Chrysler is still planning on introducing a hybrid-powered Dodge Ram in 2010, but a diesel-powered model is up in the air. Chrysler announced last year that both models would be introduced in 2010, but those plans may have changed.

Scott Kunselman, Chrysler senior vice president of engineering confirmed that the hybrid is still on, but wouldn't comment on the future of the diesel. Only saying that he doesn't think there is enough of a market among recreational buyers for the diesel. We can expect more details when Chrysler will outline its five-year business and product plan on November 4th.

The hybrid powertrain for the Ram is the result of a partnership between General Motors Co., BMW AG and Daimler AG.

The rumor that Chrysler was going to create a standalone Dodge Ram brand has been confirmed. Chrysler has announced new CEO appointments for both the Dodge Ram and Dodge car brands.

"The brand-focused strategy has been refined further with the unbundling of the Dodge Brand which now consists of the Dodge RAM Brand and the Dodge Car Brand organizations. This reorganization will allow us to protect and develop the unique nature of the product offerings within the Dodge Brand," Mr. Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, Chrysler Group LLC said.

Fred Diaz Jr. has been appointed President and CEO, Dodge Ram brand, while Ralph Gilles has been appointed President and CEO, Dodge Car Brand.

The Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger midsize sedans were pretty much dead under Chrysler's former owner, Cerberus Capital Management, but now that Chrysler has a new owner, the sedans have a new lease on life.

Cerberus had originally planned to kill the Sebring and Avenger at the end of 2010 and close the Sterling Heights, Mich., factory where they are built. The factory could still be closed, but the sedans will continue to be produced until the end of 2012.

The Sebring is slated to get an extensive face-lift in 2011, while the Avenger is slated to get a milder refresh, which may bring it to the market sooner than the Sebring. The changes can't come soon enough...

Since it's unveiling many people in the U.S. have been hoping that the Fiat 500 would eventually be sold here. Well now that Fiat and Chrysler have hooked up our wish has come true. Its been confirmed that the Fiat 500 will be sold through Chrysler dealerships when it is released and it will be the only Fiat badged model in the U.S.

Chrysler brand CEO and head of sales for all Chrysler Group brands, Peter Fong stated that the Fiat 500 will likely have a dedicated corner in Chrysler showrooms rather than its own retail network like the Mini. Eventually four versions will make it to the U.S., the hatchback, convertible, a wagon and a high-performance version.

The Fiat 500 is expected to be produced at Chrysler's Toluca, Mexico facility in late 2010 or early 2011.

It's being reported that part of Chrysler's restructuring will be the creation of the Ram nameplate as a stand alone brand. The Ram nameplate would focus on trucks, SUVs and vans, which would allow the Dodge brand to become affordable performance-car brand.

Future Dodge models are expected to share components with Alfa Romeo.

Additionally Chrysler is expected to withdraw the Dodge brand from Europe. It launched in Europe in 2006.

Chrysler and Fiat Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne is set to submit a five year plan to the company's board of directors Friday. In his plan, Marchionne is calling for facelifts of at least five models by mid-2011. This would include the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot. Chrysler is also working on an update for the aged PT Cruiser.

Marchionne wants the updates completed within 18 months, which would normally take 2-3 years. To meet this goal Chrysler's current workforce is expected to work overtime and some of the workers that were laid off may be rehired.

Of course all of this is dependent on if the board approves the plan and if it does then it will be sent to to President Barack Obama's auto task force next week.

A new study by Consumer Reports claims that 81 percent of respondents who stated that they are looking to buy a new car, would consider a domestic brand. This compares to only 47% for an Asian vehicle and 46% for a European brand.

Of course not every domestic automaker is equal. Ford has benefited the most with a 17 percent increase compared to a year ago. GM interest is only up 6 percent, while Chrysler is down 25 percent among new car buyers.

"The Detroit 3 have been in the spotlight all year," said Rik Paul, automotive editor, Consumer Reports. "Ford was the only one of the Detroit 3 that did not seek federal assistance, and this has likely helped bolster its reputation among car buyers."

Out of those surveyed only 9 percent are likely to buy a car in the next year compared to 19 percent a year ago.

Mercedes-Benz is planning on getting into the commercial van business in the US and will appoint up to 120 dealers to sell the Sprinter van. Currently Dodge sells the Sprinter van through 350 of its dealers. The contracts with the Dodge dealers will be canceled by Jan 1, 2010, which means there will no longer be a Dodge version of the Sprinter. Dodge has been selling the Sprinter since 2003.

In January the Sprinter will be branded as a Mercedes-Benz in the US. The Sprinter will be launched with a 3.0-liter, V-6 common-rail diesel in all 50 states.

The Dodge Caliber has consistently received negative marks for its low grade interior. To hopefully improve its standing in the hatchback segment, Chrysler has finally updated its interior.

The 2010 Caliber gets a new, better looking interior, which hopefully ditches the crappy hard plastic from the current model. Although Chrysler has addressed one main issue with the Caliber, we in the US still have to make due with the current engine. Europe on the other hand now has the option of the new 2.2-liter Common-rail Diesel (CRD) engine. The diesel puts out 163-hp and 236 lb-ft. of torque. It delivers 16 percent more power, 3 percent more torque and 25 percent more towing capability than the old diesel engine.

Chrysler's Lifetime Powertrain Warranty was the best warranty in the industry, but Chrysler spokesman Rick Deneau has confirmed that the automaker is ditching this warranty for more conventional five-year/100,000 warranty. The main issue with the lifetime warranty was that it only applied to the original owner, once it had been sold the warranty changed to 3yr/ 36k.

Deneau stated, "The issue of transferability was something people found very appealing," he said. The lifetime powertrain warranty "wasn't as valuable to consumers as we might have hoped."

The new warranty applies to all 2010 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models (except the Sprinter van and diesel powered trucks).

The government's Cash for Clunkers program has definitely given a slight jolt to the automotive industry. In less than a week the program reportedly ran out of funding that was supposed to last until November, but fortunately the government has added more money although who knows how long that will last. In the last week, 47 percent of the sales attributed to the program have gone to the Big 3. Through Saturday afternoon 80,500 transactions had taken place.

In addition to nabbing almost half of the sales, Ford can also be happy knowing that the Ford Focus was the most popular vehicle in the program.

Chrysler has announced that the automaker is dropping its double rebate incentive campaign, effective Tuesday. In July Chrysler announced that it would double the Cash for Clunkers rebate of up to $4,500 on eligible vehicles, which meant that on some vehicles buyers could get up to $9,000 in rebates. Of course this drove lots of traffic into Chrysler dealers and now the automaker is running out of cars.

