Depending on person talking, the relaunch of the Fiat automobile brand in the United States late last year can be categorized anywhere from a complete success to a disappointment. So far, over 20,000 examples of the trendy subcompact Fiat 500 have been sold through distinct dealership for the US marketplace. Performing below the lofty expectations set by the auto company, the high-profile ad campaign that included a product placement deal with Jennifer Lopez has left many people to expect more from the Fiat 500. Optimism rests on the Fiat 500 being excited by the addition of the 500 Cabrio, the 160-horsepower Fiat 500 Abarth and news of a practical five-door model in the future. Chrysler‘s Mopar division has also gotten into the act of installing some excitement on their corporate sibling‘s small, new vehicle. While Mopar has previously interacted with the Fiat 500 , an all-new factory-direct sport package deeply marries itself with the Chrysler family. With 2012 being Mopar’s 75th anniversary, the Pentastar outfitter welcomed the Fiat 500 into the celebration with a ‘Sting’. Called the 2012 Fiat 500 Stinger, Mopar shows off a two-stage conversion where styling and performance have been centralized. People really in touch with motoring history would recall the “Stinger” name attached to 1966 and 1967 model year Chevrolet Corvairs . Prepared by auto dealer Don Yenko, the Yenko Stinger was a performance-perfected version of the European-inspired Corvair. From an entirely different company in an entirely different era, the Mopar-derived Fiat 500 Stinger is also an aggressive application of American racing desire. Stage One of the 2012 Fiat 500 Stinger exploits the Mopar’s aesthetic creativity with Italian style acting as the canvas. Brilliantly paraded alongside several other Mopar-modified vehicles for a 75th anniversary set, the 2012 Fiat 500 Stinger wears a Giallo (yellow) exterior colouring. Contrasting the Fiat 500 Stinger yellow, Mopar has added touches of black accenting along the outer shell including stripes that run solid from the headlamps before transitioning to a checkered pattern at the rear. A black chrome finish is also applied on the door handles as well as the Fiat 500 Stinger’s mirror car. 17-inch black aluminum...

Chrysler has turned around a lot faster than most in the industry imagined. Sales for Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep are all up by big margins, led by new and refreshed models like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 200. The Fiat 500 misfire not withstanding, Chrysler has experienced a a good success rate. These models are powered by Chrysler’s Pentastar V-6. This engine was talked about a lot leading up to its debut, because it was an all-new unit. The 2010 Grand Cherokee was the first model to be powered by this engine. Since then, Chrysler has introduced it in a host of other models. At Dodge there is the Avenger, Caravan, Challenger, Charger, Durango and Journey. At Chrysler there is the Town and Country, 200 and 300. The Pentastar is a powerful unit, making 283 horsepower from 3.6-liters. Today, an important milestone has been reached. In 18 months of production, 1 million units have been produced. This is especially impressive considering it was only launched in one model at first. Availability has slowly expanded across the company from there – for instance the 2012 Jeep Wrangler just got the engine. Production has taken place at two plants – primarily at the Trenton Engine Assembly Plant but also at a Chrysler factory in Saltillo, Mexico. Brian Harlow, head of Chrysler Powertrain Manufacturing, says: “To build one million of anything, and in an impressively short amount of time, is a significant achievement. But to do it with such a high degree of quality is a testament to our skilled and dedicated workforce at both Trenton South and Saltillo engine plants.” So far, the all-aluminum engine has been received very well by consumers, with good reliability scores as well.m The Pentastar has replaced numerous legacy power plants – six in total. Streamlining like this helps increase profitability and economies of scale. Not to mention, it is much smoother and more powerful than what Chrysler had before. Sounds like a winner! No related posts. Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts See original here: Chrysler Announces 1-Millionth Pentastar V-6

