estilo daquelas “barcas”, como costumam chamar aqui no Brasil, e que são os meus favoritos. O Hurst 300 foi produzido em 1970 pela Chrysler e foi um dos automóveis que fez parte da linha 300, que começou em 1955, com o C-300. Depois vieram 300B (1956), 300C (1957), 30)D (1958), 300E (1959), 300F (1960), 300G (1961), 300H (1962), 300J (1963), 300K (1964) e 300L (1965). Por não possuir em seu nome uma letra que indique a seqüência da qual faz parte, tendo sido o 300L o anterior, muitos especialistas não o incluem como fazendo parte desta lista. Foram produzidas apenas em torno de 500 unidades do Hurst, todos de duas portas e de duas cores: branca com uma pintura dourada. Veja algumas fotos: Fonte: Wikipedia... | | By: Torino Blog | | |
| | Chrysler completely reorganizing product development strategy | | 2008-01-23 21:01:12 | | Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler
Chrysler, LLC has announced that it’s streamlining its product development process. For an as-yet-unnamed mid-size vehicle, Chrysler is creating a sort of central HQ that will house “every facet from design and marketing to engineering, including multiple dimensions within engineering including ride quality, interiors etc.,” according to CEO Bob Nardelli. This [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler’s future does not come with a Hemi powertrain | | 2008-01-22 16:01:21 | | Filed under: Etc., Chrysler
It looks like the Hemi engine, an icon for the Chrysler Corporation, won’t be included in forthcoming applications due to changing fuel economy standards. Rising gas prices have already hurt sales of vehicles featuring these engines, causing Chrysler to cut back production. Now co-president Jim Press has declared, “The Hemi is not [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | | 2008 Chrysler LLC Concept Vehicles Revealed at NAIAS | | 2008-01-17 13:19:12 | | Seamless advanced technology meets stunning, emotional design; Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technology taken to new level Detroit, Jan 14, 2008 - Three passionate designs combine with three advanced propulsion systems. The result: high-tech, innovative vehicles with alternative fuel choices … and exciting design and brand character. Chrysler LLC’s mission to be more environmentally responsible is significantly changing how we envision vehicles in our future portfolio. Jeep Renegade Concept As the entire automotive industry has basically the same technology pool from which to draw, our design challenge remains similar to what it has always been: How do we distinguish Chrysler’s future designs from the rest of the pack? Even in this environment, we must create emotional designs, and must offer vehicles that people will really want to own and drive. Dodge ZEO Concept So we have challenged ourselves to unleash our design passion – in combination with these future technologies and linked to the Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge brands for our 2008 concept vehicles. Each of the technologies must be transparent to our customers and provide an exceptional driving experience. In addition, each technology must be optimally packaged in the vehicle to ensure uncompromised comfort and function. Chrysler ecoVoyager Concept The Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge concept vehicles for 2008 take advantage of the unique packaging and design opportunities realized by these advanced powertrain systems. The all-new Chrysler ecoVoyager concept, Jeep Renegade concept and Dodge ZEO concept take advantage of the best of new technologies and couple them with the room, comfort, speed and style customers will not sacrifice – allowing potential customers to still feel good about their personal impact on the environment even when simply having fun. In designing each of the three concepts for the 2008 North American International Auto Show, Chrysler designers studied various emerging and growing cus... | | By: AutoBeat | blog Auto news, reviews, concepts, auto | | |
| | Detroit Show Highlights: Chrysler ecoVoyager | | 2008-01-16 07:36:00 | | With the ecoVoyager, a Chrysler concept for 2020, elegance and simplicity the key words of the design brief. "We actually designed this car seven years ago as the Clipper, but technology then didn't allow the package to happen" exterior designer Greg Howell told CDN. That car was canned after a full-size clay model had been produced, but now with a package afforded by a hydrogen fuel-cell and lithium-ion batteries, we are seeing what Chrysler Voyager could look like in two generations' time. The distinctive exterior is dominated by a long, sweeping DLO and a teardrop profile that sees the cabin pushed far forward and the rear gently sloping downwards. The surfaces are very clean, with just two side feature creases that sweep around from the front and rear, overlapping and fading out in the rear door. Inside, the car is dominated by swathes of white leather - as was the similar-sized Lincoln MKT concept at the show. The four seats provide occupants with lots of space thanks to a long wheelbase and mono-space volume afforded by the powertrain. The way the sweeping forms of the door inners connect with the IP and also to the rear of the interior is impressive, but the interior arguably lacked any other strong innovative design features. This is a handsome and well-resolved design, and the teardrop profile is particularly distinctive. But, tear-drop profile apart, most designers we spoke to felt that it lacked strong ideas or much relevance for future Chrysler production designs, like the other Chrysler Group concepts at Detroit.... | | By: My Blog | | |
