Last week Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne set out a long-winded plan for the future of the American automaker and how its future will be closely tied to its new Italian parent company. There was a lot to digest at the seven hour press conference and so we thought a model by model breakdown would be...
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During Chrysler’s seven hour press conference explaining the direction of the company over the next few years, it became increasingly clear that the new Fiat ownership is planning to build up the Chrysler group of brands using Fiat products. Much of the news isn’t entirely new, but it has now been confirmed and the extent...
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Chrysler will stop production of the Dodge Viper in 2010 and replace it with its successor in 2012. The announcement came on a day of extensive announcements about Chrysler’s plans for the next five years. The new Viper will be one of 11 all-new or redesigned Dodge vehicles that will debut by 2014. Production on...
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A week ahead of a planned Fiat/Chrysler press conference in which Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of both automakers, was to outline the future of Chrysler, much of the information has been revealed in an in-depth report in the Wall Street Journal. But before we get to the new products that the Italian-owned automaker is planning...
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After several rumors and reports, Chrysler has now confirmed that the Dodge Ram will be spun off into its own brand with the appointment of two individuals. Fred Diaz Jr., formerly Director of the Denver Business Center, will now head up the RAM brand, while Ralph Gilles will take over at the helm of the...
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As expected, auto industry sales were way down for the month of September, after record highs posted during the previous month with the Cash for Clunkers program in effect. Compared to September of 2008, GM’s sales declined 45 percent, while Chrysler dropped 42 percent. Ford’s posted just a modest 5 percent loss due in part...
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Chrysler’s previous ownership by Daimler continues to effect the company’s future as plans to replace two of its struggling vehicles have been pushed back. Both the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring were scheduled to be replaced in 2010, but the American automaker’s new Fiat management has now decided to extend the life-cycles of the two...
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The Ram appears destined to break free of its Dodge moorings to run solo as a stand-alone brand. According to a report on Inside Line, the plan to market Ram as its own brand is part of Fiat’s new corporate strategy, that will see other SUVs and some commercial vehicles branded with the Ram, leaving...
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Fiat plans to market Chrysler as a serious luxury brand in the U.S. In an interview with Automotive News, Chrysler’s brand CEO Peter Fong said that he sees the company’s flagship line as “a notch above Lincoln, a notch above Cadillac,” which has us wondering what sort of parallel universe Fong is from. True, Chrysler...
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In a brief statement, Chrysler has announced that the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA) is now entirely owned by the U.S. automaker, with both former partners, Mitsubishi and Hyundai, having sold their parts of the company. This may sound like a dull bit of business news, but it could most certainly have a big impact...
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According to a recent Consumer Reports survey, the overwhelming majority of car shoppers are considering a domestic vehicle as their next purchase. Results of the “Auto Pulse” survey indicate that 81 percent of respondents looking at a new car are considering buying American. That number is significantly higher than the numbers for Asian imports (47...
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The U.S. auto industry showed continued improvement in the month of August, helped on by the Obama Administration’s Cash for Clunkers program. Ford was once again a big winner as sales increased 17.2 percent over last August, a significant improvement over the 2.4 percent growth in July – which was thought to be good at...
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Chrysler and Nissan have officially canceled plans to work together on a number of platform sharing opportunities. Previous plans would have seen Chrysler supply Nissan with the next generation Titan pickup truck, in exchange for Nissan supplying Chrysler with a small car for international markets, as well as a rebadged Nissan Versa for South America....
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Chrysler’s deputy CEO Jim Press is planning to quit his post before the year’s end, reports the Wall Street Journal. Press took the helm of Chrysler in 2007 when Cerberus Capital Management took a controlling share in the company. He moved to the position after a lengthy 37-year career at Toyota Motor Corp. When Chrysler...
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According to a report from the Pentastar nuts over at AllPar, Chrysler will be dropping its lifetime powertrain warranty on almost all of its vehicles. But it’s not all bad news. Back when Chrysler introduced the seemingly too-good-to-be-true warranty it didn’t overly publicize the fact that it wasn’t transferable. As a result, plenty of second...
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In a bid to get inventory moving out of showrooms in a hurry, Chrysler has decided to offer a new incentive program that would double the value of the government’s cash-for-clunkers program. Chrysler will offer $4,500 off (or 0 percent financing for 72 months) on most of its 2009 inventory – excluding the Dodge Challenger,...
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The car that has generated the most publicity out of the Fiat/Chrysler deal is the Italian automaker’s 500 model and now word comes from Fiat’s CEO that four different versions of the subcompact will be offered in the U.S. Sergio Marchionne told Bloomberg that the four trim levels will include the standard 500, a convertible...
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Now that Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is at the helm of the new Chrysler he is looking at making some changes. For starters, the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Caliber, as well as the Jeep Patriot and Compass may get the axe. Marchionne is looking at cutting under-performing models from the Chrysler lineup, with a particular...
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Can you hear that? It might sound a lot like Monty Python’s John Cleese, but it’s actually Chrysler’s PT Cruiser screaming, “I’m not dead yet.” That’s right, despite plans to scrap the retro-styled economy car, production will continue on. Pre-bankruptcy Chrysler had announced that it would cease production of the PT at its Mexico plant...
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When the U.S. Supreme Court delayed the sale of Chrysler to Fiat yesterday it put the whole contract in jeopardy, giving the Italian automaker the opportunity to walk away if the sale isn’t approved by June 15th. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has, however, confirmed his commitment to the purchase, saying that it would not deter...
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A U.S. Supreme Court judge has delayed the sale of Chrysler to a new Fiat-run company. The move by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg came just before a 4 p.m. deadline set by a New York appeals court would have seen the sale completed. The statement by Justice Ginsburg was just one sentence and gave no...
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A new survey out of the U.K. by J.D. Power & Associated in association with automotive resource What Car? might be great new for Lexus… but it’s quite the opposite for both Chrysler and its new bosses at Fiat. The Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study (VOSS) lets owners of three year old cars rate those vehicles...
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Chrysler, the brand that carries the name of the corporation behind it, may not do so for long. According to a report on AdAge.com, Fiat executives are looking at if they should keep all three Chrysler brands (Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep) and the most likely candidate to get axed is Chrysler itself. A spokesperson for...
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Those 789 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealers that were cut loose by Chrysler as a part of its bankruptcy and restructuring plan have until June 9th (next Tuesday) to part with their remaining inventory. Because of the dealership contract that they signed, dealers aren’t allowed to sell off the cars once the contract expires. And...
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