What car would you choose if you wanted a car which can carry as many passengers as an SUV but would come with the looks and performance of a sedan? Before you have to make a difficult choice between the two, the hardworking people at Chrysler have given us the solution ? in the form of the Chrysler Pacifica. The new addition to the line of automobiles the company has been producing since its birth, this car combines the positive aspects of an SUV and a sedan. This sport tourer is something so innovative that it is in a class of its own.

For starters just like an SUV, it can seat up to 6 adults which, compared to some SUVs, is a great feat. While some SUVs? third row seats are not tailored for adult occupants and best left to children, the Pacifica?s third row seat has a bit more leg room. The only drawback, and a very small one at that, is that since the seats are elevated it is best to leave those seats for people below 5?7?. In addition to that the car has fold-flat second and third row seats akin to some SUVs and minivans thus giving the user much more luggage space.

The Pacifica may have the traits and luggage capacity of an SUV or a minivan but outward appearance says otherwise. It is considerably lower than the usual SUV, yet just a tad taller than a car, showing just how one-of-a-kind this car is. The entire design of the Pacifica gives an aura of uniqueness. Something that looks like nothing you have ever seen before in any type of automobile. The contours and the design of the body speak for itself.

The power of this so called sport tourer comes from a 3.5 liter single overhead cam V6 engine capable of coughing out up to 250 horsepower at 6400 revs per minute and 250 lb. ft. of torque at 3950 rpm. All these power find its way to the wheels through high quality Chrysler parts and the standard AutoStick 4 speed automatic transmission that also allows manual shifting. While the automatic transmission is precise and is in itself a perfect piece of engineering, manual shifting is incorporated for those who wanted to take control of the gear shifting. The design of the Pacifica and the 250 horses inside its V6 can get the sport tourer from 0-60 in 9 seconds, a decent acceleration for a car that can sit up to 6 adults and still with room to spare.

What keeps those 6 adults comfortable on their seats during even long drives is the magnificent suspension system of the vehicle. With a fully-independent suspension for both the front and rear, the Pacifica employs MacPherson struts on the front and multi-link system in the rear. This keeps the car stable and adds to the overall comfort of the passengers and drivers against road irregularities. In addition to that, the car is an all wheel drive giving the car more traction even on rainy days thus increasing the safety of its occupants. With a five star rating for both front and side collision tests, users can have peace of mind knowing that the car they are in is a safe one.

With a car such as this, users can have the best of both worlds. They will have on their command the large storage space and seating capacity of an SUV and a minivan. And the low coefficient of drag is due to the vehicle?s design which looks more like a sedan.

Anyone taken a look at what’s on offer from our American cousins recently? If the answer is hell no then perhaps I could persuade you to reconsider.

As things get increasingly tougher in the new car market due to the global economic situation and ever more challenging environmental issues even the American manufacturers have had to sit up and take notice. Of greater concern to them the Japanese have stolen a march on US manufacturers which has meant a rather large chunk of market share has gone to Japanese manufacturers resulting in Toyota being the top seller in the US.

The Americans have launched a counter attack and Chrysler now has a range of models to woo us.

Anyone remember the Green Hornet? Nah nor me but I do recall having a corgi model of his car and reference to him was made in the Public Enemy song “Your Gonna Get Yours” The car was a Chrysler Imperial which came to mind the first time I saw the 300c with its frankly intimidating front grill and privacy glass.

You get a lot of motor for your buck here with many enticing standard features not to mention some pretty good extras available also. Models range from the 3.0V6 CRD saloon to the frankly outrageous 6.1 V8 SRT saloon with its bright orange HEMI

Back in 2005, I wrote that a Chinese automotive company by the name of Chery Automotive was planning to import a car to the US with an unusually low sticker price ? the $6600 Chery QQ. Based on a model ripped off from GM, the Chevy Spark, the little Chery could have turned the domestic automobile market on its side by undercutting all competitors by several thousands of dollars.

