Camp Jeep Returns to the San Diego International Auto Show for the Ultimate Indoor Off-road Driving Test

December 26, 2011 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The Jeep® brand is bringing Camp Jeep®, a unique driving experience, to consumers attending the San Diego International Auto Show Thursday, Dec. 29 – Jan. 1.

The 22,000-square foot exhibit will give auto show attendees a chance to experience the extreme on- and off-road capabilities of Jeep vehicles without leaving the show floor.

The course will be comprised of several obstacles that simulate some of the rigorous testing that Jeep vehicles endure before customers get behind the wheel. This provides consumers a first-hand look at the capability standards of Jeep vehicles for Ground Clearance, Traction, Stability, Articulation and Suspension.

Product specialists will drive participants in 2012 Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles over a variety of surfaces, as well as an 18-foot mobile mountain and a 12 x 25-foot section of terrain simulating fallen logs measuring 18 inches in diameter. Attendees also will experience the adrenaline rush of looking nearly straight up or straight down as they navigate a 30-degree wedge to demonstrate the vehicle's body articulation. Each ride is about five minutes long.

Location and time:
San Diego Convention Center
111 West Harbor Drive
San Diego, California 92101

Thursday, Dec. 29
10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 30
10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 31
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 1
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Courtesy of media.chrysler.com

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All-new Chrysler 300 Luxury Series Sedan: The Most Luxurious and Fuel-efficient Chrysler Flagship Ever

December 27, 2011 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Designed to be the most luxurious and fuel-efficient Chrysler flagship sedan ever, the 2012 Chrysler 300 Luxury Series combines ultra-premium leather – once limited to some of the most exotic Italian luxury cars – with world-class refinement and handling, state-of-the-art safety and connectivity features and eight-speed automatic transmission with Pentastar^® V-6 engine for 31 best-in-class highway mpg.

"The new 2012 Chrysler 300 Luxury Edition is more than just our flagship car, it's the trophy for the tireless majority, an automobile designed and built to meet the most discerning of expectations,” said Saad Chehab, President and CEO – Chrysler Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “It's fitted with a paddle shifting eight-speed transmission found only on cars twice its cost, dressed with the highest grade Italian Poltrona Frau leather and finished with hand sanded real wood found only in exotic cars – all to deliver a surprising combination of hyper craftsmanship, style, technology and ‘uber’ best-in-class fuel economy at 31 mpg.”

The new 2012 Chrysler 300 Luxury Series expands the Chrysler flagship sedan lineup further with a fuel-efficient V-6 engine option, in addition to the top-of-the-range Chrysler 300C Luxury Series sedan with its powerful 363 horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI^® V-8 engine with Fuel Saver Technology.

World-class luxury with expressive styling details
The all-new Chrysler 300 and 300C Luxury Series are the most highly appointed sedans the brand has ever offered.

Exclusive interior features found on the Chrysler 300 and 300C Luxury Series sedans include either Black or Mochachino Poltrona Frau^® “Foligno” leather-wrapped instrument panel, cluster brow, center console side panels and upper front- and rear-door panels. Premium Nappa leather covers the door armrest, bolster and center console armrest. Black or two-tone Mochachino seats are wrapped exclusively in supple Nappa leather and include 12-way power-adjustable driver and front-passenger seats (including four-way power lumbar) with two-mode ventilation and two-mode heated seats for both front and rear passengers. Black or two-tone Mochachino leather-wrapped steering wheel — with all-new die-cast paddle shifters — features a unique chrome accent ring to highlight the segment-exclusive 360-degree heated rim. Completing the interior environment is specially selected Natural Pore Mocha wood trim featuring a matte finish to enhance the beauty of the real wood.

On the exterior, large 20-inch polished face (rear-wheel drive (RWD) only, 19-inch with all-wheel drive (AWD) and painted pocket aluminum wheels, provide the 2012 Chrysler 300 and 300C Luxury Series sedans with an even more planted and road-holding look. Platinum chrome fascia accents, exterior mirror caps and door handle accents provide an even more upscale look. Topping off the unique exterior is a platinum-chrome finished grille surround with platinum-chrome mesh grille for a truly distinctive appearance.

Premium amenities include the segment’s largest touchscreen infotainment system (8.4-inch) Uconnect^® Touch 8.4N with Garmin^® navigation, SiriusXM Traffic and SiriusXM Travel Link, LED-illuminated instrument cluster with driver-selectable color EVIC, power tilt and telescoping steering column with memory, power-adjustable pedals with memory, power backlight sunshade, premium 18-ounce Berber floor mats satin chrome lower door sills with “Chrysler” logo, dual heated/cooled cup holders, ambient lit foot well lighting, LED illuminated interior door handles and front and rear map pockets, premium carpeted trunk mat, HomeLink universal transceiver and power exterior mirrors with memory, driver mirror auto-dimming and auto-tilt in Reverse.

