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  • Chrysler Brand Being Phased Out Overseas

    Chrysler Brand Being Phased Out Overseas November 6th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, November 6th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 7 Comments

    Chrysler Brand Being Phased Out Overseas

    Wednesday marked the big unveiling of Chrysler's five-year recovery plan and while there has been a lot speculation about the company's new strategy, we can now reveal that CEO Sergio Marchionne is planning to phase out most Chrysler brands outside North America.

    The sole exception? Jeep, which will instead receive a boost to its international marketing budget, especially in emerging markets like Brazil. Chrysler vehicles will appear on distant shores, but only as part of the shared technology underpinning other brands like Lancia and Alfa Romeo.

    Company bosses have revealed that Chrysler will disappear completely from European car markets...

    Wednesday marked the big unveiling of Chrysler's five-year recovery plan and while there has been a lot speculation about the company's new strategy, we can now reveal that CEO Sergio Marchionne is planning to phase out most Chrysler brands outside North America. The sole exception? Jeep, which will instead receive a boost to its international marketing budget, especially in emerging markets like Brazil. Chrysler vehicles will appear on distant shores, but only as part of the shared technology underpinning other brands like Lancia and Alfa Romeo. Company bosses have revealed that Chrysler will disappear completely from European car markets in 2011, while Dodge will have a very niche role. Some of the cars will remain, however. For example, the Chrysler 300 and Voyager will remain but be rebadged as Lancias, replacing the Lancia Thesis and Phaedra, respectively. Lancia will also sell a version of the next-generation Sebring saloon, effectively replacing the Lybra, which went off sale in 2006. Lancia will also get a version of Chrysler’s upcoming medium-size crossover. Additionally, Dodge models will be rebadged as Fiats, with the Journey crossover set to replace the Ulysse. [Automotive News, sub req’d] Read More

  • Chrysler Offering 20 Channel Mobile TV With New Flo TV Option

    Chrysler Offering 20 Channel Mobile TV With New Flo TV Option November 4th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, November 4th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 1 Comment

    Chrysler Offering 20 Channel Mobile TV With New Flo TV Option

    Starting in late December, customers of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and the new Ram Truck brand, will be able to watch many of their favorite TV programs while on the road thanks to a dealer-installed mobile TV option from the company’s accessories division, Mopar.

    Dubbed FLO TV Auto Entertainment, the new system will offer as many as 20 channels and is the first of its kind for a domestic automaker. Some of the channels will include CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, FOX News, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go and Nickelodeon.

    A small antenna, similar in size to a laptop mouse, is mounted on a vehicle's roof to deliver the digital TV signal. Inside the...

    Starting in late December, customers of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and the new Ram Truck brand, will be able to watch many of their favorite TV programs while on the road thanks to a dealer-installed mobile TV option from the company’s accessories division, Mopar. Dubbed FLO TV Auto Entertainment, the new system will offer as many as 20 channels and is the first of its kind for a domestic automaker. Some of the channels will include CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, FOX News, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go and Nickelodeon. A small antenna, similar in size to a laptop mouse, is mounted on a vehicle's roof to deliver the digital TV signal. Inside the vehicle, the receiver and wiring are installed under the interior trim of the vehicle and are not visible to occupants. Signals are then displayed on the vehicle’s navigation screen or a soon-to-be released headrest or seat-top DVD entertainment system. Until now, the challenge for mobile TV has been to deliver high-quality, uninterrupted coverage in urban environments and at highway speeds. Existing mobile TV systems in the U.S. either offer limited channels or require large satellite dishes on vehicle roofs--and a large price tag to match. Mopar's suggested retail price is $629, plus installation. A one-year pre-paid FLO TV service subscription is included with installation. [Chrysler] Read More

  • Chrysler Brand Product Plan Wrap-Up

    Chrysler Brand Product Plan Wrap-Up November 4th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, November 4th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 1 Comment

    Chrysler Brand Product Plan Wrap-Up

    The Chrysler plan has been spilling across the web all day long now, but as it winds down into its death throes (the plan, not the company) we have the latest on how they plan to rev things back up to redline, in terms of sales, brand awareness and product interest.

    The key element, as always, will be producing stellar product. To that end, Chrysler will be tapping Fiat's product line heavily. The exterior of the cars will still strongly reflect Chrysler heritage and design, but the interiors and their underpinnings will be much more Fiat in origin.

    The first major plans include a complete reshaping of the Avenger--just short of an all-new...

    The Chrysler plan has been spilling across the web all day long now, but as it winds down into its death throes (the plan, not the company) we have the latest on how they plan to rev things back up to redline, in terms of sales, brand awareness and product interest. The key element, as always, will be producing stellar product. To that end, Chrysler will be tapping Fiat's product line heavily. The exterior of the cars will still strongly reflect Chrysler heritage and design, but the interiors and their underpinnings will be much more Fiat in origin. The first major plans include a complete reshaping of the Avenger--just short of an all-new model--for the fourth quarter of 2010. An all-new Sebring will follow in 2013. Also coming in the fourth quarter of 2010 will be the updated 2011 Chrysler Town & Country minivan. For 2012, a new compact sedan, sourced from Fiat and intended to fill the C-segment slot vacated by the PT Cruiser, which ends its long run in 2010. 2013 sees the addition of a B-segment small car imported from Europe and built by Fiat Group operations, designed to target the premium small-car segment. That same year, a midsize crossover will join the ranks, also sourced from a Fiat platform but built in the U.S. In the nearer term, a number of special-edition cars, including 300 Sport Edition sedan, a Town & Country Fashion Edition, a PT Cruiser Final Edition,  and a Sebring Ocean Edition. These cars will add a near-term sheen to the brand as the new leadership ramps up the deeper, more meaningful changes. Sometime during 2010, we'll also see the launch of the new 2011 Chrysler 300 sedan. For more on that car, read up on our coverage here. [Chrysler] Read More