Chrysler is changing the message "to focus less on the deal but more on the products," said Jodi Tinson, a spokeswoman for the company. The double your cash campaign "did what it needed to do" in terms of driving traffic to Chrysler dealerships, she said.

Chrysler's inventory levels are low due to long factory shutdowns, which means popular vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler and Chrysler Town & Country minivan are in short supply. Many Chrysler dealers are now left only with the vehicles that didn't qualify for the government's program.

Although the PT Cruiser was expected to be dead by the end of 2010, Chrysler has announced that the small car will live on. But for how much longer? Chrysler didn't mention how long the PT Cruiser will survive in its current state or if a redesign is in the future. It will most likely remain in production until the new Fiat based cars are ready to hit Chrysler dealers.

The U.S. House approved a plan that will force GM and Chrysler to renew agreements with the dealers that were unexpectedly closed during their bankruptcy proceedings. The bill that is opposed by Barack Obama passed 219 to 208 yesterday and would require the automakers to restore franchise agreements with the dealers in order to get future government aid. U.S. lawmakers feel that the automakers terminated dealerships with little notice or explanation.

"There is so much confusion about how they went about it," House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, a Wisconsin Democrat, said before the vote. He pointed to a dealer in his district who he said "runs a good business."

"I do not, for the life of me, understand why he would be knocked off," Obey said. Lawmakers "are trying to send a message they want clearer decision-making in terms of who got weeded out and who didn't."

It's unclear how the Senate will vote on the bill although the Obama administration "strongly opposes" the bill. "The decision by Chrysler and GM to rationalize their dealer networks was a critical part of their overall restructuring to achieve long-term viability," the administration said in a statement.

Besides the 300 and Challenger, Chrysler doesn't really anything else exciting in its car range. The current Sebring and Avenger mid-size sedans don't even come close to their Camry/ Accord competitors, so now Chrysler is trying to figure out a way to bring the 200C concept to life.

The 200C concept was shown at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January and should have been everything the Sebring and Avenger were when they were launched. The concept is based on a shortened LX platform, which means the possibility of RWD and AWD configurations for the new midsize. There is a possibility that Fiat's D-Evo platform could be used, but execs are worried that the platform may not be large enough.

It has been reported for quite a while that Chrysler was going to eventually kill the PT Cruiser. The latest reports had slated its death for this summer, but since the automaker now has a new owner it looks like the little wagon will continue in production for a little longer.

The PT Cruiser officially went into production at the end of 1999 and now ten years later the vehicle has remained largely unchanged. According to new reports the PT Cruiser will continue to be produced until the end of 2010 at Chrysler's Mexico plant. Once production is stopped, Chrysler will start retooling the plant for the Fiat 500 and a Jeep version of the Fiat Panda. The Fiat 500 will start production at the Toluca plant in the summer of 2011.

Fiat has officially closed the deal and taken over Chrysler this morning. The takeover now means that Fiat's Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne will become CEO of Chrysler.

Fiat is now going to start transferring Fiat's technology, platforms and powertrains to Chrysler plants. Chrysler's plants are also going to resume production soon, since they were idled during the bankruptcy process and cost the automaker up to $100 million a day.

"We intend to build on Chrysler's culture of innovation and Fiat's complementary technology and expertise to expand Chrysler's product portfolio both in North America and overseas," Marchionne said.

"This morning's closing represents a proud moment in Chrysler's storied history," said the U.S. Treasury Department. "The Chrysler-Fiat Alliance has now exited the bankruptcy process and is poised to emerge as a competitive, viable automaker."

Fiat currently owns a 20 percent stake in Chrysler, which will eventually be increased to 35 percent, but Fiat cannot gain majority control until all taxpayer funds are repaid.

The U.S. Supreme Court has removed the temporary stay that was issued yesterday clearing the way for the completion of the Fiat/ Chrysler deal.

The high court rejected arguments from three Indiana pension and construction funds who are against the sale.

Chrysler and Fiat are now free to complete their deal.

Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court delayed the Fiat/ Chrysler deal to listen to arguments from three Indiana pension and construction funds who are against the sale. The funds have been fighting the sale since since they feel that it unfairly favors Chrysler's unsecured stakeholders ahead of secured debtholders like themselves.

Under the terms of the agreement with Fiat, Fiat has the option to abandon the deal if it is not completed by June 15th. It is not known how long the Supreme Court is going to delay the deal, but Fiat has announced that the automaker has no plans to end the deal.

"Fiat won't walk away from Chrysler," Fiat spokesman Gualberto Ranieri said.

The upcoming sale of Chrysler LLC to Fiat has been temporarily delayed by a by a U.S. Supreme Court justice.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg acted right before the 4pm deadline from a U.S. appeals court in New York. Indiana pension funds and consumer groups asked the Supreme Court over the weekend to stop the sale of Chrysler so that they could challenge the sale. The end of the appeals court would have allowed Chrysler to proceed with the sale to Fiat.

Chrysler and the Obama administration are worried that if the deal is delayed too long it could kill the deal. Fiat has the option of walking away from the deal if it is not done by June 15.

Chrysler and the U.S. Treasury Department had no immediate response to the announcement.

Chrysler has announced plans to reject 789 of its current dealers. The 789 dealers were sent overnight letters informing them that they have until June 9th to close their doors.

Chrysler officially filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to reject certain Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep dealers. 2,392 dealers will continue to sell vehicles under the new company in a global alliance with Fiat. Chrysler plans on continuing "business as usual" with all of its dealers and intends to honor warranty and incentive payments during the period that "rejected" dealers remain open.

Chrysler has only been in bankruptcy for close to two weeks, but the automaker is beginning to see how serious Obama's Automotive Task Force is. Chrysler had planned on spending $134 million over the next nine weeks on advertising, but Obama's team has reportedly only given the automaker half that amount.

Judge Arthur Gonzalez was skeptical about spending even 50 percent of that amount considering all of Chrysler's plants have been idled. Robert Manzo, executive director of Capstone Advisory Group and a consultant to Chrysler, testified at a May 4 hearing that the task force "believed that it was not feasible to not spend anything on marketing and advertising for fear of eroding the image of the brand," during the company's planned nine weeks in bankruptcy.

Steven Landry, Chrysler exec VP-sales and marketing said in a statement that the advertising efforts "gives us the opportunity to reinforce that it's business as usual and demonstrate a bright future ahead for Chrysler."

Chrysler has announced new incentives for the month of May to move more of its vehicles off dealer lots by giving buyers what they want...more cash.