Available in RWD or with the segment’s most advanced AWD system, the 2012 Chrysler 300 and 300C Luxury Series models arrive at Chrysler dealerships in the first-quarter of 2012. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (including $825 destination) of these Chrysler 300 models is:

• Chrysler 300 Luxury Series (RWD) $40,145
• Chrysler 300 Luxury Series (AWD) $42,495
• Chrysler 300C Luxury Series (RWD) $42,895
• Chrysler 300C Luxury Series (AWD) $45,245

Democratization of technology: segment-first eight-speed automatic transmission
Once available only on premium import vehicles costing twice as much, the 2012 Chrysler 300 is the first domestic luxury sedan to feature an eight-speed automatic transmission. This new segment-exclusive ZF 8HP45 eight-speed automatic transmission expands the world-class power and fuel-efficiency of the 2012 Chrysler 300 Luxury Series and delivers class-leading fuel efficiency with respect to:

• Best-in-class highway fuel economy (31 highway mpg)
• Best-in-class V-6 AWD fuel economy (18 city and 27 highway mpg)
• Best-in-class combined fuel economy (23 with RWD, 21 with AWD)
• Unsurpassed city fuel economy (19 city mpg RWD, 18 mpg AWD)
• Overall unsurpassed fuel economy in its class (19 city and 31 highway mpg with RWD)

The addition of three more gear ratios in the proven ZF eight-speed automatic transmission design help to reduce the gaps normally associated with upshifting and downshifting. Combined with the award-winning 292 horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine, passengers will experience world-class levels of refinement due to small, evenly spaced ratios that provide quicker acceleration and smoother shifts.

Delivering up to a 17 percent fuel economy improvement compared with the previous generation six-cylinder Chrysler 300 AWD models, the new 2012 Chrysler 300 Luxury Series AWD combines the new eight-speed automatic transmission, fuel-efficient 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine and the segment’s most advanced AWD system for maximum all-weather traction and efficiency.

Chrysler 300’s AWD system (both V-6 and V-8 engines) features a segment-exclusive active transfer case and front-axle-disconnect system to improve real-world fuel economy. No other major automotive manufacturer offers the combination of these two independent technologies. Chrysler 300’s innovative AWD system seamlessly transitions between RWD and AWD with no driver intervention. When AWD is not required, the system automatically disconnects the front axle to maximize fuel economy while still providing the outstanding fun-to-drive performance and handling inherent in RWD sedans.

Courtesy of media.chrysler.com

 

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Chrysler Group LLC Providing DTE Energy with Test Fleet of 10 PHEV Ram 1500 Pickup Trucks

December 15, 2011 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Chrysler Group LLC, working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), will deliver 10 demonstration fleet Ram 1500 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) pickup trucks to DTE Energy of Detroit.

The PHEV Ram 1500 pickups, delivered by Abdullah Bazzi, senior manager of the Chrysler Group’s advanced hybrid vehicle project, are part of a national demonstration fleet of 140 vehicles that will be used during the next three years to evaluate customer usage, drive cycles, charging, thermal management, fuel economy, emissions and impact on the region’s electric grid. In addition to DTE Energy of Detroit, more than 100 vehicles have been delivered to 16 different cities in the past six months.

“Cities have been carefully selected to help the Chrysler Group LLC collect a wide range of data,” explained Abdullah Bazzi, senior manager of Chrysler’s advanced hybrid vehicle project. “Working with a local energy partner like DTE that is in our backyard offers a great combination of suburban and rural driving, as well as ever-changing Michigan weather, is ideal as a test cycle for these vehicles. The constant charging will allow us to measure the impact on battery life and charging efficiency.”

Chrysler Group LLC began delivering Ram 1500 PHEV trucks to the city of Yuma, Ariz., in May, 2011 to take full advantage of hot weather and conduct thermal testing in the desert southwest. Other cities that have received the demonstration Ram 1500 pickups include San Francisco and Sacramento, Calif., Charlotte, N.C., Boston, Mass., and Albany, N.Y. Just recently, the New York Police Department also took delivery of five PHEV Ram 1500 PHEV trucks.

“The trucks will provide us with a glimpse of what kind of fuel savings cans be afforded with PHEV technologies so we can, at some point, make our truck fleet more environmentally friendly,” said Trevor Lauer, DTE Energy vice president Marketing and Renewables. “We’ll be using the trucks at our service centers and in the field at our renewable energy facilities.”