  • New Chrysler Logo To Go Live At 2010 Detroit Auto Show

    New Chrysler Logo To Go Live At 2010 Detroit Auto Show November 4th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, November 4th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 7 Comments

    New Chrysler Logo To Go Live At 2010 Detroit Auto Show

    Low-resolution, grainy and barely recognizable--sounds like a spy photo of a top-secret supercar in testing. But yesterday it was the best way to describe a new Chrysler logo, dug out of the depths of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Today, at the tail end of the marathon Chrysler five-year plan press conference, President and CEO of Chrysler Brand and Lancia Brand Olivier Francois revealed that the new logo would make its official debut at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.

    The logo, which seems oddly compressed in the vertical axis, is a sort of retro-modern combination of the winged Chrysler logos of the 1990s with a...

    Low-resolution, grainy and barely recognizable--sounds like a spy photo of a top-secret supercar in testing. But yesterday it was the best way to describe a new Chrysler logo, dug out of the depths of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Today, at the tail end of the marathon Chrysler five-year plan press conference, President and CEO of Chrysler Brand and Lancia Brand Olivier Francois revealed that the new logo would make its official debut at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. The logo, which seems oddly compressed in the vertical axis, is a sort of retro-modern combination of the winged Chrysler logos of the 1990s with a modern typeface and the Chrysler name. It may be yet another visible aspect of the Fiat restructuring and rebranding of Chrysler, though the symbol also bears at least a passing resemblance to Aston Martin's famous winged icon. Chrysler is no stranger to the whole musical logos game, however, of late a procedure that's tended to coincide with purchase or sale by a parent company, i.e. Daimler. The last such change saw the withdrawal and then reinstatement of the Pentastar logo, which once again appears to have gone the way of the dodo, or the Pontiac, as it were. An interesting note: the date on the file is from July 2, 2009. That means this new logo has been in the works behind the scenes since the earliest stages of the official merger of the two companies, which was finalized in early June. [USPTO] Read More

  • Spy Shots: 2011 Chrysler 300 Test Mule

    Spy Shots: 2011 Chrysler 300 Test Mule October 29th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 29th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 2 Comments

    Spy Shots: 2011 Chrysler 300 Test Mule

    A brand new version of the Chrysler 300 is coming next year, kicking off a product renaissance at Chrysler that will include a score of new or updated models over the next 48 months.

    The Auburn Hills-based automaker has already previewed its upcoming 2011 Chrysler 300 and now for the first time we have spy shots of the car, albeit just a test-mule hidden under the sheet metal of the current model.

    The 2011 Chrysler 300 is claimed to be up to 19% more fuel-efficient than the current model and to set it apart from the competition it will also feature new levels of connectivity and entertainment.

    Power will come from Chrysler’s...

    A brand new version of the Chrysler 300 is coming next year, kicking off a product renaissance at Chrysler that will include a score of new or updated models over the next 48 months. The Auburn Hills-based automaker has already previewed its upcoming 2011 Chrysler 300 and now for the first time we have spy shots of the car, albeit just a test-mule hidden under the sheet metal of the current model. The 2011 Chrysler 300 is claimed to be up to 19% more fuel-efficient than the current model and to set it apart from the competition it will also feature new levels of connectivity and entertainment. Power will come from Chrysler’s Pentastar V-6 or a Hemi V-8 with cylinder deactivation. A high-performance SRT8 model should also be launched. Safety features will include ‘Rear Cross Path’ and ‘Blind Spot Monitoring’ systems to warn drivers of unseen vehicles, electronic stability control, an energy-absorbing steering column, a rear-sill reinforced body structure. Expect the 2011 Chrysler 300 to make its debut in the first half of next year. Read More

  • Video: Chrysler's New 300 Ad Kicks Off Luxury Charge

    Video: Chrysler's New 300 Ad Kicks Off Luxury Charge October 14th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 14th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 3 Comments

    Video: Chrysler's New 300 Ad Kicks Off Luxury Charge

    With the Fiat alliance building up speed, a new five-year plan due in just a few weeks, CEO Sergio Marchionne promising profitability by 2011, the next few months are going to be key to the "new" Chrysler's success--or failure. The first example of the new breed of advertising out of the company is now on the loose, featuring a Chrysler 300 sedan and a new "Connect" theme.

    The video depicts a combination of performance and luxury themes, set against an upscale image of nightlife and youth that might not be what the typical consumer thinks when they think Chrysler, but clearly indicates the direction the company wants to push the brand.

    ...

    With the Fiat alliance building up speed, a new five-year plan due in just a few weeks, CEO Sergio Marchionne promising profitability by 2011, the next few months are going to be key to the "new" Chrysler's success--or failure. The first example of the new breed of advertising out of the company is now on the loose, featuring a Chrysler 300 sedan and a new "Connect" theme. The video depicts a combination of performance and luxury themes, set against an upscale image of nightlife and youth that might not be what the typical consumer thinks when they think Chrysler, but clearly indicates the direction the company wants to push the brand. Talk of taking the Chrysler brand further up-market has been brewing ever since Marchionne got his hands on the reins, and this looks to be the first attempt at doing that in the minds of consumers. Let us know what you think about their success--or failure--in getting the new luxury message across in the comments below. [Chrysler] Read More

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