Beginning today, Chrysler is now offering $4,000 consumer cash on 2009 vehicles, $1,000 owner loyalty for current Chrysler owners and $1,000 credit union bonus cash for qualified members. So that basically means that some buyers will be able to get up to $6,000 towards the purchase of a Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep.

The incentives run through June 1, 2009.

Last week Chrysler officially declared Chapter 11 and now more details are surfacing about what the future holds for the automaker. Chrysler’s manufacturing chief Frank Ewasyshyn recently stated in court that the bankruptcy and plant shutdowns are going to delay the introduction of the 2010 models and that some 2011 models may also be delayed.

Once Chrysler starts producing vehicles again, the first models to be produced will be the remainder of the vehicles that are now partially built in Chrysler's plants. Preparations to switch over to the new models will delay the introduction of 2010 models.

The delay is likely to cut into Chrysler's already dismal sales. Let's hope they can get it all ironed out before the introduction of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300.

Now that Chrysler and Fiat have managed to come to an agreement and Chrysler has officially entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy, what is next?

Industry analysts predict that by 2011 a Fiat-run Chrysler will look very different in the US. Many of Chrysler's under performing models will likely be nixed and replaced by Fiat sourced models and some will not be replaced.

Chrysler is expected to become more of a niche automaker. It's new lineup will not likely guarantee huge profits, according to some analysts, but the bankruptcy reorganization puts Chrysler in a position to be profitable.

Part of yesterday's announcement that Chrysler is going to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings is that Chrysler’s chairman and chief executive, Bob Nardelli will step down once the restructuring process is complete.

When Nardelli leaves Chrysler, he will leave with nothing. Meaning he will not get a hefty severance package.

I’ll pick up my pencil and walk out the door”, Nardelli said on Thursday.

In contrast when Nardelli left his last post at Home Depot he made $32 million in his last year and also received a severance package worth $210 million. Nardelli did not have a contract at Chrysler when he took control of the automaker in August 2007.

Following the completion of the restructuring process, Fiat will control 20 percent of Chrysler, which could rise up to as much as 35 percent as Fiat pays off the government loans that Chrysler received. Nardelli's replacement will be decided upon by Chrysler's new board and with Fiat's approval.

President Obama has officially announced that Chrysler will enter into Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and on a more positive note the automaker has finally reached an agreement with Fiat and will enter into a partnership. The Chrysler and Fiat partnership will provide each automaker with access to additional markets. Additionally Fiat powertrains and technology will be produced at Chrysler plants.

"This partnership transforms Chrysler into a vibrant new company with a wealth of strategic advantages," said Bob Nardelli, Chairman and CEO of Chrysler. "It enables us to better serve our customers and dealers with a broader and more competitive line-up of environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient high-quality vehicles. Benefits to the new company include access to exciting products that complement our current portfolio, technology cooperation and stronger global distribution."

The restructuring plan is expected to last 30-60 days. Also part of the announcement is that Chrysler CEO, Nardelli is going to step down once the restructuring process is complete. Nardelli claims that leaving is his choice and that he was not asked to leave.

"Now is an appropriate time to let others take the lead in the transformation of Chrysler with Fiat," said Nardelli. "I will work closely with all of our stakeholders to see that this new company swiftly emerges with a successful closing of the alliance."

Part of the restructuring process states that most manufacturing processes will be temporarily idled starting on May 4, 2009. Production will not restart until the restructuring is complete.

Also part of the plan states that Fiat can not become a majority owner until all the government loans are repaid.

Fiat's CEO, Sergio Marchionne has told the Globe and Mail and mail that the possible partnership with Chrysler will succeed if the automaker cannot cut labor costs.

Marchionne told the newspaper that the partnership only has a 50-50 chance because of the lack of progress in talks with union leaders. He also stated that Canadian unions have been especially resistant.

"Absolutely we are prepared to walk. There is no doubt in my mind," Marchionne said in an interview posted on the Toronto newspaper's website.

In order for the partnership to work, Chrysler's unions need to agree to labor costs that are equal to that of Japanese and German automakers.

The latest version of the proposed partnership between Fiat and Chrysler states that Fiat would take a 20 percent stake in Chrysler in exchange for the technology to make small cars and access to foreign markets. Fiat would also gain access to the US market.

Fiat and Chrysler have until the April 30th deadline to finalize the deal. If a deal is not reached Chrysler will be forced into bankruptcy. If a deal is reached the U.S. government will provide an additional $6 billion in funding.

Chrysler has officially unveiled the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the 2009 New York Auto Show.

The new Grand Cherokee features a more sculpted crossover-like exterior. Although the Grand Cherokee has been a unibody SUV, just like the new crossovers, it has been lumped in with the aging body-on-frame SUVs in terms of popularity. Chrysler is attempting to appeal to the crossover fans with a sleeker, more athletic exterior. The wheelbase has also been stretched 5.3 inches, its 3 inches wider and the overall length has been increased 1.8 inches.

The 2011 Grand Cherokee gets the first application of Chrysler's new flexible fuel 3.6L V6 engine that puts out 280 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque. The V6 is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy has also been improved 11 percent over the previous V6 engine. If you need more power the 5.7L HEMI V8 is available with 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft. of torque. The 4x2 Grand Cherokee with the HEMI V8 can tow up to 7,400 lbs.

Of course March sales were down last month compared to March 2008 with GM down 45 percent. For the most part most of the major automakers posted a better month than February, but the sales were still dismal.

Here's the list of the top ten best-selling vehicles last month. Of course most of the same models are listed:

-Ford F-Series: 32,728
-Toyota Camry: 25,783
-Chevy Silverado: 23,508
-Honda Accord: 22,722
-Toyota Corolla: 22,257
-Honda Civic: 20,645
-Nissan Altima: 19,521
-Dodge Ram: 19,328
-Chevy Malibu: 14,772
-Honda CR-V: 12,959

Chrysler has unveiled the 2009 Dodge Challenger SE Rallye, which features a new five-speed automatic mated to the 3.5L V6.

The Dodge Challenger SE Rallye features dual body stripes, chromed fuel door, deck lid spoiler, and 18-inch aluminum wheels.

The new five-speed automatic replaces the archaic four-speed automatic on the V6 equipped Challengers.

The 2009 Dodge Challenger SE Rallye starts at $26,490 (including $725 destination).

President Obama has just finished his press conference regarding the government's decision on the viability plans that were submitted by GM and Chrysler on February 17th after they received $17.4 billion in loans.

“Neither goes far enough to warrant the substantial new investments that these companies are requesting,” Obama said. “They must produce plans that would give the American people confidence in their long-term prospects for success.”

