And the answer to the big question above?  Chrysler.

Ouch.

See, this is doubly unnerving after discovering that, yesterday, they were still trying to get a cohesive corporate strategy together and won’t actually have one until sometime later today.  Or at least not one they want to tell their franchisees about, who are probably all looking at this news with a kind of confused rage and just longing to scream various epithets at anyone who’s in charge over there.

Chrysler needs a comeback, plain and simple.  So what they’ve got to do is offer stuff you can’t get anywhere else.  Frankly, I have a hard time imagining just what it is they CAN do.  I drive a Chevy, myself, a wonderful if aging Monte Carlo, and my folks drive Ford Explorers.  There’s not a whole lot of taste issues as I’m considering switching to a pickup fairly soon anyway, and chances are I will go either Ford or Chevy.

Chrysler needs to get some new and interesting product, or it doesn’t matter how many bailouts it gets–it’s still done for.

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Yeah fellas, keep waiting.  I got a feeling that, before you get a viable strategy out of Chrysler, Hell will be a Frigidaire dealership.

But there’s a vague glimmer of hope here, as Chrysler franchisees will now be getting their marching orders from Fiat SpA rather than Chrysler proper.

Now, ordinarily, I’d laugh myself stupid at the thought that somehow Fiat (widely known by the acronym for Fix It Again, Tony) would be able to generate a more viable corporate strategy than Chrysler, but hey…I’m laughing out the other side of my face today as it becomes clear that Fiat outlasted Chrysler.  And in business, survival is the only real judge of viability.  If you’re still in business tomorrow, then your business model works.

So what will that strategy be?  We won’t find out until at least Wednesday, when the franchisees get the word.

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You can add another feature to look forward to for upcoming Chrysler vehicles. Audiovox has announced that they will start supplying Chrysler dealers with FLO TV Entertainment System which should perk up the in-car entertainment being demanded today.

The FLO TV service is live mobile TV with the capacity for up to 20 channels with something for everyone. This includes programs like sports, news, children’s shows and reality TV. The system includes a OE headrest DVD and seat top solutions which can integrate with factory rear seat entertainment systems. A Mopar 7” DVD screen, remote controls and a small antenna is also included, promising better car entertainment for future Chrysler vehicle owners.

(Source) Press

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When we look at a concept car these days, the first thing we like to think of is the future.  How things will look in ten, twenty, fifty years.  The hovercrafts and autodrives and magnetic impeller cars and such.

So today, we’re taking a look at the Chrysler Star Car, a concept car from the 1930s.  It was called a Star Car because of the shape of its engine.  The five cylinder engine had its cylinders arranged in a circle, thus giving them the look of a star.  It was one of only a handful of small cars Detroit ever designed, and since more people were interested in driving around in land barges of tremendous size, the Chrysler Star Car never went to production.

But still–even just taking a look at this strange car of yesteryear really makes you think about the direction we’re going today…and how far we’ve come since.

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Chrysler may be the worst off of all the big three–not only were they smaller going in than GM, and both were much worse off financially than Ford, but Chrysler is the one you don’t hear from.

But now, some fresh news has emerged that should surprise some people–Chrysler’s Dodge brand is now essentially two businesses  in one.  Both divisions are overseen by their own CEO, but one branch will focus exclusively on cars, the other on trucks.

On the surface this seems like a good idea.  Specialization allows a company to take advantage of economies of scale, though I’m not sure how good an idea it was to hire TWO CEOs, considering how big a drain on resources a chief executive officer can be.  Of course, as long as the board of directors keeps executive pay at an even keel, this may not be too bad a move.  Get the economies of scale without the huge CEO pay package?  I’ve heard worse myself, and from Fiat, that’s especially surprisingly lucid.