| | Chrysler ready to commit $150 mln to fix current lineup | | 2008-01-15 21:53:24 | | From the article: “Chrysler LLC is readying a sweeping, $150 million package of vehicle upgrades as new owner Cerberus Capital Management puts its first stamp on the line-up of Chrysler cars already in showrooms, executives said. The initiative, which will be marketed under the tagline that Chrysler’s new owners are ushering in a “New Day” for the struggling No. 3 U.S.-based automaker, will be introduced to Chrysler dealers next month, Chrysler executives said on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show. The plan includes intended fixes and upgrades to over 260 vehicle features, and price changes covering 12 models.”. I applaud Chrysler’s tactically move to upgrade the current lineup. Hopefully the fixes and upgrades will be enough to bring some appeal and demand back to some of the struggling products. Among the models to receive the “New Day” treatment include the Dodge Caliber, the Jeep Patriot and the Jeep Compass. Chrysler sees “New Day” in $150 mln in car upgrades - reuters.com ... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | Chrysler's Fuel-Efficient HEMI Hybrid to Power New Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup | | 2008-01-15 11:53:30 | | HEMI® Hybrid to Join Cummins Turbodiesel in Future Ram Powertrain Lineup Auburn Hills, Mich., Jan 13, 2008 - Chrysler LLC added to its list of fuel efficient powertrain offerings for the all-new Dodge Ram 1500 pickup today, announcing that the company’s advanced two-mode hybrid will join the light-duty Dodge Ram powertrain lineup for 2010. The Dodge Ram HEMI® Hybrid joins the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango in the Chrysler hybrid vehicle lineup. 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Last year, the company also announced that it would introduce a Cummins turbodiesel engine after 2009 for the Dodge Ram 1500. The engine will meet 50-state emissions standards, and will deliver a 30-percent fuel economy improvement. “Dodge Ram is known for capability, utility and performance,” said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President – Product Development, Chrysler LLC. “The addition of hybrid and diesel powertrains to our all-new Dodge Ram 1500 lineup is sure to attract an array of new customers looking for the ultimate combination of full-size pickup fuel efficiency, performance and capability.” The hybrid and diesel offerings for Dodge Ram are in addition to three gasoline powertrain options: * An all-new 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, that delivers a 4 percent increase in fuel economy for 2009 while producing 380 horsepower and 404 lb.-ft. of torque* A new for 2008 4.7-liter flex-fuel V-8, that resulted in an increase in fuel economy while producing 310 horsepower and 330 lb.-ft. of torque * A 3.7-liter V-6 that generates 215 horsepower and 235 lb.-ft. of torque The renowned HEMI powerplant, in hybrid form, will continue to feature Chrysler’s Multi-displacement System (MDS), which allows the engine to seamlessly alternate between four-cylinder mode when less power is needed and V-8 mode when more power is in demand. The two-mode hybrid system provides assistance from electric motors allowing the HEMI V-8 to remain in four-cylinder mode more often than without a hybrid powertrain, improvi... | | By: AutoBeat | blog Auto news, reviews, concepts, auto | | |
| | 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan Win 2008 International Car of the Year (ICOTY) AwardsOnce again, Chrysler LLC’s “family rooms on | | 2008-01-15 11:50:05 | | Once again, Chrysler LLC’s “family rooms on wheels” have been awarded highest honors. For the first time in the award’s history, the all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan captured all of the votes for best minivans as awarded by the 2008 International Car of the Year Awards (ICOTY) jurors, leaving no room for third-place contenders. 