Obama warned the two automakers that they may be forced into a quick bankruptcy. The quick bankruptcy would be quick and could last for as little as 30 days.

"We also cannot continue to excuse poor decisions. And we cannot make the survival of our auto industry dependent on an unending flow of tax dollars. These companies -- and this industry -- must ultimately stand on their own, not as wards of the state."

Chrysler Chief Executive Bob Nardelli is asking for another $1.5 billion from the US government to fund the company's financial arm, which would allow for more loans to individuals that haven't been able to qualify.

Due to the credit crunch it has become increasingly harder for individuals to receive financing, since banks are now requiring better credit scores and higher down payments.

In January the US government gave $1.5 billion to Chrysler Financial, which allowed Chrysler to subsidize zero percent interest loans on new vehicles.

Chrysler LLC submitted its Viability Plan to U.S. Treasury Department today in which the automaker asked for an additional $2 billion in loans. That's in addition to the $4 billion Chrysler has already received and the additional $3 billion it has yet to receive.

For more details about the Chrysler's Viability Plan check out the press release after the jump.

Deep within the 177 page plan there were two photos of the 2010 Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which Chrysler is hoping will increase its sales. The 2010 Chrysler 300 receives all new styling that is overall very similar to the current generation. There will be a new more fuel efficient V6 engine and the HEMI V8 will still be offered. The 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee also gets all new styling inside and out. In addition the Grand Cherokee will get a 19 percent fuel economy improvement between the 2010-2012 model years.

The sales numbers from last month have been released and they are not good. Nearly every major automaker was down in January compared to January 08'.

Chrysler lead the pact with a 55 percent drop last month. GM's sales were off by 49 percent and Ford declined 40 percent.

Japan's major automakers didn't escape the dismal auto sales with Toyota being down 32 percent, Nissan's sales were down 30 and Honda's were off by 28 percent.

The news wasn't bad for everyone though with Subaru posting an 8 percent increase, its second month in the row of sales increases. Hyundai also posted a 14 percent sales increase. Hyundai attributed its sales improvement to its new program which will take a owner's car back if they lose their job in the first 12 months of ownership.

"This program gets to the root cause of today's economic concerns — fear of job loss," Hyundai regional general manager Peter DiPersia said in a statement.

Well it looks like VW's attempt at a badge engineered Chrysler minivan is not going over so well. According to The Windsor Star, Chrysler workers are going to stop building the Volkswagen Routan, which is based on the Chrysler Town & Country.

VW has asked Chrysler Canada to stop producing the Routan due to inventory build up for the month of February. Currently Chrysler has been producing 300 Routans a day with about 29,000 already shipped to dealerships.

VW has only managed to sell a few thousand Routans.

Chrysler and Fiat's newest agreement, which involves Fiat buying a 35 percent stake in Chrysler is going to lead to seven new fiat based cars making their way to the US.

According to unnamed sources four of the vehicles will be sold under the Chrysler brand and three will either be Alfa Romeos or Fiats. The official plan that will be announced on April 30th involves four Fiat platforms, a minicar, a subcompact, a compact and a mid-sized sedan. Chrysler's plants in the US are being tasked with producing the vehicles. Chrysler's Toluca, Mexico plant, which currently builds the soon to be killed PT Cruiser is going to produce the Fiat 500.

According to the Automotive News, under the plan its expected that Chrysler dealers will get two minicars, the Fiat 500 and a Dodge or Chrysler branded vehicle based on the Fiat Panda.

The subcompact segment will see the introduction of the Alfa Romeo MiTo and another Chrysler or Dodge branded vehicle.

A new compact car based Fiat’s C-Evo platform will likely replace the Dodge Caliber.

Lastly a replacement for the under performing Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger will be based on a stretched version of the C-Evo platform.

In case you are wondering what Fiat is going to get out of this deal, besides entry into the North American market, Fiat is going to sell the Dodge Journey and Dakota pickup in South America. In addition Fiat is going to use Chrysler's new Phoenix V6 engine in its own products.

Times are tough..Chrysler has announced the new "Employee Pricing Plus Plus" program on 2008 and 2009 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles.

Customers can now receive up to $6,000 in rebates on remaining 2008 models and up to $3,500 on 2009 models. Zero percent financing for up to 48 months is also being offered. In addition an extra $1,000 bonus cash is also offered to those customers that finance through Chrysler Financial.

The new program starts on Jan 26th.

This week Chrysler and Fiat announced a partnership that involves Fiat buying 35 percent of the U.S. automaker, which will give both automakers access to each other product lines and markets. The good news for Chrysler is that the automaker now has access to a whole new line of fuel-efficient small cars. According to Motor Trend the first fruit of the new partnership will be the Fiat 500.

Motor Trend editor Todd Lassa claims that the Fiat 500 is being fast tracked to U.S. showrooms within the next 18 months. The Fiat 500 would be sold in Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep showrooms.

Chrysler has unveiled the Dodge Challenger R/T Classic, which pays homage to the original Challengers.

The Challenger R/T Classic is based on the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T and is powered by the 5.7L V8 mated to either a Tremec six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. A performance tuned exhaust provides even more "throatiness". The dual hood scoops are also functional.

The exterior of the R/T Classic features dual throwback A-line body-side R/T stripes, 'Challenger' fender badging in classic script, large 20-inch polished-chrome heritage wheels with all-season performance tires, classic egg-crate grille with heritage 'R/T' badge, body-color rear spoiler and chromed fuel-filler door.

The Dodge Challenger R/T Classic starts at $34,005 and is available now.

Chrysler LLC President Tom LaSorda, recently spoke with Bloomberg and announced the death of the PT Cruiser this summer.

It's not much of a surprise since sales of the PT Cruiser were down 49 percent last year for a total of 50,910 units. The PT Cruiser's most successful year was 2001 with 144,717 units sold.

Chrysler is also actively pursuing the sale of the equipment that is used to produce the PT Cruiser in Toluca, Mexico.

The death of the PT Cruiser leaves the Chrysler brand with only three models, the 300C, Sebring and Town & Country minivan.

Since Congress was unable to come to an agreement about a bailout for the U.S. automakers, President George W. Bush has approved $17.4 billion in emergency loans to the U.S. automakers. The loans are needed to help save hundreds of thousands of jobs and prevent GM and Chrysler from going bankrupt.

GM and Chrysler are expected to dip into the money immediately, while Ford claims that its liquidity is adequate for now and does not need a bailout loan.

"If we were to allow the free market to take its course now, it would almost certainly lead to disorderly bankruptcy and liquidation for the automakers," Bush said.