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Despite the fact that Ford is still the last of the big three automakers to not have accepted any government bailout money, they’re still operating in a tough environment.  Let’s face it–everybody’s been operating in a tough environment ever since about 2007.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone to hear this:

“We plan to sell,” Booth said. “It’s not about Volvo, but because we want to focus on Ford. The situation for Ford around the world is still tough. Ford is still losing money.”

Ford is still losing money and they want to focus on Ford.  Well, frankly, you can hardly fault them for planning to deal with their own problems and, meanwhile, spin off some divisions.  Especially given that Volvo is a loss-maker for Ford.

Who’s going to buy?  Well, some have said that the Chinese are interested.  But some Chinese firms have said that they never actually made an offer.  If something doesn’t happen soon, Volvo will be Ford’s albatross.

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It was recently announced that Chrysler will be releasing an updated version of their 2010 Dodge Caliber onto the European marketing at some point in the near future.

This updated diesel burning engine will be capable of 163 hp and 236 pounds-per-foot of torque along with a 40.6 mpg rating. Chrysler says the new Common-rail diesel engine will give the car 16% more power and  3% more torque while improving 5% better gas mileage and reducing  CO2 emissions by 3% which make up for the above mentioned numbers.

Of course this is just a brief overview of what will be in the new Dodge Caliber. You can read about the rest of the features in the press release after the break.

(more…)

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A vehicle-supply project between Nissan and Chrysler was shelved due to varied circumstances. Though it was not said directly, it seems that this had something to do with Chrysler’s tie-up with Fiat with regards to the supply of small vehicles for the global market.

The deal between Nissan and Chrysler started as early as the first quarter of 2008 which called for Nissan to supply small vehicle for the global market in 2010 and a compact sedan for the South American market at the beginning of this year to Chrysler. Nothing really materialized and was further compounded when the Chrysler-Fiat deal started in January of this year.

Also, one other factor is the current global situation. Both Nissan and Chrysler had halted production until they could come up with improved returns from operations. And as we know, Chrysler eventually filed for bankruptcy and later on announced a new alliance with Fiat which all but put the previous alliance of Nissan and Chrysler terminated.

Nissan was scheduled to have supplied Chrysler with an all-new, fuel-efficient small car made in Japan in exchange for a full-size pickup truck made by Chrysler in Mexico. Apparently all of these plans are a thing of the past as Chrysler is now tied up with Fiat for small vehicle distribution.

(Source) Reuters India

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I don’t know about you guys, but I was never a big fan of Chrysler’s PT Cruiser, however this news is sure to please someone out there. Before you read on, make note that back in January Chrysler had intentions of killing off the PT Cruiser.

Anyways, Chrysler recently issued a press releasing stating that they will in fact be producing a 2010 version of their PT Crusier. The car is set to be manufactured in Chrysler’s Mexican plant that first built the PT Cruiser when it made its debut in 2001.

Of course, Chrysler had to throw in a list of awards the car has recieved to justify its continued existence:

2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Consumer Reports “Recommended”
• 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Consumer Guide, “Best Buy – Compact Cars Category”
• 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Consumer Reports, “Recommended”
• 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Edmunds.com, “Most Significant”
• 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser, AutoPacific, “Top Vehicle customer satisfaction”
• 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, North American International Auto Show, “North American Car of the Year”
• 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, African Americans on Wheels and Latinos on Wheels, “Car of the Year”
• 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Strategic Vision, “Compact Car Segment”
• 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Industrial Design Excellence, “Gold Award”
• 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Automobile Magazine, “Best Small Car”

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Motorists who are always in a hurry would try anything to speed up their travel plans and this starts from the moment you want your engine to start running. For some cars, it takes some time for engines to heat up and now, here is an innovative way to go about it with this new remote start interface kit that should go in hand with the modern day models of many 2008+ Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles.

This new technology is actually present in the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan which can be remotely started in 28 seconds. But the best part of it is perhaps that it only takes less than 15 minutes to install and only needs 4 wires to be connected. This device is now available for purchase for only $299.