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan The 2008 Chrysler Town & Country earned first-place in two categories, International Truck of the Year and The Most Compatible Minivan of the Year. The 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan earned second place in The Most Compatible Minivan of the Year category as well. In addition, the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan "Rooms" television spot won The Heart String Award from the ICOTY jury for the most emotionally compelling car advertisement. "We’re honored to have earned the accolades of jurors on the ICOTY panel for our all-new minivans,” said Deborah Meyer, Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer. “These awards serve as testimony to what customers have been telling us about the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, namely that they offer more innovation, functionality, value, safety and useful features than any other minivan in the market." 2008 Chrysler Town & Country Limited As the fifth generation of industry leading minivans, the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan are designed to be “family rooms on wheels,” with each offering distinct advantages in the areas of safety, fuel economy, functionality and design. Among the all-new minivans’ 35 new or improved features are: * Three distinct seating systems that include the Swivel n’ Go™ seat system, the Stow n’ Go® seating system and a second- row bench seat with fold-in-the-floor third-row seat. Swivel n’ Go offers second-row seats that swivel 180 degrees to face the third row with a removable table that installs between the two rows, covered storage bins in the second-r... | | By: AutoBeat | blog Auto news, reviews, concepts, auto | | |
| | Hot News: Chrysler Gets Badged of Nissan Versa | | 2008-01-12 19:37:00 | | Starting next year, Chrysler will have its own version of the Nissan Versa subcompact B-segment car running around select regions of South America, thanks to a new partnership between the two automakers announced on January 11.Nissan will use excess capacity at its Mexican assembly plant to make additional cars for Chrysler. They will be sold as 2010 models in a number of body styles. And while we expect them to carry Dodge branding, Chrysler LLC president Tom LaSorda won’t confirm which badge they will carry, how much differentiation there will be from the Versa, or what kind of volume is targeted (although some reports peg it at 20,000 a year). And if Chrysler has chosen a name, LaSorda isn’t spilling the beans yet.Chrysler gains immediate access to new segments in which it does not compete, as its deal with Chinese automaker Chery will not yield B-cars for North America for three or four years, despite efforts to accelerate the timeline with Chrysler resources allocated to the project.... | | By: My Blog | | |
| | 2008 Chrysler Town and Country | | 2008-01-08 12:51:59 | | General Motors and Ford are quitting minivans in favor of crossovers, but Chrysler, the company that invented the modern minivan, is bringing out its fifth generation of the family favorites. Chrysler's outgoing vans ushered in fold-into-the-floor second-row seat stowage (dubbed Stow 'n Go) - a meaningful advantage, particularly for those who regularly carry large pieces of cargo. Other than that, though, the last-generation Chrysler minivans seemed like a halfhearted update. They didn't look very different from their predecessors, and they lost ground to top-flight competitors from Toyota and Honda (note that those companies' interest in minivans does not seem to be waning). The 2008 Chrysler/Dodge vans are an entirely more convincing effort, narrowing the gap in mechanical refinement and bolstering the company's historic penchant for innovation.Unlike the fourth-generation vans, the new Chrysler and Dodge minivans at least look new. The roof and the sills have been widened, crea... | | By: AutoBeat | blog Auto news, reviews, concepts, auto | | |
| | Chrysler announces locations of 5,000 job cuts | | 2008-01-04 19:34:50 | | Chrysler announces locations of 5,000 job cuts
Chrysler just announced that it would eliminate 1,096 at its Belvedere Assembly Plant, and now comes word from the Detroit automaker where its other 3,904 planned cuts will occur. The 5,000 job cuts are part of Chrysler's Recovery and Transformation plan that was announced last year. In the Detroit area, Chrysler will eliminated 900 jobs from its Jefferson North Assembly Plant and cut an additional 1,140 positions from its Sterling Heights Assembly Plant. Toledo will lose 780 jobs at its Toledo North Assembly Plant and Chrysler Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario will see 1,000 jobs lost. The cuts involve union hourly workers. ... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | Autoblog drives the 2008 Chrysler Sebring Limited Convertible | | 2008-01-04 16:51:25 | | From the article: “As you can no doubt tell if you’ve made it this far, we weren’t impressed with Chrysler’s latest convertible offering. We were flat out unimpressed with its exterior design, interior materials and driving characteristics. The only attractive feature of the Sebring Convertible was its multimedia system, but that’s no reason to drop $36k on any car. Truth be told, however, the Chrysler Sebring Convertible doesn’t have much comptetition. There’s just the Pontiac G6 Convertible and Toyota Solara Convertible, as well as perhaps the Ford Mustang Convertible. We bet that none of those convertibles, however, enjoys as many fleet sales as the Chrysler Sebring Convertible. Ask any rental company for a convertible and the person behind the counter will probably ask you what color Sebring you’d like. With its hefty price tag, awkward design and floaty handling, we couldn’t recommend this vehicle to a friend unless he were on... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | Nardelli calls Chrysler “Operationally bankrupt” | | 2007-12-21 10:54:18 | |
