Jeep brand Chrysler's global focus

Chrysler Group's Jeep brand will become the subsidiary's primary global make in the first half of next year as Fiat emphasises the Lancia nameplate in Europe, a top executive said.

Chrysler's minivan, the Sebring and 300 models will be rebadged as Lancias across most of Europe at the end of the first quarter or early in the second, said Michael Manley, Chrysler Group's international chief.

Manley said sharing models among the brands is part of a plan outlined by Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne in November.

Chrysler aims for Jeep to account for half of Chrysler Group's international sales, up from closer to a third historically, he said.

The goal will be to have two brands - Jeep and one other - from the Chrysler Group in every market, Manley said at an event to introduce the new version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee last week in California.

"The brand is global, it's very well known everywhere around the world," said Manley. "With our partnership with Fiat we can now focus on Jeep as an international brand."

Chrysler builds two new crossovers for Alfa Romeo

If Alfa Romeo denied rumors about a future SUV then why has Chrysler decided to build two of them under the Alfa Romeo name? Both models will be built in the US with the first model being based on the Giulietta and launching in 2012. The second one is based on the Jeep Cherokee with a debut set for 2014.

The two SUVs
are internally known as CSUV (Project 921, CXover possible model name) and D-SUV led (Project 931, model name DXover possible). Both models will be built on the so-called C/D-matrix platform that will also be used for a few other Alfa Romeo models in the future. With approximately 4.6 meters, the Giulietta version will be about 30 centimeters shorter than the D-SUV.

The smaller version will only be offered with four-cylinder engines, with base version using a 115 HP 1.6-liter engine version and the top model using a 1.8-liter engine with 140 HP. A 200 HP Quadrifoglio Verde will also be offered. The Diesel version will include a 1.6-liter engine with 120 HP and a larger 2.0-liter engine with 140 or 170 HP.

At its launch, the DXover version will be offered with a 2.8-liter V6 with 197 HP and a new 3.0-liter V6 with 225 HP at first. A 273 HP 3.3 liters V6 engine will be available at a later date.

Chrysler putting owners manuals on smart phones

Chrysler Group is putting your new car's owners manual on your smartphone. The maker of Chryslers, Jeeps and Dodges says it's the first big automaker to do it.

Last year, Chrysler Group replaced traditional, bulky owner manuals with DVDs and user guides. That was a space-saving idea, given that owners manuals have grown to 1,000 pages sometimes, but most people don't carry around a DVD player.

Now, in addition to general vehicle information including vehicle operation, maintenance and warranty, this new app offers product-feature video demonstrations, connections with fellow owners via the company's brands on social media sites, and access to customer care and 24-hour road-side assistance, the company says.

The new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, coming to showrooms now, will be the first to get it.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The rocks and desert surrounding Moab, Utah, have seen a lot of things. Dinosaurs hatching, dying, and turning into tar. Mormons fleeing persecution, flourishing, and inspiring a hit HBO show. And Jeeps. Lots and lots and lots of Jeeps. But this is Moab’s first look at the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Ours, too, at least from behind the wheel.

It’s an eagerly anticipated one, with Chrysler hitting financial rock bottom last year and its new-product pipeline drying up like a desert riverbed under the sweltering summer sun. That makes this Grand Cherokee, the first Jeep product to emerge after the Fiat-Chrysler alliance, a hugely important barometer of vitality and competence for an organization that has displayed little of either for the better part of a decade. The latest Ram and Ram Heavy Duty pickups are good indicators of what Chrysler is still capable of—they’re very good. Hooray for Chrysler, then, that the 2011 Grand Cherokee is good, too.

Based on the same architecture as the current-generation Mercedes-Benz M-class, the Grand Cherokee has thoroughly modern running gear. The live axle of the previous generation was tossed in favor of an independent multilink suspension, and civility has taken a commensurate move upward. Even while losing the stick axle, Jeep calls this “the most capable Grand Cherokee ever.” Helping validate that claim is an optional Land Rover–style terrain-selection system, inventively called Selec-Terrain, as well as three different all-wheel-drive systems and an available air suspension.

We spent the better part of a day scrambling up, over, and around nature on Moab’s Hell’s Revenge and Fins and Things trails, which were thick with lifted Jeep CJs, Toyota FJs, and custom-built off-road beasts. The GC acquitted itself very well, a given considering the trails were custom-picked to showcase the SUV’s abilities. Still, we easily conquered super-steep rock faces, craggy stair climbs, and sandy washouts—all with ventilated seats whirring under our butts. The sweaty driver of the 1975 CJ we saw with no doors and a three-legged dog riding shotgun didn’t know what he was missing. We returned to the trailheads suitably impressed.

Chrysler Recalls 570,000 Jeeps and Minivans

The 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.

Chrysler is recalling more than half a million minivans and Jeep Wranglers, the automaker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A wiring problem is forcing the automaker to recall about 285,000 2008-9 Dodge Grand Caravans and Chrysler Town & Country minivans. Chrysler told the safety agency on June 1 that “an improperly routed wiring harness” can be rubbed by a sliding door. That would wear through the insulation and possibly cause a fire inside the door. Chrysler said it has 57 reports of vehicles having “thermal damage” but knows of no accidents or injuries.

In addition, about 285,000 2007–10 Jeep Wranglers are being recalled. The problem with the Jeeps, Chrysler says, is that the front inner fender liners may rub against brake lines and cause a leak. That could result in a “partial loss” of the brakes, the automaker told safety agency. Chrysler said it was not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the problem.

Chrysler Recall 2010 – Vehicle List and Repair Information

Chrysler Recall 2010 – Vehicle List and Repair Information. Some striking news came a few days ago from car manufacturer, Chrysler, as they explained that they are going to have to recall more than 700,000 vehicles. The decision to recall the cars came as Chrysler executives discovered brake and wiring problems in the recalled Chrysler models.

It is reported that there will be around 500,000 – 600,000 Chrysler vehicles that will have to be recalled in the United States, and there will also be around 100,000 vehicles to be recalled from various other countries.

Luckily, Chrysler seems to have caught this problem before any crashes or injuries were reported.

There are a few models of Chrysler cars that are affected by this recall including the 2006 – 2010 Jeep Wranglers, which are said to have a problem with leaking brake fluid, the 2008 – 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan and the 2008 – 2009 Chrysler Town and Country, both of which are said to have wiring issues.

Chrysler has reported that they will be getting in touch with all the owners of these cars to arrange repairs. If you own one of these cars, however, and are not contacted soon, you may want to contact your local dealer.

Chrysler Recalls Thousands Of Cars

Chrysler said Friday it would recall 25,000 Dodge and Jeep vehicles in the U.S. to fix sticking gas pedals made by the same supplier involved in the recall of 2.3 million Toyota vehicles for the same problem.

Chrysler told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that because the 25,263 2007 Dodge Calibers and 71 Jeep Compass models were equipped with brake-override software, it did not consider the problem a safety defect, but would conduct a voluntary recall anyway.

The automaker said the problem stemmed from a manufacturing defect at CTS that caused the bearing housing to be made too large, a problem CTS corrected in March 2006. Chrysler estimated that only 30% of the vehicles covered by the recall would actually have the problem.

In addition to the U.S. vehicles, Chrysler's recall also covers 5,572 cars in Canada, 2,260 in Mexico and 1,536 elsewhere.

Toyota cited sticking pedals from CTS as the problem behind the recall of 2.3 million vehicles this year linked to reports of sudden acceleration. Toyota has said the pedals and unsecured floor mats were the only known reason for thousands of complaints, but NHTSA and two congressional panels are still probing the automaker's response and researching whether its electronics were at fault.