It was a matter of time before Chrysler re-entered the commercial van market in North America and now we know what’s coming. Starting in 2013 Chrysler’s Ram division will produce a version of Fiat’s Ducato Van to square off with Ford and GM’s commercial vans. This could be a real player in that segment but time will tell.
From Auto News.com:
Chrysler Group plans to add a large expansion to its current facilities in Saltillo, Mexico, to assemble a Ram-branded version of the Fiat Ducato commercial van for North America.
Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler Group, said this week at the Detroit auto show that the expansion of the Saltillo plant would make it “the center for production of light-commercial vehicles in North America for us.”
A Chrysler spokesman would not confirm the size of the investment, but company sources said it was expected to be about $500 million. Chrysler already operates a truck assembly plant, a stamping plant and two engine plants in Saltillo, about 180 miles southwest of Laredo, Texas.
Marchionne said the front-wheel-drive full-sized commercial van shares a platform with the Peugeot Boxer in Europe.
Car sales picked up the pace in November but will it last? The annual rate of 13.8 million sales we might have turned the corner to better days ahead. Chrysler was up a staggering 45 percent and that isn’t a misprint.
November shaped up to be a strong month for U.S. auto sales with all major automakers except Honda Motor Co. reporting better results than a year ago.
Honda’s sales of 83,925 were down 6 percent from a year ago, largely on inventory woes due to flooding in Thailand.
Chrysler Group LLC reported a whopping 45 percent sales increase in November in the first results of what is expected to be one of strongest months of the year for U.S. vehicle sales.
Conversely, General Motors Co. only saw sales grow 7 percent compared with a year ago.
Ford Motor Co. sits in the middle with total sales of 166,865, up 13 percent from 2010 results.
Toyota Motor Corp. said its sales were up 6.7 percent in November on volume of 137,960 units.
Chrysler, the biggest gainer for the month, sold 107,172 vehicles in November, the automaker’s sixth consecutive month of best year-over-year sales this year.
“With sales up 45 percent, November was another huge month for the Chrysler Group and our highest year-over-year sales gain of 2011,” said Reid Bigland, head of U.S. sales.
Strong sellers for the Auburn Hills automaker included the Chrysler 300 and 200 sedans, which contributed to the Chrysler brand’s 92 percent hike over last year and best November since 2008. Also boosting sales were the Dodge Charger, Avenger and Durango. The Fiat 500 notched 1,618 sales for the month.
The three Detroit-based automakers all reported double-digit U.S. sales increases in June, led by Chrysler Group LLC’s 30 percent increase from a year ago with 120,394 vehicles sold and the best June for the automaker since 2007.
That is followed by a 13.6 percent increase reported by Ford Motor Co. with 194,114 vehicles sold.
The third domestic automaker, General Motors Co., reported a 10.2 percent increase on sales of 215, 358 vehicles compared with June 2010.
Among the top Japanese automakers, who continue to struggle with earthquake-related shortages, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. reported a 27.1 percent decline for the month with total sales of 83,892. The Honda brand suffered a 27.4 percent drop in sales for the month while the luxury Acura brand was off pace by 24.5 percent.
Toyota Motor Corp. saw a 21.1 percent falloff for the month with 110,937 vehicles sold. The Toyota brand dropped 18.7 percent; Lexus division sales fell 37.8 percent compared with a year ago, when Japanese production was at full throttle.
“June marked a significant turning point for Toyota as sales moved up over last month (May),” said Don Esmond, head of U.S. operations. Supply and selection are improving daily, he said.
Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer of Fiat SpA and Chrysler LLC, smiles during the Fiat Group’s annual shareholder meeting in Turin March 30, 2011. Italian carmaker Fiat is targeting a higher market share for car sales in Europe in 2011 thanks to the launch of the new products in the second half of this year, Fiat’s boss Sergio Marchionne said on Wednesday. REUTERS/Giorgio Perottino ( ITALY – Tags: TRANSPORT BUSINESS HEADSHOT)
NEW YORK – On the morning of May 24, an upbeat Sergio Marchionne was combing his music library to compile a playlist for an employee event that afternoon at Chrysler Group LLC’s headquarters.
