Chrysler Signs MoU with China’s Great Wall (Clone) Motors

Chrysler LLC said that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China's Great Wall Motor to explore the viability of a long-term strategic relationship in various areas including distribution networks, components and technology. Neither company provided details about the agreement. Notably, Chrysler has already formed a relationship with another Chinese manufacturer, Chery Automobile for the development, production and distribution of small and sub-compact vehicles.

Now, for those of you wondering why we hailed the Chinese automaker as Great Wall “Clone” Motors in the title, we remind you that Great Wall produces a great number of vehicles that literally copy Japanese and European car designs, including the “GWPERI” Fiat Panda (pictured above) and the Scion-esque Cool Bear and Florid prototypes (pictured right). Hopefully the Chinese copy-maker won’t get any crazy ideas about creating the Challenger “California Dreaming”… -More pics after the jump

Chrysler Group Sales Plunge 36% in June

Posting one of the worst sale drops amongst major car manufactures, Chrysler LLC reported that it sold 117,457 units in June, which is 36 percent below the same period last year. “The June results reflect the industry-wide impact of U.S. consumer confidence being at its lowest point since 1992,” Jim Press, President and Vice-Chairman of Chrysler LLC said in an official statement. As for the first six months of the year, Chrysler LLC’s sales were down by 22 percent compared to the first half of 2007 (867,826 vs 1,113,093 units).

Dodge Hornet to Enter Production in 2010

Remember the Dodge Hornet Concept car that was unveiled at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show? Despite the Chrysler Group’s so-and-so financial position, in a report published on the Financial Times Deutschland, Thomas Hausch, the company's vice president for international purchasing, stated that Chrysler is working intensely on the Hornet study and that we should hear an official announcement in the near future. According to FTD, the frugal subcompact mini will most likely be launched in 2010 in Europe, the United States and other markets.

Alienated PT Cruisers Leave Us Speechless

If you thought that the Chrysler PT Cruiser couldn’t look any worse, then you’d better take a look at these monstrous creations from Krasnoyarsk, Russia. And if you’re wondering why, just check out the last picture after the jump as it pretty much explains everything. -Continued





Via: Jalopnik , Source: EnglishRussia

Chinese-Made Dodge Breeze Scooped

Chrysler LLC’s Chinese-built minicar, the Dodge Breeze which is basically a rebadged Chery A1, has been caught… red-handed. As you can see in these scoop pictures that have been circulating in various Chinese forums, despite the manufacture’s attempts to conceal any “Dodge” or “Breeze” badges, someone overlooked the company’s logo on the hub-caps, thus revealing the car’s true identity.

According to reports, Chrysler LLC will start deliveries of the Dodge Breeze to the North American market and in particular Mexico, towards the end of the year. As for the U.S., it is still under discussion whether or not the Chery-built mini car -and consequently, Chrysler, is ready to enter the American market. -More pics after the jump

Buy a Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep, Pay $2.99 A Gallon For 3-Years

In order to spice up its vehicle sales Chrysler LLC decided to address consumer worries on increasing gas prices by introducing the “Let’s Refuel America” campaign that will run through June 2, 2008.

Concisely, with the purchase of eligible Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles, customers can select the “Let’s Refuel America” program in lieu of other available incentives and receive a gas card that locks their gas price (up to 87 octanes regular, E85 fuel or diesel fuel) to $2.99 for three years. Of course as with any other campaigns of the sort, there are limitations, so before you sign up we’d advise you to check out the small print. -More details after the jump

Press Release

Program Description
The Let’s Refuel America gas card program works when a customer purchases a new and unused Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicle and selects the program in lieu of other available incentives. The customer is provided with the registration process documentation and registers providing their required personal information via the dedicated web site or toll-free 800 number. Once registered, the customer receives their gas card and separately, their Personal Identification Number (PIN) within 4 to 6 weeks of application. The customer then swipes their Let’s Refuel America Gas Card at an eligible gas station, selecting up to 87 octane regular, E85 fuel or diesel fuel, and enters their PIN to begin the fueling process. After the fuel transaction occurs, the customer’s personal credit card (identified in the registration process) is charged $2.99 per gallon.

Let’s Refuel America Eligibility
The following vehicles are eligible for the Let’s Refuel America program:

Small/Compact Car
Dodge Caliber, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible

Mid-size Car
Dodge Avenger, Chrysler Sebring, Chrysler Sebring Convertible

Large Car
Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Dodge Magnum

Crossover
Dodge Journey

Minivan
Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country

Compact SUV
Jeep Patriot, Jeep Compass

Mid-size SUV
Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty

Large SUV
Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen

Pickup Truck
Dodge Dakota, Dodge Ram, Dodge Ram HD

The following vehicles are not eligible for the Let’s Refuel America program: All SRT models, Dodge Viper, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Ram Chassis Cab, Chrysler Crossfire, Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Sprinter.