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into incidents of inadvertent air bag deployment without a crash in 2002 and 2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles. According to NHTSA’s Office of Defect Investigations, 87 reports of inadvertent air bag deployment resulted in 50 alleged injuries. The injuries included burns, cuts and bruises. Forty two of the 87 incidents involved the front driver air bag, and the other 45 involved both the driver and passenger front air bags inadvertently deploying. The incidents occurred both at vehicle startup or while the vehicle was being operated on the road. Some owners noted that the air bag warning light had illuminated, or had intermittently illuminated, and occurred just prior to the air bag deployment, while others stated they did not observe any illumination of the air bag light. Inspection of the occupant restraint control module by Chrysler indicates that an internal electronic circuit (an ASIC chip) that controls air bag deployment failed due to an electrical over stress condition, possibly caused by a transient voltage spike. Chrysler is in the process of identifying potential root causes of the component failure and the source for electrical over stress. In addition, Chrysler noted that there have been no reports of inadvertent air bag deployment in vehicles manufactured after March 19, 2003. However, Chrysler has not identified a component or other change that would explain why the inadvertent deployments ceased. Accordingly, the engineering analysis is being opened in order to further study the alleged defect and its consequences. The ODI reports can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/complaints under the following identification numbers: 10435710 10429579 10429306 10428411 10407276 10399551 10335637 10283484 10249231 10166706 10055405 See the original post:  NHTSA investigation: Inadvertent air bag deployment in 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles

The Chrysler product-planning department may want to avoid running for public office, lest they be labeled flip-floppers: After a confirmation followed by a cancellation , a Honda Civic–sized Chrysler is back in the company’s plans. Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Fiat and Chrysler, told the Detroit Free Press this week that such a car is happening, that it’ll be a hatchback, and that it could be called the Chrysler 100. We confirmed that the Free Press accurately quoted Marchionne, and we’ve since heard from our own sources that the car has the green light. Here’s why this is such an odd turn of events. In 2009, soon after Chrysler and Fiat first hooked up, the company presented a five-year product plan ; it included a Chrysler-badged C-segment sedan. Then, in April 2011, this changed. Olivier François—charged at the time with running the Chrysler and Lancia brands but currently the head of Fiat— told us that “either Dodge or Chrysler” would get a C-segment vehicle, but not both. With Dodge prototypes eventually becoming the new Dart , we concluded that the Chrysler model was dead. It has now risen, zombie-like, from the development grave. The Lancia Delta, which may become the Chrysler 100 Beyond knowing that it’ll have five doors and a two-box shape, we can’t tell you very much about the Chrysler 100. Logically, it would ride on the same platform as the new Dodge Dart, which is about the right size. The Dart’s platform is called CUSW within Chrysler/Fiat, which stands for Compact U.S. Wide; it’s a widened evolution of the underpinnings used for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta . Marchionne went on to say that the Chrysler 100 would be rebadged as a Lancia and exported to Europe. Wait, what? Lancia already has a hatchback that’s bigger than the Alfa Giulietta; it’s called the Delta. The Chrysler folks even surreptitiously plopped a Chrysler-badged Delta onto its stand at the 2010 Detroit auto show. Why design an all-new C-segment hatchback, build it in the U.S., and then ship it off to Lancia in Europe, where such a car already exists? Surely it would be cheaper for Chrysler to take the existing Delta, federalize it for the U.S., and build and sell it locally. The Delta isn’t even...

The Chrysler product-planning department may want to avoid running for public office, lest they be labeled flip-floppers: After a confirmation followed by a cancellation , a Honda Civic–sized Chrysler is back in the company’s plans. Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Fiat and Chrysler, told the Detroit Free Press this week that such a car is happening, that it’ll be a hatchback, and that it could be called the Chrysler 100. We confirmed that the Free Press accurately quoted Marchionne, and we’ve since heard from our own sources that the car has the green light. Here’s why this is such an odd turn of events. In 2009, soon after Chrysler and Fiat first hooked up, the company presented a five-year product plan ; it included a Chrysler-badged C-segment sedan. Then, in April 2011, this changed. Olivier François—charged at the time with running the Chrysler and Lancia brands but currently the head of Fiat— told us that “either Dodge or Chrysler” would get a C-segment vehicle, but not both. With Dodge prototypes eventually becoming the new Dart , we concluded that the Chrysler model was dead. It has now risen, zombie-like, from the development grave. The Lancia Delta, which may become the Chrysler 100 Beyond knowing that it’ll have five doors and a two-box shape, we can’t tell you very much about the Chrysler 100. Logically, it would ride on the same platform as the new Dodge Dart, which is about the right size. The Dart’s platform is called CUSW within Chrysler/Fiat, which stands for Compact U.S. Wide; it’s a widened evolution of the underpinnings used for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta . Marchionne went on to say that the Chrysler 100 would be rebadged as a Lancia and exported to Europe. Wait, what? Lancia already has a hatchback that’s bigger than the Alfa Giulietta; it’s called the Delta. The Chrysler folks even surreptitiously plopped a Chrysler-badged Delta onto its stand at the 2010 Detroit auto show. Why design an all-new C-segment hatchback, build it in the U.S., and then ship it off to Lancia in Europe, where such a car already exists? Surely it would be cheaper for Chrysler to take the existing Delta, federalize it for the U.S., and build and sell it locally. The Delta isn’t even...

