The Fiat-Chrysler partnership has opened up all kinds of interesting possibilities. Chrysler and Lancia are now paired together, Dodge and Alfa Romeo are sharing platforms and Fiats are making their way to the United States. For those not attuned to the automotive industry it can be confusing. Unthinkable a few years ago would have been the thought that Jeep and Ferrari are under the same roof. No way right? Jeep (excuse me, SRT) is making use of the connection in creating awareness for the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8. Two models have been delivered to Ferrari’s Formula One drivers, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa. They aren’t just any Grand Cherokee SRT-8s though – they have been specially-outfitted “Ferrari style.” Alonso and Massa will be given all the cars they ever need at this rate – Fiat gave them both Abarth 650 Tributos in 2010. Beth Peretta, marketing director for the SRT brand says: “We are excited and proud to be able to hand over the exclusively personalised “Ferrari-style” versions of the most powerful and fastest Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 of all time to two of the most talented drivers in the world….we are sure Fernando and Felipe will feel perfectly at home at the wheel of these cars that take styling cues from Ferrari with Rosso Corsa bodywork and that represent the pinnacle in terms of performance for the Jeep brand” Ferrari-style means a finish in the brand’s signature Rosso Corsa red (what else?) with black and silver contrast racing stripes, along with a matte black grille, alloy wheels and roof. It makes for a special Grand Cherokee unlike any other – and we’re glad to see there aren’t any Ferrari logos anywhere to be found. Both models are matching, and under the skin powered by the same 4.6-liter V-8 making 465 horsepower and 465 pound feet of torque. That is enough to send Alonso and Felipe to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. Related posts: Extreme: Hennessey Tunes Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 Jeep Ascends with 2011 Grand Cherokee Overland Summit Grand Cherokee-Based SUV Coming to Maserati Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts View original here:  Jeep Delivers Special Grand Cherokee SRT-8s to Ferrari Scuderia Racing Drivers

While nearly every automaker reported brisk, upbeat sales numbers for the first month of 2012, General Motors didn’t have much to cheer. GM sales were off by 6 percent last month, while its crosstown rivals were up, strongly in the case of Chrysler, which reported a sales increase of 44 percent, while Ford rose 7 percent. Also on the upturn were… Go here to see the original:  January 2012 Car Sales Are Strong–Except At GM

In the muddled order of the Chrysler Group’s brands, Dodge’s stated future mission is to be a performance brand. This ambition has led to a few different conundrums. What about the Journey, Grand Caravan or just released Dart? These are all as mainstream as they come, and in reality that is right where Dodge should be placed. Mainstream, with a bit of bolder performance twist. Despite the lofty talk, that is exactly where Dodge is right now. Alfa Romeo can focus on European performance and handling. Where Dodge has shone though is with SRT models. If the dreadful Neon had one redeeming model, it was no doubt the SRT-4. Same thing for the Caliber. The Dart looks to be a far more competitive model than either of those. That gives the performance trim level a much better basis to start off from. According to Motor Trend , Dodge and the team at Street Racing Technology has a Dart SRT-4 waiting in the wings. The high watermark of small car performance at Dodge was the Caliber SRT-4 with 285 horsepower. MT says the Dart SRT-4 will seek to surpass that. That will make for screaming performance – and if left as is with front wheel drive, probably some incredible torque steer too! With that much power we think the car would be better suited to having an all-wheel drive system. AWD in general is much better suited to performance applications. With AWD, the Dart SRT-4 would be a head-on competitor to the Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. As for the Focus ST, it would be in the rearview mirror. That is if the Dart SRT-4 really gets close to the 300 hp though – we could see it coming in at less than that. For instance, 250 hp would still make for sprightly performance. To get to that figure, Dodge would have to either use the new Alfa Romeo 1.8-liter coming up or turbocharge the existing Tigershark engine. Adding turbocharging to the Tigershark is the most likely option, as the Alfa Romeo engine is considerably more expensive. Expect the Dart SRT-4 to land as a 2014 model. Hopefully by then more of the competition will want to get in on the performance action too. Related posts: Dodge Returns To Compacts With 2013 Dart 2013 Dodge Dart To Get 9-Speed (!) ZF Gearbox, “Tigershark” Engines Detroit: 2013 Dodge Dart Automoblog.net –...