Strictly a demonstration program, there are no plans for a production version of the PHEV Ram 1500 trucks at this time.
Cities and states were selected to evaluate temperature extremes, urban traffic cycles and diverse climates and geographies.
The Ram 1500 PHEV includes a liquid-cooled 12.9kWhr lithium ion battery pack and a 6.6 kilowatt (kW) on-board charger. Additional features include AC power generation of up to 6.6kW; directional charging; reverse power flow and full regenerative braking used to capture more energy. For fuel economy improvements, the front axle of the four-wheel-drive automatic transmission can be disconnected when not needed. The powertrain also includes a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine and a two-mode hybrid transmission. The 5.7-liter Hemi is equipped with a Fuel Saver technology that improves fuel efficiency at highway speeds by shutting down fuel delivery to up to four cylinders.

The battery pack is located under the second-row seat of the pickup and is liquid cooled to help maintain a consistent battery temperature. For on-the-job electrical power tools, a 240 volt/30 amp four-prong outlet and 120volt/20amp duplex outlet power strip is located in the rear box.

Urban use will be tracked to measure battery performance and overall hybrid efficiency with the demonstration fleet of pickups. Other uses include military bases where vehicles will be able to provide power back to the electric grid in what is termed “reverse power flow” of up to 6.6kW.

Funding for the program in part is provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the Transportation Electrification Initiative sponsored by the DOE. The grant, totaling $48 million from DOE and $49.4 million from Chrysler Group LLC, was designed to develop vehicles that will be cost efficient for consumers, satisfy safety concerns of daily travel without recharging and help reduce dependence on foreign oil.

The Chrysler Group LLC also is developing a similar fleet of 25 Town & Country minivans with plug-in hybrid technology for demonstration and evaluation that will be allocated to select cities next year.

Courtesy of media.chrysler.com

Made right here in America, the Jeep Grand Cherokee was built with you in mind. Take a look at the 2011 model to see an up close look at the work and effort that goes into making this impressive vehicle.

Jeep® Brand Launches ‘Jeep Arctic Yeti Dig’ Sweepstakes

December 20, 2011 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The Jeep_® brand would like to send one lucky person home from the “2012 Winter X Games 16” with a new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic edition. The brand kicked off the “Jeep Arctic Yeti Dig” sweepstakes on the Jeep Facebook page (www.facebook.com/jeep), Twitter (www.twitter.com/Jeep) and blog (http://blog.jeep.com) sites. Six sweepstakes participants will be randomly selected to attend the Winter X games and on Friday, Jan. 27, will dig in a giant pile of snow to find the “Jeep Yeti.” The first to find it will win an all-new Jeep Wrangler Arctic. The sweepstakes runs through Tuesday, Jan. 3.

“The extreme winter conditions of the arctic are the inspiration behind the new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic edition,” said Mike Manley, President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “The new Wrangler Arctic edition features a unique winter-themed exterior and interior design and the ‘Jeep Arctic Yeti Dig’ at the ‘2012 Winter X Games 16’ is the perfect setting for one of our Jeep fans and followers to win one of these vehicles for their very own.”

There are three ways to enter the sweepstakes:

• Facebook (www.facebook.com/jeep) – “Like” the brand and visit the sweepstakes page to submit a registration form and play the Jeep Arctic Yeti Dig game to receive entrance to the sweepstakes. Participants can receive up to three entries per day and an opportunity to double their entries by sharing the sweepstakes with their Facebook friends. 
• Twitter (www.twitter.com/Jeep) – Follow “@Jeep” and, when prompted, tweet back to the brand (include the Jeep handle “@Jeep” and #yetidig). Participants will receive one sweepstakes entry, per a 24-hour time period, for their tweet during the promotion period. 
• Jeep Blog (http://blog.jeep.com) – Visit the Jeep Blog and comment on the post at http://blog.jeep.com/2011/12/15/arctic-yeti-dig/ (include full name and email) and automatically receive one entry into the sweepstakes.

Two people from Facebook, Twitter and the Jeep blog will be randomly selected to attend the games with a guest and participate in the snow dig for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic edition.

For more information and complete sweepstakes rules visit, https://chrysler.ignitesocialmedia.com/fb/jeep/yetidig/yetiRules.html. The sweepstakes is for U. S. residents only.

2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic
Based on the Wrangler Sahara model, the Arctic’s winter theme is immediately recognizable. Available colors are Winter Chill, Bright Silver and Bright White. Exterior features include a body-color hardtop and fender flares, “Arctic” badges on the front fenders, a “Yeti Footprint” decal over part of the driver’s side fender and hood, black hood decal and Mopar® black fuel filler door and taillamp guards.

Jeep Wrangler Arctic also offers an aggressive Wrangler Rubicon tire and wheel package, with unique semi-gloss black 17-inch wheels shod with 32-inch tires.

Inside, Wrangler Arctic’s seats are black Tectonic fabric with Polar White accents and orange accent stitching. Front seats are heated and feature an “Arctic” logo in the seat back. Accent stitching can also be found on the steering wheel, arm rest and console lid. Door trim and nets are accented in orange, and all grab handles and dashboard vent rings are finished in Polar White trim.

