Chrysler News
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Chrysler has come out with its second sales plea in as little two weeks, urging dealers to order more than 15,000 cars by Monday to keep the company viable. Not one to mince his words, Chrysler co-president Jim Press told dealers over a conference call that they basically have two choices: "You can either help us or burn us all down." The Chrysler exec also warned dealers: "If you decide not to do that, we've got a good memory of who helped this company make it." Roughly 70% of Chrysler’s dealers took action following the company’s first plea late last month to order 78,000...
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Saleen Automotive’s new owner confirms interest in Dodge Viper business
Less than two days after Chrysler confirmed that it had received three offers for its Dodge Viper sports car business, the investors who just purchased most of the assets of specialty-car maker Saleen Automotive have revealed that they have also considered adding the Viper business to their...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Fiat and Chrysler deal may be completed by mid-February
Fiat and Chrysler first released a joint statement announcing they had signed a non-binding term sheet to establish a global strategic alliance just over two weeks ago but according to Fiat's CEO the deal could be signed and completed by as early as the middle of this month. The alliance, to be a...
James Martinez -
Chrysler ‘Employee Pricing Plus Plus’ program prices revealed
The past month has been one of the busiest for struggling Detroit carmaker Chrysler, within the past several weeks receiving a $1.5 billion infusion from the federal government, revealing plans for a strategic alliance with Fiat, and announcing a range of new incentives. Under the new...
James Martinez -
Over 40% of cars built in North America built by foreign companies
In January we brought you news of Toyota's predicted surpassing of Chrysler in North American output in 2009, and nearly two years ago we reported on the Detroit 3 slipping below 50% market share in the U.S. Now the trend continues, with the Detroit 3's North American car output slipping below 60%...
Nelson Ireson -
Chrysler: Please sir, we want some more
Less than a month after receiving the first $4 billion from the federal government’s bailout package for the auto industry, Chrysler has revealed that it needs an additional $3 billion to help close an alliance deal with Italy’s Fiat Group. Unlike General Motors, which has been...
James Martinez -
The recently announced alliance to be forged with Fiat notwithstanding, Chrysler's current position in the market is regarded as precarious by buyers and analysts alike. Vice Chairman Jim Press is more optimistic, however, stating that Chrysler will be 'viable' during the first half of the year. He carefully defines viability as the ability to avoid bankruptcy and develop new products, reports MSNBC, but he cautions that profitability is still too far off to predict. The viability claim - definitionally tenuous though it may be - rests on an assumption of just 10 million cars being sold in...
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Toyota to build more cars in North America than Chrysler
Toyota's North American car output will surpass Chrysler's for the first time during the first quarter of 2009. The two companies' downward trajectories will soon cross, leaving Toyota as the third largest domestic producer behind Ford and General Motors. Both Chrysler and Toyota are sharply...
Ralph Hanson -
Report: Fiat and Chrysler alliance will see seven new models sold in U.S.
The proposed alliance between Chrysler and Fiat Group will reportedly see seven new vehicles introduced to the U.S. market, with most of the cars expected to be produced at idle Chrysler plants across North America. According to sources that have seen the product-sharing agreement, several of the...
Ralph Hanson -
Chrysler confirms new 300, Dodge Durango and Jeep model
Brand new versions of both the Dodge Durango SUV and Chrysler 300 are coming in the next couple of years, kicking off a product renaissance at Chrysler that will include the launch of 24 new or updated models over the next 48 months. The information comes from the carmaker’s CEO, Bob...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM receives additional $5.4 billion in federal funding
The $17.4 billion bridge loan package signed into action by President Bush late in December has begun disbursement, with General Motors receiving $4 billion earlier this month and now the second instalment of $5.4 billion as well. This additional funding comes at a crucial time for the General...
Ralph Hanson -
Chrysler design chief hints at Fiat-infused North American portfolio
Following the announcement this week of a proposed acquisition of a 35% stake in Chrysler by Italy’s Fiat Group, Chrysler’s chief designer Ralph Gilles has given some insight into the thought processes going on behind locked doors at the two companies. Chrysler and Fiat execs are...