What has 10 cylinders and wants to eat your children? The 2013 SRT Viper. Well, probably. We won’t know for sure whether the Viper has 10 cylinders until it’s revealed to the public—and Chrysler has just announced that debut will take place at the 2012 New York auto show in April. Judging by this drawing, it will, once again, want to eat your children. Aside from that, the image doesn’t indicate a whole lot: There’s a hood scoop—to which we respond “duh”—and very likely a set of LED-festooned headlights. Neither of these details are original ideas in car design, and that fact matters not in the slightest. What does matter is the voracious war criminal of an engine installed behind the hood scoop and headlights. We’re predicting a V-10 with at least 660 hp. We also note that the Viper coupe’s double-bubble roof will return, although it appears to have been squared off for 2013. The same look was recently spotted on a pair of C7 Corvette prototypes . Coincidence? Absolutely. (A Viper roadster will follow the new coupe into production.) If you’re confused about why we’re calling this car the SRT Viper and not the Dodge Viper, you can read about the decision to rebrand the reptillian beast . Shakespeare said a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. We submit that a hulking muscle car by any other brand name will smell just as much like vaporized rubber. In other words, sweet. More here: All-New 2013 SRT Viper Previewed, Will Debut at New York Auto Show in April Go here to see the original:  All-New 2013 SRT Viper Previewed, Will Debut at New York Auto Show in April

Here’s the first teaser image of the newly de-Dodged 2013 SRT Viper — posted moments ago on the DriveSRT Facebook Page ahead of its expected debut sometime in the next couple of months. More » Here is the original: 2013 SRT Viper: First Photo [2013 SRT Viper] Read the original post:  2013 SRT Viper: First Photo [2013 SRT Viper]

The EPA just released fuel-economy ratings for the recently debuted 2012 BMW 3-series , and the numbers are very impressive—and not just for the luxury sports-sedan segment. The 328i , which is powered by a turbocharged 240-hp four-cylinder engine, is rated at 24 mpg city and 36 highway when equipped with the optional eight-speed automatic transmission. The 328i is rated at 23/34 with the six-speed manual. These are, frankly, great numbers. You can see how the 328i’s fuel economy compares to other competitive vehicles in the chart below, but let’s compare apples to oranges for a moment: The Toyota Corolla, which has a great reputation for being frugal, is motivated by a 1.8-liter four with just 132 hp and is rated at 26 mpg city/34 highway when equipped with a four-speed automatic. Even the turbocharged six-cylinder 335i has done well by the EPA’s yardstick. At 23 mpg city/33 highway, Bimmer’s 300-hp sports sedan betters most everything in its class. (That’s for the car with the autobox; figures for the stick-shifted 335i drop to 20/30.)  The automatic 335i makes the dual-clutch-equipped Audi S4 (18/28) look like a thirsty pig in contrast, and the BMW even trounces the heavier—but diesel-drinking— Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec , which is rated at 21/32. We know a diesel engine is coming to the 3-series, and a hybrid will be out soon. But with numbers like these, we have to ask whether these alternative powertrains are worth the cost—for BMW or for future consumers. Look for our complete instrumented test of the 335i soon; in the meantime, you can read our first drive of the 328i here . Original post: 2012 BMW 3-Series Fuel-Economy Ratings Out, 328i Scores 36 MPG Highway Continued here: 2012 BMW 3-Series Fuel-Economy Ratings Out, 328i Scores 36 MPG Highway

We don’t usually geek out to manufactured viral marketing fluff, but trust us, this video is pretty good. The marketing team behind the movie Chronicle flew three human shaped RC planes around NYC to make it look like real people were magically flying. From the ground, it really looked like you were watching a superhero do its flyin’ thang. More » View post: Watch These Fake Flying People Freak Out New York City [Video] See the original post: Watch These Fake Flying People Freak Out New York City [Video]