As expected early this 2012 year, automakers posted some very optimistic sales numbers for the United States marketplace for 2011. A place where consumers still love their cars, 2011 provided an excellent year for North American car fans. No other time in the North American auto industry has motorists been able to explore so much freedom and choice. In only three years, the American auto industry has turned from forecasted shambles to a rosier, settled environment. Hitting Chrysler and General Motors in the most severe manner, no major auto company was truly immune to the economic troubles started in late 2008. Similar to reaction from the global banking and financial sector, it wasn’t until a key period where the public truly understood until bankruptcy papers were being filed. The combination of troubled business models and customers losing access to money or car loans needed for purchases led to a disappointing start of the 2009 calendar year. Between seven major automakers selling vehicles in the United States (GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Honda, Toyota and Hyundai/Kia), auto sales amounted to 9,124,380 cars in all of 2009 (5,145,746 units lower than just two years prior). It was only through a United States government sponsored new car purchase program that the tides began to reverse. Known as “ Cash for Clunkers ,” motorists were able to trade in an old vehicle for a guaranteed trade-in credit. After the 12 months of 2011, the same seven automakers have steadily performed better than the disastrous 2009 auto sales year. When the 2011 year ended, 10,987,403 were sold by the seven high volume automakers in the United States. Up 20.4 percent from 2009, the 2011 results continued the gains made after 2010 as some elements of the economy recuperated. Recognizing there is so many reasons to celebrate the improvement of the North American motor vehicle industry, the recent auto sale numbers indicating positive momentum from dismal 2009 figures have shown that the current car business is far from past glory.   The Detroit Three   For automakers Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, six years have seen once-proclaimed Big Three transform into the more modest moniker Detroit Three. In 2005, General Motors led United States car sales handsomely...

We heard, and Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik confirmed, that the Korean automaker will supply Chrysler with six-speed automatic transmissions for use in the new Dodge Dart. While it’s not uncommon for a manufacturer to source components from an outside supplier, it does seem a bit peculiar to see Chrysler and Hyundai pairing up again so soon after the recent split of the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA), a joint manufacturing concern the pair shared with Mitsubishi. World Engines, Worldly Transmissions But that peculiarity may only be on the surface. As a result of that now-dead partnership, the Dart’s updated 2.0- and 2.4-liter engines—the ones that use the six-speed automatic—are very similar to engines that Hyundai continues to use. (The Hyundai Sonata, for instance, uses a turbocharged 2.0 and a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter, both of which evolved from the GEMA program.) We suspect that Chrysler needed to quickly source a pile of six-speed autos for the sake of fuel economy—the four-speed units paired with the old versions of these engines wouldn’t have cut it—and so went with the Hyundai transmission, which should easily link up with the engines. Chrysler won’t confirm the purchase arrangement, and Hyundai isn’t offering any specifics on exactly which transmission it will sell to the Italian-Americans. The Calibration Game We’ve also heard that Chrysler is having some difficulty with final calibrations of the Hyundai gearbox. This got us wondering how the automaker has already arrived at the Dart’s “unadjusted combined fuel-economy rating” of 40 mpg, a miserly number that happens to be one of the metrics needed to trigger Fiat’s recent automatic five-percent ownership increase in Chrysler. It’s possible—and, again, Chrysler is staying mum on the subject—that the 40-mpg unadjusted number comes from a 2.0- or 2.4-liter Dart with a six-speed manual, or the turbocharged 1.4-liter model and its dual-clutch automatic. And the calibrations in question could be those more specifically focused on drivability, which wouldn’t affect emissions or economy, therefore allowing the company to lock in its mileage number. If it is indeed the Hyundai-sourced ’box used to achieve the 40-mpg number, the latter scenario...