Select Program Offer

• $2.99 guaranteed fuel card for up to 3 years
• Offer valid with up to 87 octane regular unleaded fuel, E85 fuel or diesel fuel only, depending upon purchased vehicle*
• Yearly allotment of gallons provided
• Annual gallon allotment ends each year on 7/31 (first year ends 7/31/09)

Enroll

• Easily register via a dedicated web site or by calling designated 1-800 number
• Personalized Let’s Refuel America Gas Card arrives within 4-6 weeks of receipt of application

Use & Save

• Use the Let’s Refuel America Gas Card like any credit card – just swipe and type in your PIN to use
• Check account transactions online

* If mid-grade or premium unleaded fuel is purchased, the customer will be billed for the $2.99 plus $.15 per gallon for mid-grade (88-89 octane) or plus $.30 for premium (90-94 octane). All other grades of fuel higher than 94 octane are not covered under this program and the full pump price will be billed through to the customer plus a $2 service fee per transaction with no gallon usage penalty. If customer purchases unleaded gas (including E85) on a diesel card, or diesel fuel on an unleaded gas card, the customer will be billed the full pump price plus $2 service fee per transaction with no gallon usage penalty.

Chrysler 300 & Dodge Charger “Dub Edition”

Chrysler LLC has joined forces with the tuning specialists at DUB Magazine to create limited edition versions of the Chrysler 300 Touring and Dodge Charger SXT, both of which will go on sale later this spring. Powered by a 250Hp 3.5L V6 matted to a 5-speed automatic gearbox, the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger “DUB Edition” models get a series of exterior enhancements including chrome mirror capsvand a MOPAR chrome honeycomb grille. -Continued

The Chrysler 300 also feature chrome exterior door handles and side mirror caps along with “DUB Edition” badges. In addition, each “DUB Edition” Charger features a body-colour spoiler and fog lamps. Both models are equipped with 20-inch alloys wrapped around with 245/45R20 tires while buyers can choose from four exterior colours -red, black, silver and vanilla. The limited edition Charger is also available in Dark Titanium.

Inside, both models get dark grey leather-trimmed seats embossed with the DUB logo which is also featured on the floor mats. Additionally, the Charger is equipped with leather steering wheel and shifter knob. Finally, both models are offered with a MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System combined with a 13-speaker KICKER surround-sound system and a 322W KICKER amplifier. The Charger also features a 200-watt KICKER subwoofer while the 300 Touring, a 100-watt subwoofer from the same company.

Chrysler LLC intends to build 1,385 Chrysler 300 and 2,180 Dodge Charger “DUB Edition” models for the U.S., priced at $33,140 and $30,235 respectively.

Chrysler and Nissan Confirm Pick-Up & Compact Car Agreements

To put it simple, the two carmakers announced that the next generation Nissan Titan that’s expected in 2011 will based on the Dodge Ram (hopefully it will look nothing like our "chop") while in turn; Chrysler’s future sub-compact models will be made by Nissan.

This agreement comes a few months after Nissan agreed to supply Chrysler with a new car based on the Versa sedan for limited distribution in South America on an Original Equipment Manufacture (OEM) basis in 2009.

The new deal between the two companies will see Nissan manufacturing an all-new, fuel-efficient compact car based on a unique Chrysler concept and design. This new segment entry for Chrysler will be sold in North America, Europe and other global markets in 2010, and manufactured at Nissan’s Oppama Plant in Japan.-Continued

On its behalf, Chrysler will build a full-size pickup for Nissan. According to the Japanese company, the truck will be based on a Nissan unique design and it will be manufactured at Chrysler’s Saltillo (Mexico) Assembly Plant. In order to accommodate this product, Chrysler will shift volume from Mexico to its U.S.-based assembly plants that produce pickup trucks. Sales of the pickup in North America are expected to start in 2011.

“Forging the right tactical partnerships is critical to the long-term success of Chrysler,” said Tom LaSorda, Chrysler LLC President and Vice Chairman. “It also builds on the Company’s inherent strengths, including the ability to respond rapidly and creatively to emerging opportunities.”

“In January, we said we would continue to look for additional OEM opportunities with Chrysler,” said Carlos Tavares, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Company. “This latest agreement builds on Nissan’s proven track record to deliver win-win product exchanges with multiple manufacturers around the world,” continued Tavares.

Picture: Carscoop

Chrysler VP: “We Only Need About Half of our Current SUV Models”

In an interview he gave to Bloomberg TV from the New York International Auto Show floor, Chrysler LLC’s Vice President Jim Press said that the American automaker needs about half of its 11 current SUV models. According to Press, since the company has started merging the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands into joint dealerships, there is no need for so many SUVs. “We're going to stop overlapping; we're going to bring everything under one roof. By doing that we will have more products in the markets we are not covering,'' Press said. “Our finances will have better quality.''