President elect Barack Obama also supports the loans to the automakers.

Although the loans are going to help GM and Chrysler survive, the loans will only get them through until March of next year.

A final decision from the U.S. government about the loans for the U.S. automakers is expected anytime now, but it's expected that the final amount will only be between $15-17 billion. Which is much less than the original $34 billion the automakers were asking for. To help raise more money, the automakers are now asking the Canadian government for $6.8 billion. The Big 3 employ about 100,000 workers in Canada.

“North American economic conditions now make it necessary for us to seek government assistance to sustain our business and supply chain,” said Arturo Elias, president of General Motors Canada.

Ward’s Automotive Group has announced its 2009 10 Best Engines list.

The list is compiled by Ward's editors and 2009 is officially the 15th year of the Ward’s 10 Best Engines program.

This year the list of winners is very broad with hybrid engines as well as high output turbocharged engines receiving the award.

“A decade ago, few consumers in the U.S. paid serious attention to hybrids or diesels. This year, they have to, if they don’t want to be pinched the next time fuel hits $4 a gallon,” says Tom Murphy, executive editor of Ward’s AutoWorld magazine.”The diesels from VW and BMW and the Ford Escape Hybrid all got better than 30 mpg (7.8 L/100 km) during our testing, and often they topped 40 mpg (5.8 L/100 km),” he says. “And the diesels meet the strictest emissions regulations in the world. If Americans want to find a vehicle that consumes less fuel and is fun to drive, our list is a great place to start.”

Today Congress is meeting to discuss the details of the $25 billion bailout plan for U.S. automakers. Debates are going back and forth from both sides on how to solve this problem. Some senators are now even saying that the CEO's of the Big 3 should consider stepping down from their positions if that is what it will take for Congress to approve the plan.

During an interview yesterday on NBC’S “Meet the Press”, Michigan Sen. Carl Levin stated I’d be happy to tell (GM CEO) Rick Wagoner that he ought to consider resigning if that is the difference between getting this kind of support and not. If it was the difference between getting this kind of support or not, obviously the management should consider resigning."

GM has put together an informational video of what it predicts will happen if the Big Three automakers all fail next year.

Some highlights:
-If all three fail next year it will result in 3 million U.S. jobs lost in the first year
-Total governement tax loss over three years = $156.4 billion
-The U.S. GDP would drop 4 percent, compare that to the fact that the current economic downturn was caused by a .3 percent drop
-One out of every ten jobs in the U.S. relies on the U.S. auto industry

Last week it was reported that GM had suspended all talks with Chrysler about an apparent merger after the U.S. treasury denied GM's request for aid to buy Chrysler. Now it're being reported that Hyundai may be interested.

According to Reuters, Hyundai and Chrysler's owners, Cerberus Capital Management, have been in talks about Hyundai acquiring the Jeep brand. Both automakers have not released an official statement about the discussions.

Earlier this week GM approached the U.S. government for $10 billion to support a merger between GM and Chrysler.

It's now being reported that the U.S. Treasury has denied the request due to the fact that the merger could result in the loss of thousands of U.S. jobs. Since the U.S. Treasury denied the request the merger talks have been put on hold.

It's only been a few months since Chrysler introduced the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen Hybrids, but Chrysler has announced that it is going to stop producing the hybrid SUVs.

Last week Chrysler reported that it is closing its Newark, Delaware factory that produces the Durango and Aspen. Originally Chrysler planned on closing the factory at the end of 2009, but plans have been pushed up to the end of 2008.

General Motors has reportedly asked the U.S. government for $10 billion in aid to support its acquisition of Chrysler LLC from Cerberus Capital Management. Roughly $3 billion of the proposed aid would be in exchange for preferred stock in a merged automaker.

GM has been in talks with Cerberus since last month, but the talks have stalled due to difficulty in securing the funds, which is where the U.S. government would come in.

"The automakers are facing a maelstrom and that's why I think an unprecedented government infusion could happen," said Efraim Levy, an automotive equity analyst with S&P.

According to an undisclosed source the U.S. Treasury Department is considering a request for direct aid to facilitate the merger and a decision could come this week.

Both automakers feel that the merger would help save American jobs, but how exactly is unknown. If both automakers merge its expected that many models/ brands could be killed, which would result in factory closures, layoffs, etc.

Chrysler and Nissan announced earlier this year plans to share some vehicles in the future. At the time most of the press surrounded the replacement for the Nissan Titan, which would be built off the new Ram 1500. Now Chrysler has unveiled a Dodge version of the Nissan Versa subcompact, dubbed the Dodge Trazo C1.8.

The Dodge Trazo C1.8, which will be built by Nissan gives Dodge an entry in the subcompact market in Latin America, specifically in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

The Trazo C1.8 is powered by an E-100 ethanol-capable 16-valve 1.8-liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine that can be mated to either a manual or automatic transmission.

Overall the Trazo C1.8 is essentially the same thing that we get here in the U.S. as the Nissan Versa, although there have been a few, very small styling changes. Even though the Versa is available as a sedan and a five-door hatchback, Dodge only plans on selling the sedan version.

Sales of the Trazo C1.8 will start in mid-2009. Chrysler hasn't announced any plans to sell the rebadged Versa in the U.S.

A few days ago it was rumored that Chrysler had stopped development of its upcoming Phoenix V6 engine further fueling rumors that a Chrysler merger was eminent.

Although its still a big possibility that Chrysler may merge with GM or Renault/ Nissan, Chrysler claims that the engine is still being developed. According to Jim Press, Chrysler is still moving ahead with the fuel-efficient V-6 engine program.

"The Phoenix engine program is going forward full steam," Chrysler President Jim Press told reporters. "It's a great engine. We're driving the prototypes today."

Chrysler's sales have dropped 25 percent this year, so the automaker is looking for creative ways to boost its sales. Starting on Nov 1st, Chrysler will offer employee discount pricing to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. workers.

All US-based Wal-Mart employees are eligible for the program. According to Curtrise Garner, a Chrysler spokeswoman, "Wal-Mart is one of our largest fleet customers." The savings will range from 4% to 6% off invoice or 8% to 14% off MSRP, which is identical to the discount that Chrysler employees and their families currently receive.

Wal-Mart currently has 1.4 million employees.

In addition to the Wal-Mart employee discount, Chrysler also announced that Chrysler employees can now get employee discount pricing on some Dodge Viper models.

There has been so much Chrysler news this week with the possibility of a GM/ Chrysler merger in the headlines. Now there are rumors that Chrysler has killed the development of its new $3 billion Phoenix V6 engine program.

