For 2011 the Jeep Wrangler is getting a much needed interior update in addition to a body-color removable hardtop on the Sahara model.

The interior of the Wrangler gets a new instrument panel, steering wheel and an updated center stack that is easier to operate. The Wrangler also gets new storage areas and larger rear windows. Power heated mirrors are also available.

Production of the 2011 Wrangler began earlier this week.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is almost here and Jeep has released several new photos of its new SUV.

Jeep already released the official starting price last week for the new Grand Cherokee ($32,995). The 2011 Grand Cherokee gets Chrysler's all-new 290-hp 3.6L Pentastar V6 that gets an 11 percent improvement in fuel economy with up to 23 mpg on the highway. A 360-hp 5.7L V8 is optional.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will official enter production tomorrow, May 21st.

Chrysler has announced the pricing for the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The new Jeep Cherokee, which will be in showrooms next month starts at $32,995 for the Laredo 4x4 model.

The Jeep Cherokee will be available in three models: Laredo ($32,995), Limited ($39,995) and Overland ($42,995). The standard engine is a new 290-hp 3.6L V6 that gets an 11 percent improvement in fuel economy with up to 23 mpg. A 360-hp 5.7L V8 is optional.

Chrysler is in dire need to new product, but Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne recently told a group of reporters that Chrysler is on track to break even this year. He is confident that Chrysler will sell 1.1 million vehicles in the US this year. Additionally Marchionne also said that Chrysler will not get into the incentive war, by boosting the incentives on its vehicles.

The all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is expected to enter production on May 3, with sales starting in late June or July. By 2014 more than half of Chrysler's vehicles will be built on Fiat platforms. It was also reported earlier this week that Chrysler is moving up the introduction of the new 300 to the end of this year instead of early next year.

Chrysler is planning on using Fiat's C-segment platform as the basis for future Jeep models.

The same platform is currently used by the Alfa Romeo Milano. The platform is ideal since it is available in two different lengths and can accommodate a four-wheel-drive system. According to Autocar, Jeep plans to use the platform for upcoming entry-level models developing them as urban city cars with off-road capabilities.

If this report is true Fiat and Chrysler are also planning on building a production line in the US for the Fiat platform.

The Jeep Wrangler is not set to get a diesel engine in North America in 2011.

"We have no plans at the moment for diesel Jeeps in North America, although one of the things I've learned in this business is to never say never," said Michael Manley, president and chief executive officer of the Jeep brand. "I wouldn't rule it out, but specifically on Nov. 4, we were commenting on diesel in Europe."

Instead of getting a new diesel engine, the Wranger is expected to get Chrysler's new Pentastar V6 engine when it gets a refresh next summer.

The Jeep Wrangler is expected to get interior improvements this summer.

Jeep is going to unveil three new limited edition models at the Detroit Auto Show next week: the Liberty Renegade, Wrangler Islander and Wrangler Mountain.

The Liberty Renegade will be positioned between the Liberty Sport and Limited models. It features painted Mineral Gray Keystone 16-inch wheels; dark neutral metallic wheel flares, lower side sills, front and rear fascia. Inside there are new seats, driftwood accent bezels and a leather-wrapped center console. The Liberty Renegade is powered by the same 3.7L V6 that powers all Liberty models mated to Jeep's Selec-Trac II active four-wheel-drive system.

The Wrangler Islander package returns after 20 years and with an optional Surf Blue Pearl Coat and an Islander "Tiki Bob" decal on the hood. It also includes blackside steps and Moab 17-inch wheels with 32-inch tires. Inside the Islander's seats are Dark Gray with Surf Blue inserts. The Islander package costs $1,120.

The Wrangler Mountain package is based on the Wrangler Sport S package. It features a "Mountain" decal on the hood, painted high-gloss Mineral Gray 17-inch Moab wheels, grille and bumper appliqués; tubular side steps; 32-inch tires; black tail lamp guards; and a fuel-filler door from Mopar. Inside the seats are embroidered with a "Mountain" logo. The Mountain package costs $1,820.

For decades Chrysler has had problems with the quality of its vehicles. Chrysler is now seeking to become a quality leader by 2012 and it is doing so with a revamped and much larger quality team and tougher standards.

"It's different now," said Doug Betts, senior vice president in charge of quality at Chrysler. "People are talking openly about problems now and how to fix (them.)"

Betts was recruited from Nissan two years ago under Chrysler's former owner, Cerberus Capital Management LP. At that time Cerberus also pledged to improve Chrysler's quality issues, but then the Chrysler ran out of money.

Chrysler sales are down 38.9 percent this year, so there isn't a better time than now to fix Chrysler's issues. Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles continue to perform poorly in quality surveys, which has hurt the automaker's sales.

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has made quality a priority and Betts is hiring more than 200 quality engineers bringing the total to 1,700 from 200 when he started 2 years ago.

Chrysler is expected to unveil its 5-year plan next week on November 4th, but the Wall Street Journal has revealed many of the details we can expect to hear next week.

The plan is calling for the end of many of the Chrysler models that are currently in US showrooms. Many of the models will be replaced by vehicles from Fiat and Alfa Romeo.

Expect more details next week, but for now here's a list of what models we can expect to see either die or survive...

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has launched a new roof strength rating system and has chosen to put 12 small SUVs up to the test.

More than 10,000 people are killed a year in rollovers and SUVs rank higher compared to cars and minivans.

In the Institute's roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of a roof at a constant speed. To earn a good rating, the roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle's weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio. For an acceptable rating, the minimum required strength-to-weight ratio is 3.25. A marginal rating value is 2.5. Anything lower than that is poor.

Only 4 of the small SUVs earned the top rating of good: VW Tiguan, Subaru Forester, Honda Element and Jeep Patriot. the VW Tiguan had the strongest roof out of all the SUVs tested. The Suzuki Grand Vitara, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, and Mitsubishi Outlander are rated acceptable. Roofs on the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape are marginal, and the Kia Sportage received a poor rating.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Kelley Blue Book has released its list of the top ten coolest vehicles under $18,000 for 2008. Most of us can think of a list of cars that we would "label" as cool, but most of these cars probably don't list for under $18,000.

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

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.

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.

KGP spy photographers have caught what appears to be a Jeep Wrangler-based pickup truck. It seems that Jeep is working on a production version of the Jeep JT Concept.

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.

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.

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.

Jeep has announced the pricing for its all new 2008 Liberty SUV. In general the new Liberty is about $1,000 cheaper than the outgoing model. A base Jeep Liberty 4x2 will start at $20,990 when it goes on sale this summer, which is $1,270 less than the 2007 model. The base 4x4 model will start at $22,600 and the Limited model will start at $25,175 for the 4x2 model. The 4x4 Liberty Limited is going to start at $26,785.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Kelly Blue Book has compiled their list of the top 10 coolest cars under $18,000. Today as the average car price is well into the $20,000's it is good to know that there are cheaper alternatives that are still cool to own.

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.

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.

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.