Via: Bloomberg

Chrysler VP: “We Only Need About Half of our Current SUV Models”

In an interview he gave to Bloomberg TV from the New York International Auto Show floor, Chrysler LLC’s Vice President Jim Press said that the American automaker needs about half of its 11 current SUV models. According to Press, since the company has started merging the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands into joint dealerships, there is no need for so many SUVs. “We're going to stop overlapping; we're going to bring everything under one roof. By doing that we will have more products in the markets we are not covering,'' Press said. “Our finances will have better quality.''

Via: Bloomberg

Chrysler VP: “We Only Need About Half of our Current SUV Models”

In an interview he gave to Bloomberg TV from the New York International Auto Show floor, Chrysler LLC’s Vice President Jim Press said that the American automaker needs about half of its 11 current SUV models. According to Press, since the company has started merging the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands into joint dealerships, there is no need for so many SUVs. “We're going to stop overlapping; we're going to bring everything under one roof. By doing that we will have more products in the markets we are not covering,'' Press said. “Our finances will have better quality.''

Via: Bloomberg

Chrysler VP: “We Only Need About Half of our Current SUV Models”

In an interview he gave to Bloomberg TV from the New York International Auto Show floor, Chrysler LLC’s Vice President Jim Press said that the American automaker needs about half of its 11 current SUV models. According to Press, since the company has started merging the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands into joint dealerships, there is no need for so many SUVs. “We're going to stop overlapping; we're going to bring everything under one roof. By doing that we will have more products in the markets we are not covering,'' Press said. “Our finances will have better quality.''

Via: Bloomberg

Chrysler LLC to Completely Shut Down for Two Weeks in July!

We can’t say that we weren’t expecting surprise moves from Chrysler LLC’s new owner Cerberus Capital Management LP, but to shut down the entire company for two weeks in July during the period when it usually closes only its assembly plants, is definitely a shocker. Chrysler LLC informed its employees of its shut down plan this morning (Thursday, March 13) in an e-mail that was sent by Chief Executive Officer Robert Nardelli.

This is the first closure for the struggling No. 3 U.S. automaker since its acquisition from Cerberus, as it attempts to cut costs and preserve cash. “This is a drastic cost-cutting step,'' said Dennis Virag, president of Automotive Consulting Group in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Having the shutdown will be favorable to Chrysler's cash flow, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to what is required to stabilize Chrysler's financial footing.'' (Pic edited by Carscoop)

Via: Bloomberg

Chrysler LLC to Completely Shut Down for Two Weeks in July!

We can’t say that we weren’t expecting surprise moves from Chrysler LLC’s new owner Cerberus Capital Management LP, but to shut down the entire company for two weeks in July during the period when it usually closes only its assembly plants, is definitely a shocker. Chrysler LLC informed its employees of its shut down plan this morning (Thursday, March 13) in an e-mail that was sent by Chief Executive Officer Robert Nardelli.

This is the first closure for the struggling No. 3 U.S. automaker since its acquisition from Cerberus, as it attempts to cut costs and preserve cash. “This is a drastic cost-cutting step,'' said Dennis Virag, president of Automotive Consulting Group in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Having the shutdown will be favorable to Chrysler's cash flow, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to what is required to stabilize Chrysler's financial footing.'' (Pic edited by Carscoop)

Via: Bloomberg

Chrysler LLC to Completely Shut Down for Two Weeks in July!

We can’t say that we weren’t expecting surprise moves from Chrysler LLC’s new owner Cerberus Capital Management LP, but to shut down the entire company for two weeks in July during the period when it usually closes only its assembly plants, is definitely a shocker. Chrysler LLC informed its employees of its shut down plan this morning (Thursday, March 13) in an e-mail that was sent by Chief Executive Officer Robert Nardelli.

This is the first closure for the struggling No. 3 U.S. automaker since its acquisition from Cerberus, as it attempts to cut costs and preserve cash. “This is a drastic cost-cutting step,'' said Dennis Virag, president of Automotive Consulting Group in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Having the shutdown will be favorable to Chrysler's cash flow, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to what is required to stabilize Chrysler's financial footing.'' (Pic edited by Carscoop)

Via: Bloomberg

Chrysler LLC to Completely Shut Down for Two Weeks in July!

We can’t say that we weren’t expecting surprise moves from Chrysler LLC’s new owner Cerberus Capital Management LP, but to shut down the entire company for two weeks in July during the period when it usually closes only its assembly plants, is definitely a shocker. Chrysler LLC informed its employees of its shut down plan this morning (Thursday, March 13) in an e-mail that was sent by Chief Executive Officer Robert Nardelli.