The killing of its new V6 engine program makes sense if Chrysler is about to merge with GM or even Renault/ Nissan. Both GM and Nissan have their own V6 engines that are definitely better than anything currently under the hood of a Chrysler. Last week Chrysler also killed the development of dual-clutch automatic transmissions. According to analysts a Chrysler merger is expected and Chrysler doesn't need to spend money on engine and transmission programs if GM and Renault/Nissan already have them.

Chrysler is going to drop the all-wheel-drive option on the 2009 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger and Caliber models.

According to spokesman Jiyan Cadiz, the AWD was first offered on the models in 2007, but sales never took off.

“For the Avenger, the take rate was 1.5% for 2008, and for the Sebring it was at 0.7%.” Cadiz tells Ward’s. “So obviously the bottom line is people want fuel economy, and the AWD modules are not profitable for us. That’s something we can get rid of as we’re consolidating products and finding what’s profitable.”

Not to be overshadowed by the Camaro, Dodge is planning on unveiling the Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept at the SEMA show this year.

The Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept is powered by the Viper's 8.4L V10 engine with 600 horsepower and 560 lb-ft. of torque. In addition to the upgraded engine, the concept also receives upgraded brakes and shocks. Tornado Red paint with a carbon-fiber decklid and "shaker hood" round out the other additions to the Challenger SRT10 Concept.

Both Ford and Chevy will have convertible versions of their new muscle cars (Mustang and Camaro) next year, but Chrysler will not.

Originally Chrysler planned on producing a Challenger convertible that would have been introduced for the 2010 model year, but according to Mike Accavitti, director of Dodge brand marketing those plans have been cancelled.

“We considered a convertible when we were developing Challenger, but the extra weight needed to beef up the car when the top was removed was too much of a penalty,” Accavitti told KickingTires in an interview. “And that was with a manual soft-top. A power-retractable hardtop would add even more weight.”

Accavitti also stated, "We didn't see a huge market for a convertible that would justify the vehicle."

Dodge has unveiled the 2009 Lone Star Edition Dodge Ram at the State Fair of Texas.

The state of Texas is Dodge's single largest truck market. Because of this Texans are going to get a special edition (exclusive) of the all-new Dodge Ram. The Lone Star Edition starts as a Ram Crew 1500 SLT in either two or four-wheel-drive. The 5.7L HEMI V8 with a five-speed automatic, chromed 4-inch dual exhaust, 20 inch painted silver wheels (20-inch chromed wheels are available), chromed grille surround with chromed billets, quad headlamps and fog lamps are part of the new package. Inside there is a new lighting group and a leather wrapped steering wheel with audio controls. Lastly there is unique Lone Star badging on the tailgate.

Chrysler has officially unveiled the Chrysler EV, Dodge EV and Jeep EV today, which are Chrysler's answer to the Chevy Volt that was unveiled last week.

Chrysler has announced the changes to the 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans.

Chrysler has been one of the few automakers that have been quiet about their future green offerings. Besides the hybrid Durango and Aspen SUVs there hasn't been really any news stories about what is next for Chrysler...until now.

HURST is going to unveil the limited edition 2009 HURST/ HEMI Dodge Challenger at SEMA.

Chrysler has announced today that the automaker is "preparing to explore strategic options for the Dodge Viper business", which means that Chrysler could sell the car to another automaker.

Chrysler's first hybrids, the 2009 Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen two-mode hybrids are going to be in showrooms later this year.

Chrysler has announced plans to invest $1.8 billion retooling and expanding its Jefferson North Assembly Plant in order to produce a new car-based Jeep.

Dodge has announced the pricing for the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram pickup.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released the results of its first ever side crash testing of five small pickup trucks.

Truck sales are dead, which is bad news for Ford and Chrysler who are both launching all-new full size trucks this fall. Chrysler recently held a conference with dealers in which it announced that the all-new Dodge Ram will launch with zero percent financing for 72 months.

Dodge has released some of the details about its 2010 Dodge Ram Hybrid pickup that is going to be in dealerships sometime next year.

More details have emerged about the upcoming all-new 2009 Dodge Ram. Fuel prices have killed this segment, but Dodge is still moving forward with its all-new truck.

Chrysler has announced the pricing for the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen SUV Hybrids, the automaker's first entries in the hybrid category.

For those of us that can't quite afford the $40K for the Dodge Challenger SRT8, Dodge is releasing two cheaper models the 2009 Dodge Challenger SE and R/T models.

Dodge unveiled the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram pickup at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year. Now according to Chrysler executives the all-new Ram could see a 20 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over the out going model.

The current Chrysler 300 has been a huge success for the automaker, which is going to make it difficult for the automaker to redesign the car which debuted over four years ago.

Jay Leno recently described what he feels is plaguing American automakers, poor quality economy cars.

Gas prices are out of control and are forcing many buyers to rethink their current vehicles. This has killed sales of large trucks and SUVs. Chrysler has just announced a promotion to hopefully win more buyers that still want an SUV or truck, but can't imagine paying over $4 bucks to fill it up.

The 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 starts at $40K when you factor in the gas guzzling tax. That's a little too high for most of us, so for the 2009 model year there will be lesser powered Challengers with a much lower price tag.

Yesterday Nissan and Chrysler announced a new partnership that is going to spawn a new small car and full-size pickup.

Chrysler officially unveiled the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram at the Detroit Auto Show in January, but failed to unveil the regular cab model alongside the crew cab.

Chrysler is recalling all 2007-2008 Chrysler Sebrings and Dodge Avengers to fix an electrical defect.

For those of us that can't quite afford the $40K price tag for the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8, Dodge has announced that the 2009 Challenger SE will start in the low $20,000's.

Chrysler has just announced that the automaker will shutdown most of its operations in July for 2 weeks.

Chrysler is going to release a diesel powered 300C SRT, but before you get excited there are two things that will kill your excitement.

The 2008 Dodge Challenger has been officially unveiled.

After so many spy photos and teaser images the time has come for Dodge to officially unveil the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8.

Dodge has officially unveiled the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram pickup at the Detroit Auto Show.

After 75 years of being in the number two spot in the US, Ford has given up the title to Toyota.

Dodge's newest entry in the crossover segment, the 2009 Journey is going to start just under $20K.

Last month Chrysler announced plans to kill four of their existing models, the Crossfire, Pacifica, PT Cruiser Convertible and Dodge Magnum. Well today the last Crossfire was produced in Germany.