Alas, the Chery deal fell through and the company isn’t planning to bring the QQ to the US any time soon. However, as recently as last year Chery was working on an arrangement with Chrysler LLC where the American automaker would import the QQ and sell that car as a Dodge, but now that arrangement has also collapsed as Chrysler’s financial predicament has forced the two automakers to cancel their deal.

In some ways the Chery QQ deal could have been a huge boon for Chrysler. With absolutely no subcompact model in its portfolio to speak of, Chrysler could have used the QQ to stimulate sales and dealer showroom traffic.

Back during the 1970s and 1980s when Chrysler needed a small car, they turned to their Japanese partner, Mitsubishi, who supplied several Dodge and Plymouth models to the company. These cars were very small, highly economical, and cheaply priced. You may remember them as the Plymouth Champ and Dodge Colt to name just a few of the Mitsubishi cars sporting fresh badges on American highways.

Both companies have issued press statements noting the canceling of their relationship citing changes in the corporate direction of both companies as the reason for canceling the QQ project. Of course, Chrysler is the one struggling the most as the automaker is still try to secure funds from the federal government as of this writing.

Will we see an ultra low cost car on our shores anytime soon? Perhaps in a few years when the global economy settles down. But for right now, the only Chery we’ll see are those featured on websites dedicated to Chinese cars.

Daimler AG, the big German automaker who produces Mercedes, Maybach and Smart cars, announced a big fourth quarter loss of $1.95 billion, placing much of those losses on the back of Chrysler LLC, a company the automaker still holds a stake in. Daimler said that they would have realized a gain for the quarter, but its 19.9% investment in Chrysler LLC wiped that gain out.

But declining sales for Mercedes has hurt the German company too, as Mercedes US sales slipped by 11.2% in 2008. In January, the decline deepened with Mercedes sales plunging 42.9%. Daimler ended its fourth quarter on December 31st, so January sales have no bearing on the latest profit numbers.

Seeing that the trend is downward, Daimler has announced that they expect losses to increase for 2009. As a result, the automaker is cutting production and trimming administration costs. In addition, Daimler says that there will be more sharing between various products.

Daimler has expressed interest in selling its remaining share in Chrysler LLC, but not movement is pending on that effort. Daimler is keeping its eye on a potential Fiat-Chrysler hook up which would make it easier to sell its share in the troubled US automaker. Last summer, Daimler wrote down its value in Chrysler to zero, but that move hasn’t absolved the company of its share in Chrysler’s profits or losses.

A small, but bright light for Daimler has been its Smart car unit, which was rolled out to the US market in January 2008. Since then, the company has sold more than 26,000 units of the low cost car, which has helped to stem US losses across all three brands to just 1.5% in 2008. However, the profit lines on the diminutive Smart are much lower than the typical Mercedes, demonstrating that Daimler needs to see a rebound with its higher cost cars if it hopes to turn a profit.

Chrysler Sebring

Here in the UK, we’re fairly comfortable with the notion of importing our automobiles. We’re quite happy to drive German, Italian, Japanese, even Spanish cars (just so long as we don’t have to drive French ones…). This is partly because we’ve forgotten how to make a decent car domestically. Fortunately however, when we realised this, we quickly entrusted our most precious marques to the most expert hands we could get our…hands…on.

The Germans.

We left Mini and Rolls Royce with BMW, and Volkswagen is looking after Bently for us. Thanks chaps.*

The result of all this is that now, even when we think we’re driving British, we’re most definitely not (unless you’re sat in a Caterham, a Lotus or a TVR, which you’re probably not). And we know this. So, when we’re not, not driving British cars, we’re not driving British cars. Do you follow? Basically, we never drive British cars. And we’re happy with that.

And yet while we’re clearly fine driving vehicles manufactured abroad, we’ve always had about us an air of caution and distrust when it comes to The Americans. While in global politics we’re quick to hop into bed with the Yanks, when it comes to hopping into their cars… we’re somewhat more coy.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, nor is it necessarily without good reason. Cars built for the American market have had a tendency to be ill-mannered when confronted with all the tricky technical sections found on British roads. Such as bends.