As the chief executive settled on Bruce Springsteen’s version of “Eyes on the Prize,” he received a phone call with long-awaited news: Chrysler finally repaid $7.6 billion of bailout loans from the U.S. and Canadian governments.
That day marked a new chapter in the comeback of the smallest of Detroit’s three automakers, the one the Obama administration wasn’t sure was worth saving back in 2009.
It was the Italian businessman’s deep involvement in Chrysler, and Fiat SpA’s willingness to put in $1.27 billion, that helped the company pull off one of the largest debt deals since the financial crisis — winning the backing of some of the same banks that were wiped out in its bankruptcy.
Investors who looked at the deal were initially skeptical about the large size of the financing as Chrysler still had to address concerns over its vehicle lineup and financial outlook, people involved in the process said. There were also questions over whether the company had really transformed itself.
Here is Chrysler’s latest commercial “Good Things,” which features Dr. Dre and The Beats by Dr. Dre audio system.
The Beats experience was designed to replicate the audio experience the artist has inside the recording studio and is available with the all-new 2012 Chrysler 300S. Now you can hear music the way Dr. Dre himself does! Check out Dr. Dre as he takes his sound out on the streets of downtown Los Angeles:
Ralph Gilles, Senior Vice-President of Design at Chrysler Motors speaks about the redesigned 300 sedan at the 2011 North American International Auto Show at the Cobo Center in Detroit, January 10, 2011. UPI Photo/Mark Cowan
Chrysler Group LLC announced today that it is creating a new brand — the Street and Racing Technology — or SRT brand — as it conducts a management reshuffle.
Chrysler also announced management changes, including a new Dodge Brand CEO.
Ralph Gilles, who has been president and CEO of Dodge, has been named head of the new cross-brand performance unit — SRT — and Chrysler’ Motorsports activities. Gilles continues with design responsibility for all exterior and interior design activities for all Dodge, Ram, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles.
Chrysler said the moves were aimed at the company’s business plan.
“Values and missions are sculpted on the rock. Organizational structures are designed to reflect the Company’s business needs in support of its strategic business plan. Today’s announcement is consistent with this line,” said Chrysler spokesman Gualberto Ranieri.
Last week, Fiat SpA reached a deal with the U.S. Treasury to acquire the government’s 6 percent stake in the company, which will give the Italian automaker a 52 percent majority stake in the Auburn Hills company.
Under the new structure, Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne will have 24 direct reports at Chrysler, down from 25.
I traveled to New York City courtesy of Dodge to check out and drive some of their 2011 models, including the 2011 Dodge Avenger. This was my first opportunity to test drive this vehicle, and I had a red Dodge Avenger Heat V6 for the drive (see the photos above). It was a rainy spring day, but I was able to push the Avenger on some country roads outside of the city along with hitting the city streets as well. The V6 made this car fun to drive, and Dodge made a number of changes to this vehicle for the 2011 model year to improve the handling. The wet roads weren’t a problem and I loved the way it handled tight corners. The result was a vehicle that matched the aggressive styling, and I think this car will be a big hit for guys looking for a sporty sedan. Check back for our full review of the Avenger in our Car Channel.
Dodge also had some Chargers for us as well. I drove the V8 R/T in the past and was very impressed with the vehicle, so I took the opportunity to drive the 2011 Charger Rally Plus with a V6 engine (see the silver Charger in the photos above). While it doesn’t have the power of the V8, this V6 Charger performed very well and had plenty of power. You can save some money and get better mileage with the V6, so for many guys this might be the better option. I recommend you drive both of them and you can choose based on your own preferences, but I came away impressed with both the V8 and V6 versions of the Charger. This car handles beautifully for a full-sized sedan and it has the most aggressive styling in its class in my opinion.