It looks like the first photo of the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram has been leaked. Earlier today this photo showed up on the internet, but it was still up in the air if the photo was valid. Well now it looks like someone over at Dodge messed up and put the photo on the Mopar Accessories site for the 2008 Dodge Ram.

Chrysler starting taking orders for the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 on December 3rd and within 3 days the automaker managed to receive over 6,000 orders. It was initially rumored that only 5,000 of the 08' models would be produced, but now Chrysler has confirmed that 10,000 of the 08' Challenger SRT8s will be built.

Last week Chrysler announced the starting price for the Dodge Challenger, which starts at $40,095. Orders started yesterday and now we have more details on what to expect now and in the near future for Dodge's new muscle car.

Dodge released the starting price for the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 earlier this week. For $37,995 you could get your hands on one of the limited edition models. Well now it looks like that price was not entirely correct.

Dodge has announced the starting price for the all-new Dodge Challenger.

Chrysler confirmed earlier this month that the automaker is going to kill off the slow selling PT Cruiser convertible, Pacifica, Crossfire and Dodge Magnum models. It seemed that Chrysler still had hopes for the regular version of the PT Cruiser.

There has been speculation that Chrysler is going to start killing off its slower selling models.

It was rumored earlier this month that Chrysler execs have been discussing the possible killing off of their slowest selling models.

Things are definitely changing over at Chrysler since the new owners moved in. Now there are rumors that Chrysler is going to announce the death of five of its slower selling models.

The upcoming 2008/2009 Dodge Challenger has been incredibly popular thanks to the camera phone. Even the great Brenda Priddy hasn't managed to produce as many photos as all the guys running around with their camera phones. Now we have the first photos of the production version thanks to another guy who just happened to have his phone handy.

Yesterday Chrysler announced a recall of 77,000 Chrysler Sebring Convertibles and Dodge Avenger sedans due to door latch problems. 2008 Avenger sedans are also being recalled due to faulty fuel tank retention straps that could break and cause fuel to leak out. Now Chrysler has announced that 102,000 Avengers and Sebrings can catch on fire if the fan motor comes in contact with engine coolant.

Every automaker is going "green" these days. The growing popularity of hybrids and the emergence of clean diesels in the next few years is going to make going "green" even more viable.

According to a new analyst report by Goldman Sachs the "Big 3" all had sales declines last month.

Yay for more recalls! Chrysler announced today that the automaker is recalling almost 300,000 Jeep and Dodge SUVs due to potential brake problems.

It seems like every automaker is jumping on the "green" bandwagon. Chrysler has announced the creation of a new engineering division that is specifically focused on hybrids and electric vehicles.

Chrysler execs have confirmed that the aging PT Cruiser is going to stay in production until at least the end of 2009. The automaker has made no promises that the car will be built after 2009 nor if there will be a next-generation model.

Or Maybe not... According to BusinessWeek Volkswagen takes the award for having the most recalled 2007 models. VW recalled just over 1 million New Beetles because of faulty brake light switches.

Chrysler has announced that the automaker will start producing light-duty diesel pickups after 2009. Chrysler is expecting that the diesels will average about 30 percent better fuel economy than the regular gas powered versions.

The New York Times has just announced that former Home Depot CEO, Robert L. Nardelli is going to be appointed as the new CEO of Chrysler. Earlier this year Nardelli was ousted from his chief executive position at Home Depot due to arguments with stock holders over his enormous pay package.

Reuters has posted a list of the 20 top-selling vehicles in the U.S. through July of 2007. There aren't really any big surprises here.

Last month will go down in the record books as the first month that Detroit's Big 3 (Ford, GM and Chrysler) sold less vehicles than their foreign competitors. Sales from Ford, GM and Chrysler only made up 48.1 percent of all vehicles sales in the U.S. last month, while foreign competitors made up 51.9 percent.

Forbes has put together a list of the top 20 most dangerous vehicles on the road. The Buick Rendevous SUV/ Minivan topped their list as possibly the worst car to buy right now in terms of safety. Compared to other minivans the Rendevous is up to three times more likely to cause a fatality.

Chrysler has stomped on the 10yr warranties that are currently being offered by some automakers by offering an industry first lifetime warranty. The warranty applies to every new car and truck that Chrysler sells (remaining 2007 models and all 2008 models). The warranty which goes in effect today will cover the entire powertrain including the engine, transmission/ transaxle, drive shafts and axles.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Chrysler has nixed plans for the large Imperial sedan. The main reason the plans were scrapped are because of the pending legislation in the U.S. Congress that will increase fuel-efficiency standards. The Chrysler Imperial would have been the largest and heaviest car in Chrysler's lineup.

Chrysler and its partner Getrag have built a $530 million gearbox plant in Indiana to build 700,000 dual-clutch transmissions per year starting in 2009.

It looks like the Chrysler Crossfire is going to continue in production even though there were rumors in April that Chrysler was going to stop production of the coupe this summer.

Yesterday the first photos of the upcoming 2009 Dodge Challenger surfaced thanks to Brenda Priddy & Co., but now we have a better shot of the profile of the car thanks to a guy with a camera phone.

This September Chrysler is finally going to release the SRT version of the Dodge Caliber. The Caliber SRT-4 will feature a turbocharged version of Chrysler's 2.4L world engine. It will put out 280hp and 260 lb.-ft. of torque.

With gas prices consistently at record highs and consumers increasing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, Chrysler has announced new plans to boost the fuel mileage of their cars and trucks. The new family of V6 engines will have cylinder deactivation technology, which will allow them to run on 3-cylinders when less power is needed. The automaker also plans to place its new two-mode hybrid powertrain in more of its vehicles.

In 2006 Chrysler made more cars than dealers wanted. Since the automaker had no dealers that wanted them, they stored them in various places around Detroit. Well now Chrysler is trying every way that they can to get rid of them. Deep discounts and significant rebates have not done the trick, so now Chrysler is going to allow dealers to label the new cars as "used" in hopes that people will finally buy them.

Flashback to 1957 to the town of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The town buried the then new 1957 Plymouth Belvedere coupe in front of the county courthouse in a time capsule that would be unveiled on June 15, 2007 to celebrate Oklahoma's 100th anniversary of statehood.

Earlier this week, Ford confirmed that the automaker has hired Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to sell the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Now according to recent reports, Cerberus, the firm that just bought Chrysler is also looking at the possibility of buying Jaguar and Land Rover.

Apparently Chrysler executives have admitted to their employees that the automaker misjudged the market for the new Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Nitro SUV. In a recent Q&A session a top Chrysler executive addressed the issues with Chrysler employees and assured them that the automaker is moving fast to correct the mistakes.