However, in recent years the offerings from our cousins across the pond have ably stepped up to the challenge of competing against cars from the continent, going so far as to test many on the notoriously bendy Nordschleife section of the Nurburgring! Yet not even THAT has been enough to dispel the intangible stigma that still surrounds the American Car.

Which is puzzling, because Vauxhall is American, and goodness knows we drive enough of those.

Chrysler has worked very hard for a number of years to gain a foothold in the British auto market, and that hard work, combined with signs that the tide of suspicion has started to ebb, will likely translate (from American to English) into there being a lot more Chryslers in drives and carports up and down the country.

And if the Chrysler Sebring is anything to go by, rightly so too!
Stylish and modern, the Sebring defies our collective dim national perception of American autos, bringing instead some classic Yankee good looks to our shores. Priced to compete in the mid-sized saloon class, against such heavy hitting stalwarts as the Ford Mondeo, the Vauxhall Vectra and the Renault Laguna, the Sebring will certainly have to fight hard to capture any sizeable chunk of its target market, so expect to see an extensive advertising campaign soon!

Oh and if you still had your reservations, you needn’t worry, at the heart of this spacious and sumptuous sedan lies a 2.0l turbocharged common-rail diesel power-plant. Manufactured by Volkswagen. Clever Americans.

*we left Rover to fend for itself.

The power-assisted braking system provided in the Chrysler Crossfire is befitting to the performance level of the Chrysler. Undoubtedly, brakes and brake assistant system are important factor of a racing car like Crossfire. The brakes and brake assist system in the Chrysler Crossfire is appropriate for a racing car and also has set yardstick for others in the motor industry.

Following are some of the salient features of brake assist system used in the Chrysler Crossfire. The brake system of the crossfire has large diameter ventilated front discs and solid rear discs. The system is backed up by the highly sophisticated electronic wizards of Brake Assist System and ANS anti-lock.

The front brakes of crossfire have ventilated discs of 300 X 28 mm measure with single piston floating calipers. The rear brake discs of crossfire measures 278 X 9mm. These rear discs have opposed-piston calipers. When any set of front pads becomes worn the wear sensors fitted in the system illuminate dashboard warning light. The power assistance is provided through tandem master cylinder and single=diaphragm vacuum booster.

The Chrysler Crossfire has state of the art ABS consisting of four-channel, four wheel anti-lock of standard quality. This brake system is considered most suiting for the crossfire.

When a driver applies heavy brakes, specifically on slippery surface, the system gets activated and applies and releases the brakes at high rate. The optimum brake applies and release rate is 30 times per second. Despite the higher rate of brake applying and release the system prevents wheel lock up and helps the driver in retaining steering control.

The Brake Assist System fitted in the Chrysler Crossfire anticipates the emergency application of brake by the driver and immediately releases optimum available power boost to help the driver gain control over the car without loosing steering control. The driver may have usual human tendency of not braking hard or not breaking soon enough. The Brake Assist System overcomes these problems.

Like other features of the Chrysler Crossfire, its brakes and brake assist system is reliable. The system is of high standard quality technology and produces excellent performance even in adverse conditions.

Hoods provide a great deal of protection for the very life of the car, the engine. The hood is the sheet metal panel which sits at the front part of a vehicle, serving as an entryway into the engine. It is designed to be sturdy and durable to safeguard the engine and its components from elements that may be damaging like extreme heat, pouring rain, foreign particles, and road debris.

From the moment that cars are born, hoods are one of the very first features that are installed in them. With the evolution of the vehicles, these most basic yet very useful auto parts have also gone through massive development. A lot of automakers make sure that every new model they come up with has hoods that are made of the finest materials with the latest technology. Chrysler is one of them.