The 700C Concept that Chrysler quietly rolled out to the Detroit Auto Show floor during the show’s media days was a rarity among modern auto-show debuts for two reasons: First, it was completely unexpected and caught everyone—even some of Chrysler’s communications staff, it seems—by surprise, and wasn’t presented with any ‘official’… Read the original: Chrysler 700C Concept: 2012 Detroit Auto Show Video

Buick revealed the 2013 Encore compact luxury crossover earlier this week at the Detroit Auto Show. Essentially creating a new segment in the markeplace, Buick is looking to attract new customers with this crossover vehicle. Based on the same platform as the Chevrolet Sonic, the Encore is very compact in its dimensions, appearing even smaller than… See the rest here:  2013 Buick Encore: 2012 Detroit Auto Show Video

Much of the news coming from Chrysler this week has been about the death of the Dodge Caliber and its replacement by the 2013 Dodge Dart. (If you missed our take on the Dart’s six strengths, you can read it here.) Now comes word that another Dodge model may soon get the axe: the Dodge Avenger. The news comes from AutoNews, which spoke to Dodge… Read more here: Dodge Avenger May Be On The Chopping Block

The devil’s in the details–and Nissan had few of those details to divulge when it came to the Nissan Pathfinder concept it showed at the 2012 Detroit auto show. While it wasn’t talking hardcore horsepower figures or exact fuel economy numbers, Nissan did introduce the Pathfinder with a few talking points in hand. For one, the new crossover is… See the original post: 2012 Nissan Pathfinder Concept: 2012 Detroit Auto Show Video

At a Detroit Auto Show press conference earlier this week, Chrysler rolled out its upcoming 2013 Dodge Dart. Set to replace the Dodge Caliber, priced starting at $15,995 (below the Caliber), and slotting right along more mainstream compact sedans like the Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze, Hyundai Elantra, and Honda Civic, the new Dart looks like a… Read the original post:  2013 Dodge Dart: Six Reasons It’ll Be Quieter, Smoother Than Caliber

Automakers are constantly mining their past glory for new products: Special edition this; anniversary model that…sometimes it’s no more than a tape stripe or special numbered badge. But the current Dodge Charger, in all its V8 glory, really looks like the real deal. The car on display to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the company’s Mopar parts brand here in Detroit is the Dodge Charger Redline, stuffed full of upgrade parts from Mopar, all the way to a 590-hp V8 that isn’t even street legal. Diving into the past? No doubt, but this one is packed with substance as well as style. For those who grew up fans of 1960s and ’70s muscle cars, Mopar was one of the cornerstones of straight-line performance. According to Chrysler, the Mopar brand came about when the company needed a name for its antifreeze product and came up with “MoPar,” combining “MOtor and PARts.” All of Chrysler’s latest SRT8 performance models that I’ve driven were fun to drive, with wicked acceleration and soul-stirring exhaust notes. Two of the available upgrade “stages” on the Charger Redline include aerodynamic exterior components and interior add-ons as well as bolt-on performance parts to make the car quicker and enhance handling and braking. You can also get a cat-back performance exhaust system to make the system sing with a little more soul. The final stage is a new high-output version of the aluminum-block 426 Hemi V8. Not that the “basic” SRT8’s 470 hp leave you wanting, but this new crate engine, delivers 590 hp. The company says this engine is “for race/off-road use only.” Here’s the best part: The Charger Redline on display had an old-school lift-off hood. And just like the old street racers with their Dodge Super Bees and Plymouth Road Runners eager to show off a beautiful engine, the propped up hood afforded an amazing view of that sick V8. I seriously doubt this is going to be available for production cars, but it made me grin from ear to ear. View original post here: 2012 Detroit auto show: After 75 years, Mopar, we have lift off

Technology is a great thing — except when it’s not. While computers, smartphones, and satnav have generally made our lives easier, they have to be designed to be usable by folks across the tech spectrum, from web-savvy grandparents to their even-more-savvy grandchildren. To that end, Chrysler has launched a new website for Uconnect, which walks… View original here: Chrysler Launches Uconnect Website To Dodge Ford’s Fate

The 2012 Detroit auto show is up to speed, and one of the most important new vehicles from the show is live now on the show floor at Cobo Center. The 2013 Ford Fusion arrives later this as the follow-up to one of Ford’s biggest sales successes of the past five years. New in 2006, the Fusion is now the third most popular mid-size family sedan… Here is the original:  2013 Ford Fusion: Live Detroit Show Photos