The Wall Street Journal – in an article which may be the most blunt assessment of Chrysler’s financial circumstances yet published - is reporting that Robert Nardelli, the president of Chrysler, is calling the company “operationally bankrupt.” At a meeting in early December between Nardelli and employees, he had been stressing that the company will have a substantial loss this year and will be trying to sell assets in time to cover it. Nardelli was asked, “[a]re we bankrupt?” His answer: “Technically, no. Operationally, yes. The only thing that keeps us from going into bankruptcy is the $10 billion investors entrusted us with.” Nardelli yesterday confirmed that he had made the remark. The statement comes a mere four months after Chrysler’s purchase by Cerberus Capital Management, LLP. Yesterday, as well, Nardelli publicly abandoned any notion that the company could meet the e... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | Chrysler to build Volkswagens | | 2007-11-29 20:06:26 | |
It’s a link-up that’s been rumored before, but it is now official. The next Volkswagen minivan will actually be a Chrysler, built by Chrysler next to the Town & Country. Reportedly, however, it will be styled in an idiom that marks it as a Volkswagen. The move is interesting in a number of ways. First, of course, implicit in the deal is the recognition that Chrysler’s command of the minivan market makes it exceptionally difficult to compete against them. Second, it suggests that Volkswagen sees the minivan market as an important one in which to have a presence. This contrasts with the other automakers, except Chrysler, who have abandoned the minivan market entirely (GM, Ford) or have simply left old entries in the market stagnate (Toyota, Honda). While the move is good news for Chrysler, it cannot be welcome news for Honda. For those buyers who insist on a foreign nameplate, Honda has been the only real choic... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | 2008 Detroit Auto Show: Chrysler Three Concepts Debut | | 2007-11-22 11:32:00 | | Chrysler have released information about three new concepts cars that they will unveil at the 2008 Detroit motor show next year.There will be a concept under each of the manufacturers brands; Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler. Each of the concepts uses Lithium-ion technology, focusing on good economy and environmentally friendly designs.The Chrysler ecoVoyager Concept is a large four-door design that runs using a lithium-ion battery pack, along with a small, advanced hydrogen fuel cell that serves as a range extender. The result is a vehicle with a total range of more than 300 miles that emits no emissions from the tailpipe except water vapor.The technology is located under the floor of the vehicle to allow for greater space and comfort for passengers The Jeep concept - named Renegade - uses a propulsion system that combines a 40-mile lithium-ion battery pack and a small-displacement BLUETEC diesel engine.Enveloped by a light-weight aluminium body to keep emissions down, the Renegade Concept ha... | | By: Autos Space | | |
| | 2008 Chrysler 300 Review | | 2007-10-29 10:44:03 | | What's New for 2008Significant changes are in store for the 2008 Chrysler 300. An updated interior includes new soft-touch surfaces, revised instrument panel and console designs, and available LED accent lighting. New luxury-oriented options include adaptive cruise control, a surround-sound audio system, a dedicated iPod interface, Sirius Backseat TV for the rear entertainment system and a new hard-drive based MyGIG multimedia system with optional navigation.Safety has been enhanced with new front seat-mounted side airbags added to the 300's available side curtain airbag system. Wrapping everything up is freshened front and rear exterior styling and Chrysler's new limited lifetime powertrain warranty.IntroductionMold-breaking cars don't come along very often. But that's exactly what happened when the Chrysler 300 debuted four years ago. Previous to the 300, modern full-size cars provided plenty of interior room and comfort but typically generated all the pizzazz and excitement of ... | | By: AutoBeat | blog Auto news, reviews, concepts, auto | | |
