chrysler

Chrysler gets into electric car race

Updated 10:30 a.m. PDT: Added photos and a link to Chrysler's electric car site.

Struggling automaker Chrysler on Tuesday unveiled a line of electric cars scheduled to start shipping at the end of 2010.

The surprise announcement brings Chrysler in direct competition with General Motors, which last week showed off the Chevy Volt, an extended-range electric car also due in late 2010.

Chrysler's plans call for two electric cars, using the same concept as the Volt and two other all-electric cars.

Chrysler's top executives showed off an extended-range electric Jeep Wrangler and a mini-van to CNBC on Tuesday. … Read more

Slide show: New Dodge vehicles

Dodge brought by a selection of its newest vehicles at a recent media event. We had the chance to photograph and test drive the next generation of Dodge vehicles, including the 2009 Challenger (SRT-8 and R/T versions), the new 2009 Ram pickup truck, and the Durango Hemi Hybrid SUV. Also on hand was the 2009 Dodge Journey, which we've already reviewed.

View New Dodge vehicle slide show.

U.S. plans fizzle for most Chinese vehicles

Plans by Chinese automakers to enter the United States have largely fizzled.

Chery Automobile, through a deal to assemble cars for Chrysler, stands a chance of entering the United States by 2011.

And Brilliance Jinbei Automotive, a small Chinese automaker, says it plans to sell cars in the United States in 2009.

But other Chinese import plans are in disarray.

Enthusiasm for Chinese vehicles was created mainly by hype from American promoters and wishful thinking from small Chinese automakers who were unaware of the difficulties of selling cars in the United States.

In July 2007, Tom LaSorda, then CEO of Chrysler, announced a deal in which Chery would assemble vehicles for

But since the announcement, Chrysler has revealed few details about its relationship with Chery. A major supplier to Chery says Chery has no definite timeline to begin exports to the United States for either Chery- or Chrysler-badged vehicles.

"We need small cars," LaSorda said in May. "Chery's cars are still not ready for that exposure into these markets." He said China-built cars probably won't be ready to meet U.S. safety and emissions standards for "three years or more."

… Read more

Chrysler plans for the future

At the Western Automotive Journalists' dinner this week, Jim Press, President of Chrysler, told me exactly what I wanted to hear. When I asked how he plans on differentiating the Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep brands, he put it this way: Jeep will remain an iconic off-roader, with no soft-roaders spoiling the brand; Dodge will be the performance brand, but will also be a volume play; and Chrysler focuses on luxury, competing with brands like Acura. Maybe this type of brand differentiation just fits conventional wisdom, but it seems like a smart plan to me. Yet, in speaking more generally about … Read more

Next-gen Nissan Titan to get HEMI power

Owners of the next iteration of the Nissan Titan will finally be able to say, "That thang's got a Hemi!"

PickupTrucks.com has confirmation from Chrysler LLC chairman Jim Press that the next-generation Nissan Titan will receive a version of Chrysler's 5.7 liter Hemi V-8 gas engine. This makes sense when you consider that last May, the Chrysler LLC and Nissan Motor Co. announced that the next Titan half-ton pickup would be built by Chrysler at its plant in Saltillo, Mexico, and that the next Titan would be based on the all-new Dodge Ram 1500. … Read more

81: Honda prepares to smash the Prius.

A whole new way of life for tire shops...Chrysler plays catch up in the hybrid hype game...Honda goes head on against the Prius...and we take you for a ride in the quintessential mainstream status car. Listen now: Download today's podcast SHOWNOTES

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Chrysler Financial to Stop Offering Leases

Chrysler Financial (the lending division of Chrysler) is instructing dealers to stop offering auto leases, according to sources at Reuters.

Decreasing resale values of trucks and SUVs have caused Chrysler to take huge losses once the leases of these once-popular vehicles are up. These are losses Chrysler really can't afford to be taking as American auto sales continue to slump to their lowest point in more than a decade.

Chrysler's not the only automaker seeing huge leasing-related losses, as Ford Motor Company also reported a $2.1 billion loss in the second quarter of this year due to … Read more

MPG now! Automakers race to boost efficiency

DETROIT -- During the 18 months he worked on a new version of the Chevrolet Cobalt, Mike Danowski saw consumer tastes change before his very eyes.

When he started, studies showed that styling was the No. 1 reason people bought Cobalts. By the time the vehicle rolled out, fuel economy had leapt to the top of the list, the Cobalt XFE project manager says.

The Cobalt team's timing couldn't have been better.

A combination of revised gear ratios, engine recalibration, and low-rolling-resistance tires improved highway fuel economy 9 percent, from 33 miles per gallon in highway driving for … Read more

Chrysler takes Wi-Fi on the road

Chrysler is turning cars and trucks into wireless hot spots.

The company announced Thursday a new feature that will let people purchase a "Uconnect" in-car wireless system as part of a dealer upgrade in 20 various 2009 Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep models.

The system offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity within the car to allow people to sync their cell phone address books with the car's 30GB hard drive or control their Apple iPods using the radio and steering wheel controls. And it provides navigation and real-time traffic features that can be controlled by voice recognition or a … Read more