chrysler Archives | Page 6 of 12

Report: Chrysler wants ‘S’ branding to appeal to youth market [w/poll]

Filed under: Sedan, Chrysler, Design/Style

2011 Chrysler 300

The average age of those who buy new Chryslers? Sixty-two. That’s not good for a brand that’s looking to expand into new markets and thereby increase sales. Invariably, such a strategy means younger buyers will need to be lured into the showroom.

Chrysler 300S badge In order to entice younger buyers, Chrysler reportedly plans to enhance its so-called ‘S’ sub-brand, starting with the refreshed 200 sedan (the old Sebring) and the more heavily revised 300, that Chrysler says will appeal to those who want something a little more “edgy.”

Exterior chrome will be blacked-out, interior wood will be replaced with carbon fiber and traditionally staid interior colors will now be offered in brighter red hues. There won’t necessarily be any modifications to the car’s driving characteristics, as this is intended to be a styling exercise only.

Automotive News reports that an S version of the 200 will go into production this spring, followed an an unspecified time by the 300. Think it’s a good idea? Let your opinion be heard in our completely informal poll below.

View Poll

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: Chrysler wants ‘S’ branding to appeal to youth market [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Chrysler wants ‘S’ branding to appeal to youth market [w/poll]”

First Drive: 2011 Chrysler 300

Filed under: Sedan, Chrysler, First Drive, Luxury

A Lot Newer Than It Looks From The Outside

2011 Chrysler 300 – Click above for high-res image gallery

“We basically blew the old car up. The number of parts we carried over from the last car you can just about hold in your hands,” said Mitch Clauw, Chief Engineer on the 2011 Chrysler 300.

He was responding to repeated questions about the new sedan. Was it all-new, or just a heavy refresh like the 200 Sedan? You can’t blame journalists for being confused. Chrysler’s product onslaught is putting 16 all-new and significantly improved models on the road this year. But all-new is a very different thing from significantly improved.

Clauw supported his answer, “Every exterior panel is new. Every piece in the interior is new. With the underbody, just a few pieces of the front floor pan are carry over. The front and rear aluminum suspension pieces and geometry are different. So is the steering. The V6 is all new. While the internals of the Hemi are carryover, the intake, exhaust and accessories are not.” Okay, we believe him now, but you’d need really big hands to hold the carried-over five-speed automatic transmission.

Gallery: 2011 Chrysler 300: First Drive

2011 Chrysler 300

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Chrysler 300

First Drive: 2011 Chrysler 300 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “First Drive: 2011 Chrysler 300”

2011 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 earn Top Safety Pick awards

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Chrysler, Dodge

2011 Dodge Charger crash test

2011 Dodge Charger – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s no secret that the 2011 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 are more attractive and are substantially more refined than the models they replace. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the new LX-platform twins are also incredibly safe, too – earning the company’s prestigious Top Safety Pick designation for the first time ever.

To note, the last-generation Charger and 300 earned the second-lowest rating available in side impact protection, even when equipped with side-curtain airbags. Yikes. On the other hand, the 2011 Charger withstood a force equal to 5.37 times the car’s weight during the roof strength test (for rollover protection). The current federal standard for this test is 1.5 times the car’s weight.

Chrysler has now earned seven Top Safety Pick ratings for its latest crop of 2011 vehicles. To read the press release about the Charger and 300’s earnings, follow the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Dodge Charger: First Drive

2011 Dodge Charger

[Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

Continue reading 2011 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 earn Top Safety Pick awards

2011 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 earn Top Safety Pick awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “2011 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 earn Top Safety Pick awards”

Chrysler working on hydraulic minivan hybrid with the EPA’s help

Filed under: Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Technology, Chrysler

Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne and Lisa Jackson, Agency Administrator for the EPA, announced a new research project to bring hydraulic hybrid technology to the marketplace. The new hybrid will be based on Chrysler’s Town & Country minivan, although this shouldn’t be confused with the other minivan hybrid Chrysler is working on for 2013.

Hydraulics in vehicles have been tested in larger vehicles by FedEx, Ford (with its hydraulic-launch-assist) and others. What Chrysler and the EPA plan to do is produce a running demonstration vehicle (yes, just one) in 2012 using a hydraulic hybrid system the EPA developed in Ann Arbor, MI. The T&C will use a 2.4-liter, inline four-cylinder gasoline engine that will share motivation duties with a 117cc engine pump, a 45cc drive electric motor and a two-speed automatic transmission.