| | Chrysler Imperial | | 2007-10-23 05:38:00 | | A Chrysler Imperial concept car was presented at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. This concept uses the Chrysler LX platform. It features a 123 in wheelbase. Riding on 22 inch wheels, the car presents "a six-figure image but at a much lower price" according to Tom Tremont, Vice President of advanced vehicle design for Chrysler.The design incorporates a long hood and front end dominated by an upright radiator and strong horizontal grille. Brushed and polished aluminum pods evoke the free-standing headlamps of past models. Circular LED taillights with floating outer rings harkens to the "gun sight" taillight look of early 1960s Imperials. The roof line is pulled rearward to enlarge the cabin and to create a strong profile.On July 17, 2007, Chrysler officially announced it would drop the production plans for the Imperial. This cancellation was due to the Imperial not being able to meet the government's new fuel consumption rates in the United States.
... | | By: carsolutions.blogspot.com - showroom of hot car im | | |
| | First Chrysler plants reject and accept contract | | 2007-10-19 18:15:26 | |
Workers at the last of the Chrysler plants won’t vote on the tentative agreement between the UAW and the company until this coming Wednesday. But, the outcome of the first voting on Thursday was mixed, with workers at Kenosha, Wisconsin accepting the contract by a big margin and workers at the Fenton, Missouri plant rejecting it, also by a big margin. Workers at the Chrysler pick-up truck plant in Fenton, which is near St. Louis, rejected the contract on Thursday. When the vote was tallied late Thursday night, two-thirds of the employees had voted and of that number, 80% voted against it. The president of the Fenton local plant indicated that the contract failed by a larger margin than he had expected, suggesting that a vote against the contract was anticipated, at least by the local leaders. Things went better for the deal in Kenosha, south of Milwaukee. 78% of the vote in Kenosha was in favor of ratification. That plant, however, employs only 800 workers, vs. the 2,100 employed at Fenton. There are a total of 45,000 UAW members at Chrysler. But the Fenton vote may be an ominous sign for the remaining votes. The Fenton plant is one of the six plants which is guaranteed production during the life of the contract, in its case getting the new Dodge Ram pick-up truck to replace its production of the current version of that vehicle. In all, the contract provides for closure of only five current plants, one at least of which is to be replaced with a new facility and two of which are not assembly plants, but are a parts distribution center and test facility. For the contract to be ratified, it must get a majority vote of the total number of UAW members voting. A local rejecting the contract has no significance, by itself. Four locals voted against the recently ratified GM contract. Nonetheless, the Chrysler pact has been the target of a serious campaign against ratification led by none other than the leader of the UAW team that negotiated it. Claiming that the contract fails to provide sufficient job security guarantees, opponents of the contract have also criticized health care benefit give-backs contained in the contract, as well as the VEBA negotiated between the union and UAW and the two-tier wage structure for new hires in non-core positions. Job security concerns among Chrysler workers are likely to be heightened by rumors surfacing yesterday that the company is about to terminate as many as five models currently in production. The rumors apparently started after remarks made by Chrysler officials to a meeting of dealers in Las Vegas. Hence, the information is seen as credible, and the expectation is that slower-selling models are likely to be quickly discontinued. That could mean job losses in the immediate future at Chrysler, which may make some workers particularly receptive to another criticism of the proposed contract: no priority is given to current workers for future job openings. UAW officials had hoped to have voting on the contract completed by Sunday, but local unions did not follow through. Partly, this was a question of logistics: five Chrysler plants are currently in the middle of a two-week shut down to trim inventory, so it is not as easy to arrange for all workers to vote as it would be if they were all coming to work. Getting the Chrysler contract ratified is critical to the UAW’s ability to begin formal negotiations at Ford, which are currently on hold. In the even that the contract at Chrysler were to be rejected, it is not clear whether the union would then proceed to negotiate the Ford contract, or whether it would instead reenter negotiations with Chrysler.... | | By: Auto News: Car Reviews, Car News, Car Shows | | |
| | | Chrysler Sebring 2008: el rey descapotable | | 2007-09-28 05:10:16 | | Parece que siempre hay maneras de sorprenderse. Cuando uno cree haberlo visto todo, resulta que ahí nomás, a la vuelta de la esquina surge alguna novedad que a uno lo sigue maravillando.