It’s the recently redesigned Dodge Charger with the Pentastar V-6. We’ve already tested a 2011 Charger with the V-6 , though. That one was even rear-wheel drive, too, just like this example. So why are we testing this one now? The first car weighed just three pounds less, and it was orange with a black and tan interior; this car is all black. Also, this one has the new eight-speed ZF automatic where that orange car had a five-speed. Keep Reading: 2012 Dodge Charger SXT V6 – Instrumented Test Read more here: 2012 Dodge Charger SXT V6 Eight-Speed Tested: And Now the Fine-Tuning The rest is here:  2012 Dodge Charger SXT V6 Eight-Speed Tested: And Now the Fine-Tuning

This weekend marks the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona and Jalopnik is again teaming up with MotorSportMedia to bring you the best video and photography from the week of events. First up we’ve got photos from Thursday’s practice. — Ed. More » View original post here:  The 2012 Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona: Day One [Car Porn] Here is the original:  The 2012 Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona: Day One [Car Porn]

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...

Acura is less than two weeks away from revealing its production-ready ILX compact sedan at the Chicago auto show, but our spy shooters spotted a test vehicle and managed to take a clear picture of the car’s dash. The ILX concept , which appeared in January in Detroit, was an exterior buck with no interior. Surprise, surprise: The interior is pretty standard Acura stuff. The button-smothered center stack borrows a few pieces from the Honda Civic—it shares a basic platform with the ILX—including the climate-control knobs at the bottom. It looks like Acura won’t use this car as an opportunity to stray from its current infotainment setup, which involves a giant control knob protruding from the middle of the dashboard. We’re not fans of the setup as a whole, but we’ve at least been promised that the software will receive a significant upgrade. Since the ILX is targeted at younger shoppers (think people under 40), there’s a lot at stake in having quick, modern, and seamless phone integration and navigation. The pictures don’t convey material or assembly quality, but we hope significant attention has been given to the ILX’s cabin: The cheap-feeling interior in the ILX’s Civic sibling is a big disappointment. Honda heard us —and the rest of the car-buying public—and is fast-tracking updates said to enrich the experience. That hopefully bodes well for the ILX’s trappings. Acura previously announced that the ILX would get three powertrain configurations. A 2.0-liter four making 150 to 160 hp will be paired exclusively with an automatic transmission. The enthusiast’s choice will be the 200-ish-hp, 2.4-liter four sold only with a six-speed manual gearbox. Finally, an ILX hybrid will be offered and borrow its 1.5-liter four from the Civic hybrid ; the electric motor probably will be shared with the Honda, too. Exact specs for the three powerplants should accompany the car’s official debut. As for the ILX’s sheetmetal, it should be nearly identical to that of the Detroit concept. A few of the smallest details—wheels, the shape of the side mirrors—could change, but in essence, what we saw is what we’ll get. It looks decent in person, and the Civic roots aren’t obvious. While we and...

Chrysler/Fiat’s branding strategy is quite curious. They’re doing things right now that is unprecedented in modern times. First of all, they are proliferating individual brands. The Ram truck was split off from Dodge into its own division, complete with its own website – despite being sold in the same dealer. Then you have Street Racing Technology, which the company is trying to pitch as its own division, with its own marketing and the like. Then Fiat is added into the mix, which has gotten an entire line of dedicated studios. And don’t forget Alfa Romeo, whose return is just around the corner. It all seems like a jumbled mess. Then you have to think about the Chrysler brand. What is its wheelhouse and where will it be positioned in the future? What is happening at Dodge? It is very unclear what the overall strategy is, if there is any. Dodge was supposed to focus on performance, along with Alfa Romeo. That meant the hot-selling Grand Caravan minivan was supposed to be axed, along with the Avenger. But then you have the utterly mainstream Dart being launched in the midst of all this. Dodge should be the mainstream brand at the Chrysler Group, with Chrysler as luxury/mid-luxury and Alfa Romeo going against the European luxury brands. Jeep’s mission is well defined. But we digress. It appears Chrysler may be going back to a sane strategy. As we mentioned earlier, the Avenger was supposed to go away in its next-generation, with a Chrysler and Alfa Romeo mid-sizer based on the platform. Now, USA Today reports that the Avenger could live on, in an effort to increase the amount of models (for economies of scale) on the platform. Finally something is making sense. In fact, if any car should be being killed, it should be the Chrysler 200. Chrysler will ever have a shred of hope in being a luxury brand if cars like the 200 continue to stick around. At this point it would probably be better to focus on Alfa Romeo in the United States. The Avenger and next-generation 200 are expected to make their debut next year. No related posts. Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts See the original post here:  Branding Confusion: Next-Generation Dodge Avenger Coming

Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental. After this year’s Detroit auto show and a trip to California for a press event, I am back on my German home turf. This Detroit auto show—public days of which just ended last weekend—was the best one in several years. After thumbing through my notes, I’ve compiled a few of my observations from Cobo Hall and subsequent meetings, outlining the highlights, lowlights, and so-so performances. Yes: Acura NSX . Finally, another super sports car from Honda! A Honda/Acura rebirth is on the way, disturbing comments by the company’s North American marketing executives notwithstanding. This car won’t be a compromise. One caveat: Voices tell me CEO Ito has seen the light in the form of electrics and hybrids. At least he thinks so. No: Cadillac ATS . Cadillac has been defined by its characteristic and unmistakably angular styling language, and I was expecting an ultra-contemporary, aggressive compact sports sedan. A sharper and more compact CTS, please. Alas, the ATS falls flat down on its unremarkable face—and the interior doesn’t save it, either. Are Cadillac’s designers voluntarily abandoning its styling language, or was this car clinicked to death? At this point, it makes no difference. But hey, it’s supposed to beat the 3-series on the road, right? We’ll see. Yes: Audi’s Q3 Vail concept . “Two months ago, [CEO] Rupert Stadler asked us to create a Q3 for America to gauge interest in the car,” says exterior designer Frank Gruner. His team took the off-road styling package add-ons, resprayed them in a granite color, added running boards, aluminum appliqués, and 20-inch wheels, plus an aluminum roof rack with integrated LED lights.The concept was so well received that Stadler confirmed the Q3 will come to the U.S. So-so: the Mercedes-Benz SL550 . I love the fact this car is up to 275 pounds lighter than its predecessor, and I am sure it will be an absolute blast to drive. (Please also mark me down for extended test drives of the upcoming SL63 and SL65 AMG versions.) Meanwhile, however, allow me...

Consumer Reports’ 2012 Car Brand Perception Survey reveals how consumers rank car brands across seven purchase-influencing factors, such as safety, quality, and value. And the research also sheds light on what brands consumers are likely to purchase from for their next new car. Ford, Toyota, and Chevrolet lead purchase intent, though Honda has a higher brand loyalty rate than its domestic competitors. These four makes dominate among those that consumers are most likely to purchase the next time they shop for a new car. Collectively, they were singled out by more than one-half of consumers who participated in this survey. Gender differences had men more likely to focus on truck-purveyors Ford (19 vs 14 percent women) and Chevrolet (15 vs 11 percent women). Women had a stronger preference for Toyota (16 vs 12 percent men), a brand whose sales mix heavily favors cars and crossovers over rugged trucks. Outside of these four brands, all others counted 3 percent or less in purchase intent, revealing a major gap between the leaders and other brands. Looking year over year, the rates are quite consistent. Likely to purchase Brand 2012 (%) 2011 (%) Ford 16 18 Toyota 14 12 Chevrolet 13 13 Honda 9 10 Dodge 3 3 Nissan 3 4 BMW 3 2 Subaru 3 2 Buick 3 3 GMC 2 2 Hyundai 2 3 Cadillac 2 1 Strong purchase-intent performance is aided by a high level of brand loyalty. Each year, we also analyze the purchase intent among the most popular vehicles in the survey. Again, we find Toyota, Honda, Chevrolet, and Ford each with more than a 50-percent brand loyalty rating. All four brands remained relatively consistent, compared against last year, with just incremental adjustments. Making a bigger move, Dodge loyalty fell by one fifth, with just 28 percent currently declaring intent to remain loyal. The shift is surprising, as we noted last year that Dodge had moved from 32 percent to 35 percent, surmising that its revitalized product line may have been a chief contributor. It is clear that something is not resonating as well with Dodge owners now. Given the tough economy, and increased interest in fuel economy, the lack of small, efficient vehicles in its product portfolio may be impacting Dodge loyalty. Perhaps the upcoming Dart and other Fiat-aided products can address that in the...