This is the first closure for the struggling No. 3 U.S. automaker since its acquisition from Cerberus, as it attempts to cut costs and preserve cash. “This is a drastic cost-cutting step,'' said Dennis Virag, president of Automotive Consulting Group in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Having the shutdown will be favorable to Chrysler's cash flow, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to what is required to stabilize Chrysler's financial footing.'' (Pic edited by Carscoop)

Via: Bloomberg

Geneva Preview: 2008 Chrysler 300C by STARTECH

Making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the STARTECH tuned Chrysler 300C Sedan and Wagon versions feature a full bodykit consisting of a front spoiler, custom-tailored mounting elements with daylight running light on the front bumper, rear spoiler, matrix chrome grille and rocker panels with four integrated LED entry lights. The sedan version also gets a roof spoiler.

The 300C’s appearance is completed by the sport springs and rear shocks that lower the ride height by some 40 millimeters along with custom-tailored STARTECH Monostar IV wheels in diameters of 20 or 22 inches. The largest tire/wheel combination features the fully polished five-spoke wheels with tires in size 265/30 ZR 22. -Continued

Inside, the German tuner offers buyers a series of accessories including scuff plates with illuminated STARTECH logo, a high-quality completion set for the wood trim, leather door trim and armrests, a sport-steering-wheel, aluminum shifter and pedal, as well as chrome-plated aluminum door-lock pins.

For the 300C 3.0 CRD STARTECH offers the SD6 tuning kit that bumps power output of the 3.0-liter V6 common-rail turbodiesel engine from standard 218 hp to 262 hp and torque from 510 Nm to 580 Nm (376 to 428 lb-ft). The sprint from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) is shortened from 7.6 (wagon: 7.9) seconds to 7.2 (Touring: 7.5) seconds. Top speed grows to 238 (wagon: 232) km/h (149 and 145 mph respectively).

Geneva Preview: 2008 Chrysler 300C by STARTECH

Making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the STARTECH tuned Chrysler 300C Sedan and Wagon versions feature a full bodykit consisting of a front spoiler, custom-tailored mounting elements with daylight running light on the front bumper, rear spoiler, matrix chrome grille and rocker panels with four integrated LED entry lights. The sedan version also gets a roof spoiler.

The 300C’s appearance is completed by the sport springs and rear shocks that lower the ride height by some 40 millimeters along with custom-tailored STARTECH Monostar IV wheels in diameters of 20 or 22 inches. The largest tire/wheel combination features the fully polished five-spoke wheels with tires in size 265/30 ZR 22. -Continued

Inside, the German tuner offers buyers a series of accessories including scuff plates with illuminated STARTECH logo, a high-quality completion set for the wood trim, leather door trim and armrests, a sport-steering-wheel, aluminum shifter and pedal, as well as chrome-plated aluminum door-lock pins.

For the 300C 3.0 CRD STARTECH offers the SD6 tuning kit that bumps power output of the 3.0-liter V6 common-rail turbodiesel engine from standard 218 hp to 262 hp and torque from 510 Nm to 580 Nm (376 to 428 lb-ft). The sprint from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) is shortened from 7.6 (wagon: 7.9) seconds to 7.2 (Touring: 7.5) seconds. Top speed grows to 238 (wagon: 232) km/h (149 and 145 mph respectively).

Geneva Preview: 2008 Chrysler 300C by STARTECH

Making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the STARTECH tuned Chrysler 300C Sedan and Wagon versions feature a full bodykit consisting of a front spoiler, custom-tailored mounting elements with daylight running light on the front bumper, rear spoiler, matrix chrome grille and rocker panels with four integrated LED entry lights. The sedan version also gets a roof spoiler.

The 300C’s appearance is completed by the sport springs and rear shocks that lower the ride height by some 40 millimeters along with custom-tailored STARTECH Monostar IV wheels in diameters of 20 or 22 inches. The largest tire/wheel combination features the fully polished five-spoke wheels with tires in size 265/30 ZR 22. -Continued

Inside, the German tuner offers buyers a series of accessories including scuff plates with illuminated STARTECH logo, a high-quality completion set for the wood trim, leather door trim and armrests, a sport-steering-wheel, aluminum shifter and pedal, as well as chrome-plated aluminum door-lock pins.

For the 300C 3.0 CRD STARTECH offers the SD6 tuning kit that bumps power output of the 3.0-liter V6 common-rail turbodiesel engine from standard 218 hp to 262 hp and torque from 510 Nm to 580 Nm (376 to 428 lb-ft). The sprint from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) is shortened from 7.6 (wagon: 7.9) seconds to 7.2 (Touring: 7.5) seconds. Top speed grows to 238 (wagon: 232) km/h (149 and 145 mph respectively).