En Chrysler, sí que saben cómo lograr esto que te digo. Lo hicieron a la perfección con el nuevo Chrysler Sebring Convertible para 2008.
El [...]... | | By: Coches 2.0 | | |
| | Chrysler 300C 2008: un nuevo modelo con pocos cambios | | 2007-09-20 03:23:52 | | La empresa automotriz Chrysler no quiso quedarse afuera de la feroz competencia que existe en el mercado automotor. Para ello, y para no dejar inquietos a sus simpatizantes más acérrimos, puso manos a la obra y, como una ráfaga, nos presenta su nuevo modelo 2008. Pero no estoy muy seguro si los diseñadores se preocuparon [...]... | | By: Coches 2.0 | | |
| | Chrysler turns green with ENVI | | 2007-09-15 00:09:15 | | Filed under: Green, Chrysler
Chrysler’s efforts to develop more environmentally-friendly vehicles have been distinctly overshadowed by the drama of their divorce from Chrysler and that 800lb green gorilla called Volt. New CEO Bob Nardelli is continuing to shake things up, though. Just a week after hiring Jim Press away from Toyota, Chrysler has set up a [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
| | Chrysler Cerberus – Can the Outsider (Nardelli) turn the corner fast enough? | | 2007-08-08 20:41:00 | | 8/8/07Robert Nardelli ex-boss at Home Depot and at one time in line for Jack Welch’s job at GE was just hired as Chrysler Cerberus (CC) new CEO.Being from Michigan I always chuckle when I see the same quotes and sayings when a new CEO takes charge, especially if they don’t know the industry they are now running. In fact I have heard it and lived through these type of changes in my career.The first one was when The Central Region of phone companies became known as Ameritech. A flood of top executives from outside the phone industry were hired to turn the Bell shaped heads into salespeople and marketers with “Rat Like Agility (SN) since we are now in a competitive business.After slicing and dicing the company for about two years and removing former phone executives and hiring Presidents and VPs from companies like Proctor & Gamble, General Mills and a bunch of other companies Ameritech now was all about awards and quotas and not production and cost effectiveness. Oh yeah the employees were never in the mix regardless of what anyone says.They were expendable and they were fired and let go by the thousands (you see that is the only way a CEO can keep his promise to turn the company around. The people from the outside were hired to get rid of the current people plain and simple.Many of the Execs that were from the phone side resigned because of the way people were being treated and what was happening to the company were they spent most of their lives. The new execs did not care, they were hired to get rid of people and make a name for themselves as great managers because of the short-term and easy(cowardly) way to look like your making money and that is to get rid of employees (even though they were experienced). After a few years or less they left with a star around their name and the next company gobbled them up and then those company's were in trouble.Quote from Mr. Nardelli about Chrysler “It’s not about creating a new strategy. They’ve got it. We’re going to have LASER focus on the EXECUTION of that strategy."Two words standout – Laser – this refers to the speed at which things will change (Can anyone say “Slix Stigma (G.E. & Home Depot – used the process improvement strategy as their means to move quickly on solving problems and making solutions quickly – NOT).The next word is Execution – now that is a great word for scaling and trimming a company down to be lean and mean (Spare ME).Leading all this was Bill Weiss with the advice from Consultant Noel Tichy from the University of Michigan and former Consultant at G.E. Jack Welch.The next time I was at AT&T when Mike Armstrong became CEO. Motorcycle Mike was also from the outside (Hughes Aircraft). I can’t go into that again (trying to forget). Let me just say it was brutal and bloody as thousands of employees hit the streets and were replaced by Consultants and Contractors. Read about AT&T & BSAT&T athttp://qualityg.blogspot.com/2007/01/quality-leadership-update-010607-its.htmlPREDICTION # 1:Watch for Chrysler Cerberus (Don't end up like AT&T) to begin buying up small companies, selling current businesses (Alla General