Mopar tread pattern slush mats with white “Jeep” lettering complete the Wrangler Arctic package.

Courtesy of media.chrysler.com

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Chrysler 300 among the 2012 IIHS list for Top Safety Picks

IIHS announces 115 Top Safety Picks

The winners' circle includes 18 new vehicles for 2012, and 97 models that qualified for the 2011 award carry over to 2012.

"For the second year running, a record number of models qualify," IIHS President Adrian Lund said in a press release. "It's tough to win, and we commend auto manufacturers for making safety a top priority."

IIHS recognized a variety of vehicles this year. The list includes 69 cars, 38 SUVs, five minivans, and three full-size pickups. The vehicles on the list rate highest in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on IIHS criteria.

New for 2012, electronic stability control (to help drivers avoid loss of control), is no longer is a requirement to win as it was in prior years. New federal guidelines require all 2012 and later passenger vehicles to have ESC.

"When we launched Top Safety Pick in 2005, consumers had 11 models to pick from. Six years later, finding a winner that fits most budgets and lifestyles is easy," Lund said in the release. "It's a testament to the commitment automakers have made to going above and beyond minimum safety standards."

Courtesy of reviews.cnet.com

Chrysler Group’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT®) High-performance Vehicle Lineup Featured on Speed Channel’s ‘Test Drive’ on Sunday, Dec. 18

December 15, 2011 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Tune in to the Speed Channel at Noon (EST) Sunday, Dec. 18 for the premiere of the latest episode of “Test Drive” featuring the entire 2012 SRT® vehicle lineup.

Show host Tommy Kendall teams up with various professional drivers and personalities from the SRT brand and Dodge Motorsports, including Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, SRT and Motorsports, for driving exercises to show off the four benchmark American high-performance vehicles from Chrysler Group LLC.

“Viewers will be impressed as our new SRT vehicles are the real stars of this show,” Gilles said. “Working with a champion driver and true enthusiast like Tommy Kendall along with the team at Speed is always a blast; I can’t wait to see the premiere.”

The 60-minute program is broken into four segments – one showcasing each of the new 2012 SRT products, including the Chrysler 300 SRT8, Dodge Challenger SRT8 392, Dodge Charger SRT8 and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

• Former Penske Racing driver Kurt Busch meets up with Kendall at the Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C. for some aggressive on-track action from inside their own Dodge Charger SRT8s
• Kendall then travels to Fontana, Calif., to meet up with high-flying freestyle motocross athlete and Hart and Huntington Racing team owner Carey Hart as they drive Dodge Challenger SRT8s in a simulated movie chase scene
• The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is shown on quaint village roads in Germany and then taking a few historic laps around the world’s most demanding road course – the famed 12.9-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife
• Gilles then joins Kendall in a Chrysler 300 SRT8 for some on-track and on-road excitement in and around the Motor City

About SRT
The Chrysler Group’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) brand uses a successful product development formula featuring five proven hallmarks: awe-inspiring powertrains; outstanding ride, handling and capability; benchmark braking; aggressive and functional exteriors and race-inspired and high-performance interiors to remain true to its performance roots. The expansion of the SRT vehicle lineup in 2012 features four new products that are world-class performance contenders and bring the latest in safety technologies and creature comforts. These products include the Chrysler 300 SRT8, Dodge Challenger SRT8 392, Dodge Charger SRT8 and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

 

Courtesy of media.chrysler.com

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Chrysler reopens Detroit plant in preperation for next Viper

DETROIT -- Chrysler Group said today that it has reopened its shuttered Conner Avenue assembly plant in Detroit to produce the next generation of the SRT Viper sports car starting in late 2012.

The plant was idled in July 2010 when Viper production ceased. The next-generation Viper will be a 2013 model, Chrysler said.

The first of what will be about 150 workers, both hourly and salaried, have returned to the plant to begin preparations to restart production, Chrysler said.

"We're extremely excited that our ultimate American sports car will continue to live on and be produced exclusively here in the Motor City," said Ralph Gilles, president of the SRT brand and motorsports for Chrysler Group.

Viper production began in May 1992 at the New Mack assembly plant in Detroit, then moved to the Conner Avenue site in October 1995. All Vipers that rolled off the line were hand-built in a low-volume, modular process.

Over the course of 15 years, Conner Avenue employees built about 12 vehicles a day for a total of 22,070 first-generation Vipers.

In 2003, Chrysler introduced the V-10 powered SRT10 Roadster, followed by the SRT10 Coupe in 2005. The company produced 28,056 second-generation Vipers, and idled the Connor Avenue plant when production ceased

Courtesy of autonews.com