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  • Alfa Romeo Considering SUV Based On 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

    Alfa Romeo Considering SUV Based On 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee? September 2nd, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, September 2nd, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 3 Comments

    Alfa Romeo Considering SUV Based On 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

    Apart from its extensive North American distribution network and production base, Chrysler doesn’t have much to offer its new strategic partner Fiat--especially when it comes to actual product. There is the new Pentastar V-6 engine as well as the Chrysler 300’s LX rear-wheel drive platform, though with emissions and fuel economy regulations tightening both of these items have lost much of their shine.

    One bright star in Chrysler’s future is the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was developed with former partner Daimler and shares much in coming with the next-generation Mercedes-Benz ML SUV.

    According to a new report, Fiat...

    Apart from its extensive North American distribution network and production base, Chrysler doesn’t have much to offer its new strategic partner Fiat--especially when it comes to actual product. There is the new Pentastar V-6 engine as well as the Chrysler 300’s LX rear-wheel drive platform, though with emissions and fuel economy regulations tightening both of these items have lost much of their shine. One bright star in Chrysler’s future is the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was developed with former partner Daimler and shares much in coming with the next-generation Mercedes-Benz ML SUV. According to a new report, Fiat bosses are considering using the big Jeep platform for a new premium Alfa Romeo SUV that could take on vehicles like the BMW X5, Volkswagen Touareg and Audi Q7 in the North American market. Given the relative success of the current Grand Cherokee in Europe, the new Alfa Romeo SUV could also prove a success across the Atlantic as well. Expect the Alfa Romeo SUV to miss out on much of the Grand Cherokee’s off-road credentials, as well as its HEMI V-8 powerplants. Instead, it will likely make do with the 280 horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, as well as a turbodiesel option. [Car and Driver] Read More

  • Chrysler unveils ‘Double CA$H For Your Old Car’ incentive program

    Chrysler unveils ‘Double CA$H For Your Old Car’ incentive program July 22nd, 2009 ByJames Martinez James Martinez, Author, July 22nd, 2009 James Martinez 2 Comments

    Chrysler unveils ‘Double CA$H For Your Old Car’ incentive program Chrysler today announced a new incentive program dubbed ‘Double CA$H for Your Old Car’ that can save consumers up to $9,000 toward the purchase of a new Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicle. Under the program, everyone shopping for a new car or truck qualifies for an incentive of up to $4,500 – even if they don’t have a vehicle that qualifies under the U.S. government’s own scrappage scheme.

    Starting on July 23, Chrysler will offer up to $4,500 in cash or 0% financing for 72 months through GMAC Financial Services on most 2009 model vehicles.

    Coinciding with the launch of the new incentive program is the start of... Chrysler today announced a new incentive program dubbed ‘Double CA$H for Your Old Car’ that can save consumers up to $9,000 toward the purchase of a new Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicle. Under the program, everyone shopping for a new car or truck qualifies for an incentive of up to $4,500 – even if they don’t have a vehicle that qualifies under the U.S. government’s own scrappage scheme. Starting on July 23, Chrysler will offer up to $4,500 in cash or 0% financing for 72 months through GMAC Financial Services on most 2009 model vehicles. Coinciding with the launch of the new incentive program is the start of the U.S. government’s Car Allowance Rebate Systems (CARS) scheme, more commonly known as ‘cash for clunkers’. The CARS program offers a government credit of either $3,500 or $4,500 for trading in an inefficient vehicle that is not more than 25 years old for the purchase of a new vehicle. The amount of the credit is determined based on the fuel-economy improvement between the turn-in vehicle and the new vehicle purchased. Chrysler’s new incentive program will run right up until August 31. Read More

  • Fiat-Chrysler deal official, Marchionne takes helm as CEO

    Fiat-Chrysler deal official, Marchionne takes helm as CEO June 10th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson Nelson Ireson, Author, June 10th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 2 Comments

    Fiat-Chrysler deal official, Marchionne takes helm as CEO After a dramatic courtship, government intervention and the odd Supreme Court order, Fiat and Chrysler have finally tied the knot. The new 'global strategic alliance' expands Fiat's reach back into the U.S., while offering the 'new' Chrysler - which is already in operation - the support it needs to get back on its feet as it crawls back out of bankruptcy.