The hydraulic fluid will be stored in a 14.4-gallon high pressure accumulator that can reach pressures as high as 5,000 psi. If there’s enough energy in the accumulator, the motor will shut down until it’s needed again. If it all works as advertised, then overall fuel economy will be improved around 30-35 percent, while city miles per gallon will be improved by up to 60 percent. Although we’ve heard rumors of a hybrid Chrysler minivan for years, it sounds like something real will finally arrive – in one form or another.

[Source: Chrysler, Detroit News]

Continue reading Chrysler working on hydraulic minivan hybrid with the EPA’s help

Chrysler working on hydraulic minivan hybrid with the EPA’s help originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Chrysler working on hydraulic minivan hybrid with the EPA’s help”

Report: Chrysler 300 hybrid coming in 2013

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Chrysler, Luxury

2011 Chrysler 300

2011 Chrysler 300 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Hybrids have been a mixed bag at Chrylser (remember the short-lived Durango and Aspen hybrids or the on-again-off-again Ram hybrid?), but a new report from Automotive News indicates that a gasoline-electric drivetrain is back on the table for the Pentastar automaker.

During this year’s Detroit Auto Show, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne reportedly confirmed that hybrid power will be making its way under the hood of the updated 2011 Chrysler 300. This hybrid powertrain is expected to be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and is earmarked for roll-out in 2013.

Hybrids are slowly becoming more and more popular amongst luxury automakers. Lexus already has an electrified version of its GS sedan – the GS 450h – and both Audi and BMW are working to bring hybrids to market in the mid-range luxury segment, too, via the 5 Series ActiveHybrid and A6 Hybrid.

Gallery: 2011 Chrysler 300

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: Chrysler 300 hybrid coming in 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Chrysler 300 hybrid coming in 2013”

Lancia’s Geneva lineup to include Chrysler 200-based Flavia

2011 Chrysler 200 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Some might deride Lancia as the Plymouth of the Fiat group, but instead of being killed off like the defunct American marque, the pseudo-premium Italian division is being teamed up with Chrysler in an effort to increase the Pentastar’s global reach while rejuvenating the Lancia brand.

We’ve seen the pairing take effect already through the appointment of Lancia CEO Olivier Francois and the toe-in-the-water demonstration of a Chrysler-badged Lancia Delta at last year’s Detroit show, but it looks like things could finally materialize at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.

There, according to the latest reports from Europe, the Fiat/Chrysler alliance will unveil a Lancia-fied version of the new Chrysler 200. The model is expected to revive the Flavia nameplate last seen in 1975 and receive only a few modifications, in the form of a new grille (natch), European-spec bumpers and the possible mechanical additions of a manual transmission and diesel engine.

Headline though the development is, it is expected to be only one of several new debuts – some Chrysler-based, some not – that Lancia has planned for the Swiss expo. A Chrysler 300-based Thema flagship sedan is reportedly in the cards, as could be a Lancia version of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan (as a potential replacement for the Phedra that was jointly produced between Fiat and PSA). Finally, Lancia is expected to unveil the new Ypsilon hatchback, which itself could make its way Stateside as a Chrysler. Now all we need is a Pentastar-badged version of the New Stratos and we’ll be all set.

Gallery: 2011 Chrysler 200: First Drive

2011 Chrysler 200

[Source: Automotive News Europe – subs. req’d]

Lancia’s Geneva lineup to include Chrysler 200-based Flavia originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Lancia’s Geneva lineup to include Chrysler 200-based Flavia”

2012 Chrysler 200 Convertible photos leak out

2012 Chrysler 200 Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chrysler is set to debut the 2012 200 Convertible at the New York Auto Show in March, but through the magic of the Interwebs, the first crop of official images has already leaked out. The new 200 sedan isn’t a bad-looking car, and while the convertible’s design isn’t the most attractive creation (that rear end still looks plenty awkward), it’s certainly better than the outgoing Sebring.

Aside from the deletion of a fixed roof, expect the Chrysler 200 Convertible to be largely the same as its sedan counterpart, with interior refinement and engine choices all being carried over. This means that both the 2.4-liter inline-four and 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 should be underhood, and the end result is a cabriolet that, while better than the model it replaces, certainly won’t take your breath away.