A “Sold” tag sits on the windshield of a Jeep Wrangler at Grava Chrysler Jeep and Dodge dealership in Medford, Massachusetts January 5, 2010. U.S. auto sales are expected to have ended 2009 on a slight upswing, capping a year that saw General Motors and Chrysler collapse into bankruptcy and China overtake the United States as the biggest car market. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES – Tags: BUSINESS)
Chrysler is rockin’ the sales charts with an increase of 10% in May, totally bucking the trend. Jeep sales are on fire and cars like the new 2011 Chrysler 200 are selling well.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 1, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Retail sales up 27 percent in May compared with same month a year ago
May marks the 14th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains
New 2011 Chrysler 200 sales up 154 percent compared with sales of its predecessor a year ago; retail sales of the Chrysler 200 increase more than five fold
Chrysler brand named “Top Popular Brand” in 2011 AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards
Jeep® brand sales up 55 percent compared with sales in May 2010
All current Jeep brand models post May sales increases, led by the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, whose sales were up 192 percent versus a year ago
Jeep Grand Cherokee wins “Premium Mid-size SUV” category in AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards
New 2011 Jeep Compass posts 92 percent year-over-year sales increase, second highest percentage increase for Jeep brand models
New 2011 Dodge Journey crossover voted “Family Car of Texas” at the Texas Auto Writers Association “Spring Roundup”
Ram Truck brand posts a 13 percent increase versus a year ago, the brand’s 13th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains
2012 Fiat 500 voted “Best Value” and “Best New Design” at the Texas Auto Writers Association “Spring Roundup”
A Chrysler Sebring sits in front of the Chrysler logo at the New York International Auto Show in New York in this April 1, 2010 file photograph. Chrysler Group LLC on Tuesday paid back $7.6 billion in U.S. and Canadian government loans from its 2009 bailout, a move that allows the U.S. automaker to distance itself from an unpopular bailout and deepen its ties with Italian automaker Fiat SpA. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi/Files (UNITED STATES – Tags: BUSINESS TRANSPORT)
It’s official. Chrysler Group LLC today confirmed the wire transfers have gone through, and the automaker has repaid loans from the U.S. and Canadian governments.
The automaker has repaid $5.1 billion in loans, as well as $1.8 billion in interest and other fees, releasing Chrysler from all monetary commitments to the governments less than two years after the bailouts kept them in business. Chrysler went to the capital market for lower-interest financing to get out from under the government loans that carried interest rates as high as 20 percent. The refinancing — which is much like refinancing a home mortgage — will save more than $300 million annually.
Today, Chrysler repaid the U.S. Treasury more than $5.9 billion; Canadian governments received $1.7 billion to retire their loans to the automaker.
At a celebration attended by 1,100 workers this afternoon at Chrysler’s Sterling Heights plant, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne wore a pin that said “Paid” on his customary black sweater.
What will Chrysler name it’s new commercial lightweight van? Don’t know yet but it should look real similar to this Fiat Doblo spotted in Michigan!
From Automobile:
One of our sharp-eyed readers managed to snap a few photos of something peculiar while on his way home from work — a European-market Fiat Doblo van wearing Michigan manufacturer plates.
Given the tie-up between Chrysler and Fiat, seeing the Doblo on U.S. roads isn’tthat strange; especially since there’s a chance this exact van may eventually be sold through Chrysler’s U.S. dealer network. Rumors have long swirled that the Doblo could join the Ram Trucks portfolio, providing the company with a light commercial van that can battle Ford’s Transit Connect here in North America.
European-spec Doblos are offered with the choice of five engines paired to either a five- or six-speed manual transmission. Diesel options range from a 90-hp, 1.3-liter, turbocharged inline-four cylinder to a 135-hp, 2.0-liter turbodieselI-4. The two gasoline-powered options use a 1.4-liter, naturally aspirated inline-four good for 95 hp (120 hp when powered by CNG). If the Doblo crosses the pond, a gas offering may be the only engine choice — but we think Fiat may have to upsize what’s found underhood in order to appease power-hungry American buyers.