Chrysler is about to announce that the Dodge Hornet Euro B-Car is going to be produced. The car will be produced by Chinese automaker Chery and there will not be a Chrysler version of the car.

Last year Renault-Nissan was in talks with General Motors about a possible alliance between the automakers. But unfortunately the talks ended when neither side could come to an agreement on the price of the relationship. Now fast forward to 2007 and Renault-Nissan is reportedly looking for a relationship with either Ford or Chrysler.

The Detroit Free Press has posted the list of the top-20 best selling vehicles in the US last month. The list looks pretty similar to last month, with only a few vehicles moving up or down the list. The overall trend seems to be that consumers are moving further away from trucks and SUVs.

A new study by Harbour Consulting has announced that Toyota is the most productive automaker, since it only takes Toyota 29.93 hours to make a car. Nissan came in second with 29.97 hours and Honda came in third at 31.63 hours.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released crash test scores for the newest convertibles. The tests are pretty surprising since the new BMW 3-Series only received a marginal score, while the new Chrysler Sebring received good ratings in the crash tests. Apparently a higher price does not always mean you are getting a better car.

According to an article by BusinessWeek, ex-Chrysler chief Lee Iacocca stated that, "Daimler screwed Chrysler royally" in the nine years that it owned Chrysler. According to Iacocca the recent sale of Chrysler to Cerberus Capital Management was out of desperation.

Chrysler has approved the large luxury Imperial sedan for production. The official announcement will be on June 11th. Chrysler will invest $700 million for the new sedan, which will be built at the Brampton, Ontario plant. This announcement follows the sale of the Chrysler Group that took place earlier this week. Chrysler has had a rough year due to lower sales and recalls, is this sedan what the company needs right now?

According to California Attorney General Jerry Brown, the federal government may need to bail out U.S. automakers in order to keep them in business. The bail out could amount to several billion dollars.

For months there have been rumors and internal statements about the possible sale of Chrysler, which would result in the end of the current relationship with Daimler-Benz. The partnership that was announced in 1998 has now come to an end. Cerberus Capital Management has won the bid to take over the Chrysler group for $7.45 billion.

Edmunds.com has posted a list of the most wanted cars in 2007 based on reader feedback. Out of the 32 categories you may be surprised which automaker took home the most awards....

Just in case you thought the Jeep Compass couldn't get an uglier, Chrysler has just announced a Rallye package for the wannabe SUV.

April's auto sales numbers have just been posted and almost every major automaker had a sales decrease last month. Even the Asian automakers that have been making headlines for their sales gains, took a hit.

Automakers have just released their April 2007 U.S. sales figures. Here is the list of the top 10 best selling vehicles last month (in order by number of sales). The bottom of the list may surprise you.

In order to spark interest in its rather lackluster new Chrysler Sebring, Chrysler is going to sponsor a giveaway sweepstakes this month. The campaign's inspiration is the one-in-a-hundred date and in order to win you have to be expecting your own bundle of joy on 05/06/07.

Chrysler has announced that there will be a hybrid version of the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango on the market in 2008. The SUVs will feature a Two-Mode hybrid system that was developed with GM and BMW, coupled with a 5.7L V8 HEMI engine with cylinder deactivation.

According to a report by the Automotive News, between September 2006 and February 2007, 48.5% of Chrysler brand sales were to fleets. That is an increase of 10% from the same period a year ago. 44.9% of Pontiac sales go to fleets, which is slightly lower than the 46.2% from the year earlier.

Chrysler has announced plans to build new plants in Michigan and to upgrade existing plants. The company is planning on building three new plants and upgrading their Warren stamping plant.

In the first quarter of this year, fewer than 50% of Americans that bought new cars, bought from domestic brands. 48.9% of Americans bought cars and trucks from Ford, GM or Chrysler. This is down from last year and represents a continued downward slide for the domestic automakers.

Chrysler has unveiled the all-new 2008 Jeep Liberty at the New York Auto Show today. The new SUV is built on the same platform as the new Dodge Nitro, which you can easily tell.

Toyota's sales increased 9% last month compared to March 2006. This was largely driven by sales of the new Camry, the RAV4 and the Prius.

Sales of the Chrysler Crossfire have never really taken off. The car is based on the previous generation Mercedes SLK, which was not enough to drive sales.

Chrysler has revealed the refreshed 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Notable changes for the new year are a new 4.7L V8 engine, and styling changes inside and out.

Chrysler has announced the pricing for its all new 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible. The car will start at $26,145 and is priced $645 below the outgoing model. They describe the car as a convertible that delivers open-air freedon with elegant coupe styling and functionality of a year-round car.

DaimlerChrysler has begun taking reservations for the its Smart ForTwo car that will be available in the U.S. in 2008. Buyers can reserve either the hardtop or convertible for $99. The company has set up a reservation page were people can enter their personal information and select the car that they would like. The $99 fee does not guarantee a car. Instead it is meant to help the company figure out where to distribute the car. The money will be applied to the cost of the car if you do actually buy one, if not it is refunded.

According to CEO Dieter Zetsche all new vehicles built by the group will have a hybrid variant.

It has just been reported by Reuters that Chrysler is going to issue a recall of 489,000 vehicles. The recall is for three different models. 328,424 Dodge Durangos (2004-2006) are being recalled because of electrical problems, 149,605 Jeep Liberty SUVs (2006-2007) are being recalled because the blower motor could fail and 10,994 Dodge Avenger sedans (2008) are being recalled due to latch problems. There was also a recall last month of 51,000 vehicles that had brake issues.

According to the U.K.'s Times, U.S. investment bank JPMorgan is preparing to start an auction of the Chrysler Group on behalf of DaimlerChrysler. It was rumored that Hyundai may have been interested in buying the troubled automaker, but those rumors have been denied. That leaves GM as the only company currently interested in acquiring the group (not confirmed). It is rumored that GM is basically interested in Jeep and Dodge, but will buy the whole group if it is necessary. It is estimated that if it does go up for sale the Chrysler Group could go for $13 billion.

Rumors have been circling after DaimlerChrysler said that they were looking at every option necessary after the huge $1.3 billion loss last year (Chrysler Division). A possible de-merger could be on the horizon.

Chrysler and General Motors are currently discussing the possibility of collaborating on a large suv for Chrysler. The SUV would be about the same size as the Suburban, something that Chrysler is currently missing from their lineup.

DaimlerChrysler has reported a profit of $7.3 billion in 2006, which is due
to the Mercedes arm and the commercial truck division. The Chrysler division
lost $1.3 billion last year. This is forcing management to re-evaluate the
current relationship.