Author Archive: LukeS

First off, the Chrysler Town & Country that was test driven can be found for sale here.

Minivans can be a funny thing to shop for. Most previous car buyers have shopped for cars or trucks because of how they look or how fast they accelerate. But if your shopping for a minivan, they buying criteria is generally different, because now there is usually a family in mind. Minivan shoppers pick and choose based on functionality, convenience, and more often than not, safety. And having high standards is OK for the Chrysler Town & Country, because it will achieve and surpass all expectations. Lets face it, its a family vehicle, there is no denying it and it is what it does best. If you have a family, the Chrysler Town & Country is for you. This minivan sets a standard for the segment. It is constructed of the highest quality materials, and feels like it [...]

The Dodge Dart will soon be here, and we are looking forward to its release. It has been an exciting story following the Development of this ground breaking car. With so many industry firsts, it is hard to describe the excitement around the size efficient car.

If you click on the link below, it is a video with the Dodge Dart project manager, Cyril Benitah. He describes the trials and tribulations as well as the achievements and successes. It was very interesting to watch!

To follow some of the excitement follow the link here: http://blog.chryslergroupllc.com/entry/1769/_dodge_dart_the_inside_story_from_the_inside_guy

Who says Chrysler Group is only known for its trucks and SUVs?

The pending launch of the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart this quarter combined with amazing growth in our car sales — lead by the Chrysler 200 — means that the company’s reputation for trucks and SUVs will need to be reconsidered by many.

Chrysler Group’s March 2012 sales were again lead by our cars — with a 53% growth compared to March 2011 for a total of 51,514 sold.

And, which car is leading the charge?

It’s none other than the original Imported from Detroit star, the Chrysler 200.

For March, the Chrysler 200 was our #2 top seller with 14,914 sold — pretty good for a 121% increase over March 2011. That was easily the best-selling month in the 200’s relatively short life.

While we don’t officially give out specific retail sales numbers, we can say that March retail sales for the 200 [...]

In our Moab off-roading guidebook is an entry for the Cliffhanger Trail. Under the “Trail Difficulty” section, it reads, “Trail not suitable for most stock vehicles.” The key word there is “most,” because they clearly weren’t talking about the stock 2012 Jeep® Wrangler Sport. At the 46th Annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari, Jeep Blog spent a day navigating Cliffhanger, one of the toughest (but most rewarding) trails in Moab. Among several modified Jeep Wranglers in our group was the unquestioned champion of the day:  a stock, manual transmission 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport. With just a few add-ons for protection from the harsh ledges (a stock Jeep Wrangler Rubicon rock rail and bumpers for testing), the entry level Jeep Wrangler performed just as capably as the rest of the group – and won some people over in the process. Jeep Brand engineer Jim Repp drove the stock 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport all week in Moab, taking [...]

The 2013 Dodge Dart is proudly built in America at a state-of-the-art Chrysler facility in Belvidere, Illinois. Leveraging advanced tools and technology, the Belvedere facility is able to assemble the all-new Dodge Dart to world-class quality standards. “This is a crucial vehicle launch for the company as we re-enter the compact sedan market, and everyone is committed to launching a high-quality product,” says Doug Betts, Senior Vice President, Quality, Chrysler Group LLC. “We’ve invested $20 million in new quality tools and processes at the Belvidere Assembly Plant to achieve the strict quality targets we set for Dodge Dart.” These innovative techniques include the plant’s new Center for Technical Vehicle Validation (CTVV) and Materials Laboratory. The intense CTVV process tests vehicles for 437 separate functional characteristics, from emissions to fit-and-finish to air-conditioning output.  The CTVV at Belvidere is the first such program at an American Chrysler plant. The Belvidere facility also gained a dedicated, technologically advanced [...]

The 2012 Chrysler 200 sedan is already known as a top safety choice with surprising value. It has a look that says “I’m on my way. ” But what about the 2012 Chrysler 200S? What does that “S” stand for? What does that “S” really mean?

• Sophisticated ride and interior
• Sculpted exterior lines, reminiscent of a piece of fine art
• Steering wheel with perforated leather
• Six 276W Boston Acoustics speakers
• Suede inserts in the leather-heated bucket S seats
• Sculpted exterior
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio? subscription, no-charge for 1 year
• Signature grille with an “S” black finish

As impressive as the list of features already is, the “S” stands for even more. The 2012 Chrysler 200S takes full advantage of its award winning 3.6L V6 24-valve VVT engine and looks the part with 18-inch aluminum polished/painted “S” wheels and dual-bright exhaust tips. Inside, a 40GB, 6.5-inch touchscreen radio is the window into your own personal [...]

Here’s an industry first from Dodge and Mopar: The 2013 Dart will offer cordless, hands-free recharging of smart phones, MP3 players, and similar personal devices.

Neatly integrated into the Dart’s center console bin, the cordless charger is compatible with iPhone, Blackberry, Android, and other popular mobile platforms. A fitted case tailored to the specific device is required and included with the charger at a preliminary list price of $199.99 plus installation.

The innovative Mopar technology will be offered first in the all-new 2013 Dart, which arrives in Dodge showrooms in the second quarter of 2012.

 

At first sight of the Chrysler 200, it looks like a compact car that is focused on gas mileage. What will give the 200 the initial impression of the “compact car” is the size. But of course you will see the 200 at the dealership, and nine times out of ten times, it will be sitting next to the older brother, the Chrysler 300. Then I thought to myself,

“what is Chrysler doing trying to make just a fuel-efficient car?”

But just as I thought I was climbing into a compact small fuel-efficient car, I sat inside and you will quickly realize that you were completely wrong. As I sat inside, my immediate attention went straight toward luxurious features the 200 has to offer. The interior has a very clean organized layout, with a traditional hand clock to give it that “luxury” exclamation point that you expect from a Chrysler.

As I adjusted the seat, [...]

• The 2013 Dodge Dart will soon be ready for customers to buy. Dodge has carefully thought out the design and release of this sporty fuel-efficient car, so here are the top 5 features of the 2013 Dodge Dart.
  Starting with number 5 feature would be the powerful TigerShark engine found. The TigerShark engine can be found under the hood with 3 different engines to choose from. The 2.0-liter TigerShark engine will be standard, and the all-new Tigershark 2.4-liter MultiAir 2 and 1.4-liter Turbocharged MultiAir engines will also be available. The Dart will be the first car built in North America to incorporate MultiAir technology into the engine.
• Coming in at the number 4 spot for features of the Dodge Dart will be the options to customize the car to your likings. The Dart will come in 12 different exterior colors, 14 different interior color combinations, and over 150 different Mopar accessories to really [...]