Jeremy Weber -
Today’s news of Fiat's decision to acquire up to 35% of Chrysler has taken the automotive world by storm. What might such an alliance portend for Chrysler? What could Fiat possibly derive from the union? And how might you, the car enthusiast, feel about the whole thing? History is always a good place to start when considering future developments, for situations and relationships tend to repeat through time. One example of a bad Italy-U.S. combination was the 1989-1991 collaborative effort known as the Chrysler TC by Maserati. Though Maserati was not purchased by Fiat until 1993, the...
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Dodge officially unveils Challenger R/T Classic
No matter how you feel about car manufacturers recycling their icons of the past, there’s no denying that the interest shown in the Challenger has been phenomenal. While there has been a lot of information about the flagship SRT8 muscle car, at this week’s Detroit Auto Show Dodge...
James Martinez -
2009 Detroit Auto Show winners and losers
In the midst of one of the toughest years the car industry has had to face and government loan programs getting underway, the 2009 Detroit Auto Show was set to be a touchy dance with public sentiment. In the end the expectations proved true, and the restrained and carefully orchestrated displays...
Ralph Hanson -
Chrysler's LaSorda denies sale of brands
One of the biggest criticisms for struggling Detroit carmakers General Motors and Chrysler is the number of brands they have under the one roof and the associated problem of selling models that often compete with one another in the same segments. In its efforts to secure its share of a federal...
Ralph Hanson -
200C EV concept previews Chrysler’s new design DNA
Following on from the Dodge Circuit EV sports car shown earlier today, Chrysler has revealed the 200C EV concept, which is designed to showcase the carmaker’s future designs as well as its electric powertrain technology in a premium sedan. It doesn’t end there as the concept also...
James Martinez -
Chrysler presents Dodge Circuit EV at Detroit Auto Show
Back in September Chrysler showed off three vehicles designed to show the world that it too could keep up with Ford and GM as they developed low emissions powertrains for the future. One of those vehicles was essentially a Lotus Europa with Chrysler badging, but this was understandable as the...
James Martinez -
Back in September Chrysler showed its commitment to designing and marketing a range of electric and hybrid vehicles with the unveiling of a trio of concept vehicles, one for each of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands. Despite its current financial situation, Chrysler is keen to show its willingness to keep up with rivals, such as General Motors and its Chevrolet Volt plug-in, by unveiling updated designs of its electric vehicles at this month’s Detroit Auto Show. The first of these is the new Jeep Patriot EV, an plug-in hybrid SUV with a 400-mile total driving range and a 40-mile...
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Chrysler receives $4 billion in restructuring loans
Late Friday evening Chrysler received its first $4 billion in government loan money from the $17.4 billion approved as an emergency measure late in December, pushing its bottom line closer to the $2.5-3 billion minimum it needs to remain in operation. Covering debts and meeting supplier payment...
Ralph Hanson -
1,000hp Dodge Challenger SRT8 by RDP Performance
Ohio tuning firm RDP Performance has cooked up a special version of the new Dodge Challenger SRT8 for last month's Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show in Florida. Taking a stock SRT8, which comes with an already impressive 425hp when it rolls out of the factory, RDP Performance has extensively...
James Martinez -
GM gets first $4 billion in aid money, Chrysler waits
The $17.4 billion bridge loan package signed into action by President Bush late in December has begun disbursement, with General Motors receiving $4 billion on Wednesday. Chrysler is still waiting on the finalization of details with the U.S. Treasury before it will be able to tap into the loans...
Nelson Ireson -
One-off McLaren-tuned Dodge Viper Diamondback for sale
A one-of-a-kind Dodge Viper tuned by McLaren has been put up for sale, with an asking price that comes close to $295,000. Known as the ASC Diamondback Viper, the car was first unveiled by American Specialty Cars (ASC) back at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show featuring a bevy of performance modifications...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GMAC drums up $21.6 billion in debt-for-equity swaps
GMAC has leveraged the recent promise of U.S. Treasury funds to boost its lending capacity, and now it has generated another $21.2 billion in cash via debt-for-equity swaps with its bondholders. The fund raising is part of the company's' effort to raise enough cash to meet the regulatory...
Nelson Ireson