US Government offers Concessions to Detroit Big 3's Trucks Models

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the US government is willing to allow carmakers to lower the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) of their future trucks and SUVs at a slower rate than normal cars.
In return, the Obama administration wants to reach a deal by early next week that will allow the government to improve mileage standards from today’s target of 35.5 mpg (6.6 lt/100 km) by 2016 to 56 mpg (4.2 lt/100 km) by 2025 for both cars and light trucks, leaving the automakers a longer period of time to bring their large trucks, pickups and SUVs in line.

Chrysler Announces Prices on New 2012 SRT8 Models Including the 300, Charger, Grand Cherokee and Challenger

The Chrysler Group’s newly formed Street and Racing Technology (SRT) brand has released pricing on its latest crop of models, which include the 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8, the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8, the 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 and the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.
Prices together with an $825 destination fee start at $47,995 for the Chrysler 300 SRT8, $46,660 for the Dodge Charger SRT8, $44,077 for the Challenger SRT8 and $55,295 for the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.
All four SRT8 models are powered by the Chrysler Group’s new 6.4-liter HEMI V8 with Fuel Saver Technology that cranks out 470 horsepower (351kW) and 470 lb-ft (637Nm) of peak torque (465 lb.-ft. / 630 Nm in the Grand Cherokee SRT8).

Chrysler Recalls 243,000 Ram Pickup Trucks over Steering Flaw

Chrysler’s Ram brand has notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Association that it is recalling 242,780 pickup trucks over a steering failure that could lead to “a loss of directional stability”.
The safety agency reported that the left tie rod ball may fracture during low speed parking maneuvers when the driver is making a sudden turn. This could lead to the loss of directional stability in the left front wheel.

Fiat and Chrysler to get a Single Management Team

Fiat SpA and Chrysler Group LLC will soon have a single management structure according to the CEO of both companies, Sergio Marchionne. The Bloomberg financial news agency reports that Marchionne told to journalists in Zurich that he intends to implement his unified management team “pretty quickly”, though he declined to specify a date.

Mercedes-Benz Tops Secret Shopper Study of U.S. Dealers, Lincoln Places Last in Luxury Segment

Mercedes-Benz dealers were number one for customer treatment in the US according to an independent study by survey company Pied Piper. The California-based company hired 3,524 “secret shoppers” and sent them to US dealerships in order to determine how their salesmen were performing in anything from explaining a car’s features to closing a deal.
This is the third year in a row that Mercedes-Benz, which looks set to top the sales charts this year in the luxury segment, has topped Pied Piper’s study.

Pickup Trucks Inventories Rising, Manufacturers are Worried

It seems like US carmakers are beginning to worry about the rising inventory of their big pickup trucks. For example, General Motors has an inventory of 122 days (or 4 months) of its Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra according to a report from Reuters, or 50% higher than the typical industry inventory of 80 days.
But GM isn’t the only automaker in distress. Chrysler, Toyota and Ford also are behind their projected sales, with 93 days inventory for the first two makers and 79 days for the third respectively.

Redesigned Chrysler Grand Voyager MPV Reaches UK Shores

Chrysler’s facelifted for the 2011 model year Town & Country has arrived in Britain as the revised Grand Voyager. Different name aside, the UK market model features the same styling revisions as its American counterpart, including a redesigned nose, LED tail lamps, new rear bumper and revised tailgate on the outside, and a restyled dashboard and steering wheel on the inside.
However, instead of the new 283HP 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, the Grand Voyager is offered exclusively with 2.8-litre CRD diesel engine producing 161bhp at 3800rpm and 265lb ft of torque.

Judge Rules Chrysler can’t have the “Imported from Detroit” Tag Line for Itself

As we mentioned last week, Chrysler used an award winning ad that aired during the Super Bowl on February 6 to introduce its “Imported from Detroit” message. But, guess what? It wasn’t the only to use the tag line.
Pure Detroit clothier also uses it, and opposed the automaker’s attempt to trademark the phrase. As it usually happens in those cases, Chrysler sued, Pure Detroit counter-sued, and their lawyers got to work. Eventually Chrysler lost.
US Federal Judge Arthur Tarnow ruled that Chrysler’s claim that it would suffer irreparable harm didn’t have merit. He also noted that the company didn’t have a trademark on the phrase, and dismissed its argument that the trademark law doesn’t apply on cars.

Report: New Alfa Romeo-Derived / U.S. Made Dodge Compact Sedan to Debut at 2012 Detroit Show

A new U.S. market compact sedan to be developed by Fiat and built by Chrysler is set to make its debut appearance at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in the beginning of next year, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
The as-of-yet unnamed model will be badged as Dodge and powered by a Fiat-derived 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. It’ll also do 40 mpg combined, or at least it will if Fiat wants to net itself a further 5% of Chrysler from Mr. Monopoly Uncle Sam.

Chrysler Seeks Fiat Synergies to Produce Cars in China

China is the world’s largest car market: last year alone, more than 18 million vehicles were sold there, of which 13.76 million were passenger cars. Furthermore, analysts McKinsey & Company predict that it will grow tenfold between 2005 and 2030.
Do you want to know Chrysler’s share in this massive car market? A measly 31,000 in 2010 and a projection for just 40,000 in 2011. Therefore, it is only natural that the American carmaker is looking for ways to increase its share in this rapidly expanding market.