It has always been known that Chrysler stands for a car brand that means luxury in every part of the car. It boasts not only a good-looking physique, but also a powerful performance befitting its aesthetic value. Among its many parts that perfectly define the Chrysler?s elegant style is the Chrysler hood. Made from quality materials, it has undergone extensive tests, guaranteeing that it is worthy enough to be a protector of important vehicle parts. Some hoods are made with polyurethane, usually black in color, which is very durable and highly heat-resistant. The Chrysler hood also offers an option of customization deemed essential by the modern market to reflect a car owner?s individuality. There are customized hoods, coming in a variety of designs and contours, to enhance the already sleek body of Chrysler vehicles.

Improvements, however, are focused not only on the Chrysler hood?s look. There are also high-performance hoods that have openings in them to enable the engine to breathe easily. There are accessories available just for the hood as well. One example is the hood scoop. It is placed on the hoods to direct the outside air directly into the air filter, thus providing more efficiency in performance. The nose protector is another accessory that protects the hood from road debris and grime. There is also the hood spoiler which improves the aerodynamics aspect of the car to diminish the air drag. More accessories like these can be found on the internet, as they are sold by a number of auto parts online retailers.

The headline should read that so and so corporation declares bankruptcy. However, as we move more into a SOCIALISTIC state under the Obama administration, put there in part by the Bush years, the headline reads…. U.S. Is Said to Prepare Filing for Chrysler Bankruptcy. The United States government, that now owns or has it’s fingers into more places than you can count, is the one preparing Chrysler for bankruptcy!!

The Paris Motor Show is soon going to open and all people interested in meeting the best of the best vehicles there is would sure be running towards that mentioned grand event. And the manufacturer of superb Chrysler parts has announced its own share of vehicles that would be gracing the mentioned auto show.

According to the Chrysler Group, they would be sending out two new vehicles for the Paris Motor Show. One would be the all new Jeep Wrangler while the other one would be the Dodge Avenger. And as per the latter, Chrysler even further says that this new vehicle actually is soon going to be marketed as a brand new saloon vehicle and it would be coming to the United Kingdom’s market come the middle of 2007.

During the mentioned auto show that will be held in the European region, it would also be the very first time that the newly revamped and upgraded Jeep Wrangler would be shown in the continent. According to Chrysler, they would be showing off the Jeep Wrangler in two versions. One would be the one that holds two doors while the other one would be the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Edition and this would be holding four doors. Come the month of April next year, the United Kingdom auto maker would be able to purchase the vehicle. And as per the kind of power this vehicle has? Well, let us simply say that the new Jeep Wrangler would be sold mounted with the new 2.8 liter engine that runs on diesel fuel. But Chrysler further informs that there would be a couple of units that would be coming in with a 3.8 liter engine that would be running on petrol fuel.

The Dodge Avenger, on the other hand, is a vehicle that sure would be holding the interest of many of the auto show’s goers. It sure does look like a muscle car and with that you would also know that it would be holding a really good amount of power. Chrysler also informed the public that this vehicle would be really friendly to the family and it also has got a good fuel economy and would be a very efficient vehicle at that.

It might be a long way from the outback or actual off road driving but Chrysler is becoming very innovative in its marketing efforts to allow potential clients to experience the Jeep’s trail rated difference!

In early October at the South Florida International Auto Show, Chrysler set up what they called “Camp Jeep”. To those less term enriched, Jeep made a driving exhibit to give test drivers the real-life experience of driving a Jeep off road. This was no minor feat for Jeep. To build their course at the Miami Beach Convention Center, they had to haul in over 220 yards of mulch and spend almost six days developing the obstacle course. The trail featured a water obstacle and an 18-foot “hill” as well as other driving challenges. All to show potential clients just what a Jeep can do out on the trails.

If this wasn’t enough, Chrysler is going it one better at their upcoming “Full Throttle Test Drive Event” at the Wild Rivers Water Park in Irvine, CA (Los Angeles area) this Saturday (Oct. 28) and Sunday (Oct. 29). Chrysler will be featuring its full line of vehicles on three different specialty courses, one of which will be a 4