Electric) and merge with others to grow rapidly ( This makes the fools on Wall Street happy for the short-term and they will say you are the best CEO of all times). JackArmstrong did this too and then he sold them to soon because he had bad advice from the people he brought in from the outside. They had no allegiance to AT&T, they only had allegiance to themselves.Guess What? Both companies were eventually bought up by SBC (Still traditional phone company) at very low prices. PREDICTION # 2: Why did Chrysler Cerberus make these changes now? I believe it has to do with the upcoming Labor Talks. It is going to be bloody and nasty with the Union losing big time.Mr. LaSorda will leave a short-time after the negotiations end a very rich man. First up will be a number of current executives that will be replaced by Nardelli hench/yes men. Below is a post I wrote a few years back that pertains to the type of Leadership Mr. Nardelli was taught and managed in for many years at G.E. "Manage their own destinies." When I read this I thought of the Noel Tichy and Jack Welch book - "Control Your Own Destiny or Someone Else Will." Anyone who "truly" knows the history of GE's early days. (In the early 1980s he was dubbed "Neutron Jack" (in reference to the neutron bomb). The chapter "the neutron years" in his book says that GE had 411,000 employees at the end of 1980, and 299,000 at the end of 1985. Of the 112,000 that left the payroll, 37,000 were in sold businesses, and 81,000 were reduced in continuing businesses).When other companies were implementing TQM, GE was removing employees (how come GE didn't use Six Sigma). What Quality folks (especially fly by night consultants) won't admit is in the early 80s to mid 90s many of the leading Quality companies had already removed "low hanging fruit" (please read @ http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2006/05/quality-tooltechnique-term-low-hanging.html). and identified which processes needed to be fixed. Once you do that you are left with very complex fixes to correct and stabilize processes that were neglected for years.When GE started the Six Sigma rush in the mid 90s they were removing "low hanging fruit," which gave the perception that the other companies quality efforts were all wrong. Now in the mid 2000s go to any of the major Six Sigma related chat rooms and tell me if you are hearing anything different as to why it won't work (i.e., leadership won't support, not producing fast enough results, costs to much to train everyone, mid management feels threatened, and of course teams don't have time to meet because of their "regular" jobs, Blah, Blah Blah!Very wise words "control your own destiny." You have to go out and find your destiny, search for what it is in life you wish to accomplish and go after it. No one is going to knock on your door and tell you it's waiting for you on the front lawn.Example, when you lose your job, no one is going to call you and say "please come work for me." You have to get off your butt and make it happen, that is destiny. If you don't then you can go on welfare and let the Government control your destiny. The saddest part about an Outsider bringing in all his or her people it takes years after their gone to filter through all the bad managerial decisions that were made that affected the employees and the bottom line. Good Luck Chrysler Cerberus & Mr. Nardelli, I really want you to do well. Trust your employees and not your cerberus moneychangers.Since writing this post I have received Emails providing a number of examples where outsiders have made a postive impact on their Company and Stock.The most Emails were about Ford Motor Company and Mr. Allen Mullaly. All I can say is it's too early to tell. I also wish Mr. Mulally (formerly of Boeing) good wishes.... | | By: qualityg says ... | | |
| | Chrysler LLC’s New (Old) Logo | | 2007-08-07 07:08:33 | | Chrysler is deep in the process of rebuilding itself from the recent break-up with DCX. Under a new management by Cerberus Capital Management, the new Chrysler brings in former CEO of Home Depot, a new name (Daimler-Chrysler to Chrysler LLC), and a new logo. Hopefully, we’ll see some competitive offerings in the bunch as well. [...]... | | By: Car O Focus | | |
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