“Yes we Cannes”:Chrysler’s Super Bowl ad Wins 5 Awards at French Festival

Chrysler’s TV commercial “Born of Fire”, which aired during the 2011 Super Bowl, won five awards at the 58th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where over 24,000 entries from all over the world were competing.
The commercial for the 2011 200 sedan was created by Chrysler together with advertising company Wideden+Kennedy of Portland, Oregon, and took home four “Gold Lions”, for Best Direction, Best Script, Best Use of Music, Best Automotive Commercial and Best Editing, as well as a “Bronze Lion” awarded to the brand for Best Editing.

Multiple 2011MY Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Vehicles Recalled to Fix Steering Columns

A dozen vehicles from the three core Chrysler brands covering more than half of the company’s 2011 models are being recalled in the United States to fix a potential problem with the steering column.
The recall covers 11,351 vehicles and affects certain 2011 model year Dodge Journey crossovers, Jeep Wranglers, Chrysler 200s, Chrysler 200 Convertibles, Dodge Avengers, Dodge Nitros, Jeep Liberty SUVs, Dodge Calibers, Jeep Compass crossovers, Jeep Patriots, Dodge Grand Caravans and Chrysler Town & Country minivans.

Sticker Shock: U.S. Used Car Prices Soar as Nation Tackles Weak Economy and More

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. U.S. used car prices are up 30% over June 2010, in some cases besting Kelly Blue Book values by as much as 25%. Trade-ins are also up by 30% since this time last year.
A variety of factors, including an economy still reeling from the Global Financial Crisis, high gas prices and the Tōhoku earthquake, are thought to be responsible for the massive price rise.

Chrysler and EPA Working on Hydraulic Hybrid System for Passenger Cars [with Video]

Chrysler and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a new partnership to explore the possibility of adapting the EPA's hydraulic hybrid system for passenger cars and light-duty vehicles. Developed by the EPA, the hydraulic hybrid system is currently used in industrial applications, including large delivery trucks and refuse trucks, but Chrysler, keen on developing a new portfolio of hybrid vehicles, wants to adopt it for use on passenger vehicles.

Chrysler’s SRT Team Teases…Next Dodge Viper SRT

In a very…tongue-in-cheek move, Chrysler’s newly formed Street and Racing Technology (SRT) brand responded to fans asking them on various social media sites what future products are in development by posting this…revealing sketch on its dedicated Facebook page. Here is what Chrysler’s SRT team wrote:
“Like many of you, Twitter user @DaveOrrSales asked for a taste of what's to come at SRT. We dodged death to sneak you this top-secret photo. That's all you get, crew.”

Viper V10-Powered Chrysler PT 10 Cruiser Pickup Truck for Sale on eBay

Whether you love it or loathe it, Chrysler’s PT Cruiser was a running success for the Detroit automaker and over its ten-year lifespan, we saw countless projects cars and tunes based on the retro-styled compact model. However, ask any true Mopar fan what the ultimate modification is for any Chrysler Group model, and you’ll most likely get the answer an engine swap with the Dodge Viper’s ferocious V10 powerplant.
Here at Carscoop, we’ve shown you plenty of Viper-powered cars ranging from a Chrysler 300 and a Dodge Challenger to a Saab 9-3 and a Jeep Wrangler. Now it’s time to add the Chrysler PT Cruiser to our list of venomous engine swaps with this eBay find.
The PT/10 Cruiser Pickup Truck is said to have been built in 2000. It is based on a custom chassis with power coming from the Viper’s V10 engine churning out 500 ponies. Other goods sourced from the Dodge sports car include the 6-speed transmission, rear suspension, steering rack and seats.

Chrysler 300C Tuning + Rodas aro 22"

Chrysler 300C Tuning + Rodas aro 22"

Chrysler 300C Extreme Tuning + Rodas aro 26''

Chrysler 300C Extreme Tuning + Rodas aro 26''

Chrysler 300C + Rodas aro 24" (Perfeito)

Chrysler 300C + Rodas aro 24" (Perfeito)

Jeep Grand Cherokee

JEEP Craves the fresh Grand Cherokee to become a successes. The tension is palpable, because this mostly all-new mid-size SUV is critical around the way ahead for Chrysler’s best brand. And yes, new Grand is great to look at. It’s bold, fresh and athletic, with short overhangs and chamfered curves, and so it must be being based on Mercedes’ ML platform.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Jeep Grand Cherokee Interior

Gone are the clunky and awkward washboard side panels of the previous effort, gone is the complicated sub-frame mess that ran riot using the bodyshell. Here’s a solidly engineered effort, though with the loss of a good rear axle in favour of an all-independent multi-link rear axle set-up, and radical Europeanising of the interior, I can’t help but feel it’s made up of the world’s new cookie cutter: shades of Fortuner in the rear, a new Touareg with the side profile, a dash of, dare I say it ML and X5 to the profile. One can’t help but feel that the McDonalds world franchise philosophy has hit a home run with Jeep too. That away, the prominent wheelarches perfect, the seven-bar grille as distinctive as it can be, while liberal using of brightwork in the sills, side panels, window liners, rear bootlid and grille offers an avowedly American bling statement.