    The 'new' Chrysler says it is positioned to tackle its challenges with a focus on the core Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Mopar brands with a 'leaner, flatter' structure. Fiat CEO and new Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is enthusiastic about what the partnership could mean to Chrysler.

    ... After a dramatic courtship, government intervention and the odd Supreme Court order, Fiat and Chrysler have finally tied the knot. The new 'global strategic alliance' expands Fiat's reach back into the U.S., while offering the 'new' Chrysler - which is already in operation - the support it needs to get back on its feet as it crawls back out of bankruptcy. The 'new' Chrysler says it is positioned to tackle its challenges with a focus on the core Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Mopar brands with a 'leaner, flatter' structure. Fiat CEO and new Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is enthusiastic about what the partnership could mean to Chrysler. “I personally feel privileged to have the opportunity to lead the new Chrysler and to work with senior management to build this company and our great brands into all we know they can and should be,” Marchionne said. Some of those cars will be re-worked Fiats from the Italian company's small and mid-sized ranks, though they won't strictly be re-badges. Instead, they will be re-engineered to meet U.S. standards for both safety and consumer taste. The best estimates put the arrival of the first Fiat-Chrysler joint projects at about 18 months from now. In the mean time, the Fiat 500 is expected to be sold as a Fiat directly through existing Chrysler dealerships - or at least the ones remaining after the great dealer purge that is wrapping up this week. Jim Press, the former President and Vice Chairman of Chrysler, will be taking a new role as Deputy CEO and Special Advisor to Marchionne, to help make the transition in leadership as smooth as possible. Read More

  • Report: Chrysler to offer $1,000 certificates to all existing customers

    Report: Chrysler to offer $1,000 certificates to all existing customers May 15th, 2009 ByRalph Hanson Ralph Hanson, Author, May 15th, 2009 Ralph Hanson 2 Comments

    Report: Chrysler to offer $1,000 certificates to all existing customers As bankruptcy thrashes Chrysler vehicles' resale value the company is pulling out all the stops to keep sales up until it can emerge and join forces with Fiat. To help get feet on the floors of its remaining dealerships, the company is now reportedly getting ready to send out $1,000 certificates toward the purchase of a new car to all of its existing customers.

    The move is a bold one, since the certificate is ostensibly in addition to all the price cuts and incentives already on the table at Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. Coming along with the $1,000 offer is a letter from CEO Bob Nardelli explaining the situation, reports the Wall Street... As bankruptcy thrashes Chrysler vehicles' resale value the company is pulling out all the stops to keep sales up until it can emerge and join forces with Fiat. To help get feet on the floors of its remaining dealerships, the company is now reportedly getting ready to send out $1,000 certificates toward the purchase of a new car to all of its existing customers. The move is a bold one, since the certificate is ostensibly in addition to all the price cuts and incentives already on the table at Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. Coming along with the $1,000 offer is a letter from CEO Bob Nardelli explaining the situation, reports the Wall Street Journal. Though 789 of Chrysler's dealers will be shutting down in just a few weeks, they are still open for business in the interim, and the new incentive could help get rid of some of the inventory that will otherwise have to be purchased by Chrysler's remaining dealer network. In all, about 9 million current Chrysler owners will be getting the certificates, putting the total value of the incentives at $9 billion if all of them were to exercise the option. Read More

  • AEV making Jeep J8 MILSPEC available for U.S. civilians

    AEV making Jeep J8 MILSPEC available for U.S. civilians May 12th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson Nelson Ireson, Author, May 12th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 5 Comments

    AEV making Jeep J8 MILSPEC available for U.S. civilians Imagine it: the sheer irony of a Jeep - the quintessential American military vehicle - being available only to foreign militaries and governments. Until American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) stepped in to supply the Jeep J8 to regular people, that's exactly how things stood.