Gallery: 2012 Chrysler 200 Convertible Leaked Photos

2012 Chrysler 200 Convertible

[Source: Autoblog.it]

2012 Chrysler 200 Convertible photos leak out originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “2012 Chrysler 200 Convertible photos leak out”

Chrysler’s Marchionne says only one minivan per brand, C-Max competitor coming

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Chrysler, Dodge

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says the automaker plans to only offer one minivan in the future, eliminating either the Chrysler Town and Country or Dodge Caravan by 2013. Additionally, the company is working on a smaller “people mover,” that will go to whichever marque doesn’t retain the minivan.

“If our Project Genesis [a plan to have all Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep showrooms at a single dealership] goes to its conclusion, which is the plan, then it makes no sense to offer consumers two minivans differentiated only by equipment,” Marchionne said in an interview with reporters at the North American International Auto Show.

The smaller “people mover” is being engineered from a new architecture that will underpin several new vehicles in the Fiat and Chrysler lineups. Though Marchionne didn’t get into specifics, the platform is likely to be developed for the Fiat Giulietta, with Chrysler and Fiat engineers planning to expand and adapt the chassis to serve as the basis for a replacement for the Jeep Compass and Patriot, among other vehicles.

Inititally, Marchionne indicated that he would prefer to keep the Dodge Caravan and make the micro-van a Chrysler. In Canada, 80% of the minivan mix is comprised of the Dodge Caravan. But the Town and Country outsells the Caravan in the U.S. and other markets. “We will have to look at the branding, but we are absolutely going to one minivan.” One consideration for Chrysler planners will be that it would be difficult to get the premium price points – over $40,000 for the top-of-the-line Town and Country – for a Dodge branded minivan. LIkewise, it will be difficult to get prices North of 30,000 for even a loaded Chrysler micro-van.

Marchionne also said that both the minivan, and the micro-van would be built at the company’s Windsor, Ontario plant where the minivans are currently produced and designed to compete against the Mazda5 and Ford Grand C-Max.

Chrysler’s Marchionne says only one minivan per brand, C-Max competitor coming originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Chrysler’s Marchionne says only one minivan per brand, C-Max competitor coming”

Detroit 2011: Chrysler 200 Super S gets lowered… expectations?

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Chrysler

Chrysler 200 Super S

Chrysler 200 Super S – Click above to view the high-res image gallery

Nestled into a well-hidden crevice on the outskirts of the Chrysler booth at the Detroit Auto Show is a Mopar-accessorized 200 Super S. That’s right: a pimped 200. It would appear that Mopar noticed the 200 looks a bit… tall, so Team Pentastar’s aftermarket arm dropped the 200’s suspension a full three inches and outfitted it with a reworked lower chin and rear decklid spoilers. The 200 is further tweaked with a sublime quartet of glossy black 19-inch wheels, a pair of awkward hood vents, a mesh grille and foglamp bezels with light bar applique.

So… your neighbors still haven’t noticed that you dropped thousands of dollars on aftermarket parts for your Chrysler 200? Mopar’s design department has also re-sprayed the Super S with two-tone tungsten on matte black paint. Unfortunately the thin pinstriping on the showcar appears less than production ready. Click below for our high-res gallery of the 200 Super S.

Gallery: Chrysler 200 Super S: Detroit 2011

Chrysler 200 Super S

Detroit 2011: Chrysler 200 Super S gets lowered… expectations? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Detroit 2011: Chrysler 200 Super S gets lowered… expectations?”

Fiat increases stake in Chrysler to 25%

Filed under: Chrysler, Fiat

Chrysler and Fiat logos

Fiat is seriously commited to rebuilding Chrysler, and to that end it’s increased its stake in the Michigan-based automaker by an additional five percent.

The reshuffled ownership breakdown still leaves the United Auto Workers as the largest shareholder at 63.5%, with Fiat’s stake now up to 25%, the U.S. Treasury Department retaining 9.2% and the Canadian government 2.3%.

The increased stake came with government approval as Chrysler meets certain performance parameters, in this case the production of the Fully Integrated Robotized Engine (FIRE) at its plant in Dundee, Michigan.

Fiat will have the opportunity to increase its stake by another five percent when it demonstrates growth in overseas markets, and again with the production of a 40 mpg vehicle in the United States. At that point Fiat will have had the opportunity to increase its stake to a maximum of 35%. Details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Fiat increases stake in Chrysler to 25%

Fiat increases stake in Chrysler to 25% originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Fiat increases stake in Chrysler to 25%”