(Source) Press

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People are expected to hit the roads traveling to certain places and embarking on long trips. Now many of them may be carrying around their portable devices such as their iPods or even their portable DVD players. But if there is one thing that most people on the go would want is Internet access. Thanks to Autonet Mobile, this is now possible.

Do away with the irritating questions of your kids on the long journey and equip your car with Autonet Mobile’s in-Car Internet Entertainment System. It is the best thing to add for people who are expecting long roads ahead and want something better to do. Normally due to the lack of hotspots, travelers would have to wait until they get to one but now, that has all changed. Access the web wherever you are and browse, chat or maybe even go facebooking!

Autonet Mobile is available for purchase at Amazon.com’s electronics store, at any Advance Auto Parts location, as a dealer-installed option on any Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Volkswagen Routan or Cadillac CTS vehicle, and at independent auto dealers and specialty and automotive shops nationwide.

(Source) Press

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Fiat 500C Convertible

The new Fiat 500C convertible stands out with its automated sliding soft-top with an integrated glass backlight and built-in center high mounted stop light. The lining for the roof is a weather resistant canvas that is available in three different colors, red, ivory, and black, and has been fashioned to match the car’s exterior colors, which now has two new entries – Warm Grey and Pearl Red.

Now that Fiat has formed an alliance deal with Chrysler, there is a good likelihood this model may come to the U.S.  The 500 hardtop is all but confirmed for a U.S. launch, but don’t expect to see the cars in local showrooms for another year at least.

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To help in the immediate sale and disposal of their new and pre-owned vehicles, iBidMotors has announced that it will give all GM & Chrysler dealers the ability to advertise their inventory at no charge for 60 days. iBidmotors has been going great guns as of late, hitting $100M in sales online and acquiring Monster Motors. This latest move is bound to further bolster their credibility although their main focus is to aid the many dealers who are going to be cut off soon by the two giant car manufacturers from the US.

“iBidMotors’ commitment to GM and Chrysler during these turbulent times is unprecedented,” said Bob Schiff, iBidMotors Founder and CEO. “Over 8,000 car dealers are affected by this bankruptcy, and by offering to advertise their inventory online for free, iBidMotors will help viable dealerships continue to thrive and contribute to saving jobs in communities across the country,” said Schiff.

iBidMotors has hired additional staff to accommodate the influx of new clients that they expect will take advantage of this extraordinary offer. Dealers have until June 30th to sign up for this program.

(Source) Press

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Perhaps Midas knows something that other car manufacturers don’t. Regardless, it is preying on the embattled dealers, employees and customers to try out what they have to offer, promoting their company as the alternative towards the sagging fortunes of companies like GM and Chrysler.

There are a lot of people affected by the debacle hitting the automotive industry and while the cloud of gloom roams over the dealerships, employees and customers, Midas plans to turn all that into brighter days ahead.

“Midas shops provide a full range of services on domestic and foreign vehicles, so there are employment opportunities for auto dealership service staff regardless of their specific vehicle brand or system repair experience,” Feldman said.

Call it taking advantage or not, Midas may have something to offer that auto dealers don’t know. Whatever that may be, you can bet they will get a lion share of these befuddled people. Besides, if you were among the dealers, employees and customers, what have you got to lose by checking out the Midas offer?

(Source) Press

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With a new structure, the new company that Chrysler and Fiat have built has bared their initial plans. And topping the agenda is focusing on the key brands Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Mopar. And of course, the next itinerary is to rebuild the brand trust and confidence, something that is to be executed immediately.

Chrysler Group’s new organization is based on a global brand-focused structure comprised of the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Mopar brands, each with full profit and loss accountability. Common Commercial, Industrial and Corporate functions have been put in place to support the development, manufacture, distribution and sale of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge products and Mopar parts by the brand organizations.

With the new outlook, Chrysler and Fiat are aiming to correct the issues surrounding the fall of the old management style. And with the working minds of two distinguished car companies, it may just work.

(Source) Press

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