    But now American civilians can get their hands on the stripped-down, beefed-up super-Jeeps, though there are some steps to go through before it'll be road-ready.

    These aren't aftermarket conversions of civilian equipment either - these are the real-deal, military-grade Jeep J8s that are being sold overseas. They are available in either three-door or five-door variants,... Imagine it: the sheer irony of a Jeep - the quintessential American military vehicle - being available only to foreign militaries and governments. Until American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) stepped in to supply the Jeep J8 to regular people, that's exactly how things stood. But now American civilians can get their hands on the stripped-down, beefed-up super-Jeeps, though there are some steps to go through before it'll be road-ready. These aren't aftermarket conversions of civilian equipment either - these are the real-deal, military-grade Jeep J8s that are being sold overseas. They are available in either three-door or five-door variants, but both are built on the same Wrangler Unlimited platform. "Hardcore off-road enthusiasts have been asking for a vehicle like this for years, no frills and setup for a choice of diesel or V8 power and built with extra heavy-duty components,” said Dave Harriton, CEO of American Expedition Vehicles. “It’s certainly not for everyone, but that’s all part of the appeal. Being able to offer even limited quantities to the American public is really a dream come true for AEV. First, it’s a perfect match with our niche manufacturing and distribution channels, and second, the J8 is a unique part of history that we’re proud to be part of." The powertrain has to be sourced separately from the chassis package, but AEV does have independent dealers that can supply both the standard 174hp/339lb-ft (130kW/460Nm) 2.8L four-cylinder diesel or a 330hp (246kW/508Nm)) 5.7L HEMI V8 gasoline engine. The chassis itself is assembled in Detroit by AEV, fully finished with paint, upholstery, wheels and tires, but sans engine and transmission. The J8 gets a range of upgrades over a standard Jeep, including a Dana 44 front and Dana 60 rear axles, plus rear leaf springs and a heavy-duty frame that together boost the J8's tow capacity to 3,500lb and payload rating to 2,500lb. Right now, however, AEV is simply taking orders through its site. Once it has enough to begin production, a $10,000 deposit will be due in order to secure your place in line. No word yet on final pricing, though AEV says owners should expect a total investment of about $50,000. Read More

  • Chrysler resale values down 6% in a week as uncertainty rules the day

    Chrysler resale values down 6% in a week as uncertainty rules the day May 11th, 2009 ByRalph Hanson Ralph Hanson, Author, May 11th, 2009 Ralph Hanson 0 Comments

    Chrysler resale values down 6% in a week as uncertainty rules the day It's simple math: carmaker plus bankruptcy equals uncertainty and lower resale values. But Chrysler owners are feeling the bite of that equation as the value of their vehicles dropped 6% on average in a single week.

    In the week after Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, owners of Jeep and Dodge vehicles saw their 36-month resale value go from 38.4% and 37.3% of their original price, respectively, to just 32.4% for Jeep and 31.2% for Dodge. Chrysler-branded vehicles fell an even 6% from 34.8% to 28.8%, reports the Detroit Free Press.

    That's a very rocky patch, worsening Chrysler's already middling place in the world of... It's simple math: carmaker plus bankruptcy equals uncertainty and lower resale values. But Chrysler owners are feeling the bite of that equation as the value of their vehicles dropped 6% on average in a single week. In the week after Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, owners of Jeep and Dodge vehicles saw their 36-month resale value go from 38.4% and 37.3% of their original price, respectively, to just 32.4% for Jeep and 31.2% for Dodge. Chrysler-branded vehicles fell an even 6% from 34.8% to 28.8%, reports the Detroit Free Press. That's a very rocky patch, worsening Chrysler's already middling place in the world of resale value, and making it that much harder for current Chrysler owners to get out of their current cars and trucks and into new ones. What effect a similar drop in General Motors resale values might have on a marketplace already biased toward used car sales is unclear, but it can't bode well for the people trying to move new cars out of stagnant dealer inventory. Read More

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