Posts Tagged ‘Dodge’

Dodge Challenger Exhaust

28 November 2009 | No Comments » | admin

This year 2009 the Dodge Challenger won the J.D. Power and Associates APEAL Study which examines how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive, based on owner evaluations.

Chrysler Confirms All New 300 and Dodge Charger

18 November 2009 | No Comments » | admin

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Chrysler LLC has been battered by high fuel prices this year, seeing sales plunge by 25% compared to 2007. This drop off isn’t unique to Chrysler as the entire automotive industry is suffering, but for a company who relies on the North American marketplace for about 90% of its business, the downturn has been especially difficult to swallow.

Despite the ongoing bad news, Chrysler says that they have a number of cars in the pipeline that will help the automaker update its fleet and regain its position once the economy rebounds as expected by early 2010. Leading the way is its two largest cars ? the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger ? vehicles that will play an important role in Chrysler’s long term success.

Though the market for big cars is way down, Chrysler expects that it will soon recover, perhaps just in time as it rolls out the next generation of the 300 and Charger in 2010. At first glance, not a whole lot will be different about the cars as the automaker is loathe to tamper styling success. Instead, vast improvements to interior quality, improved suspension, and a more economical powertrain combination will set these cars apart.

Chrysler won’t be relying on just two cars to fuel its rebound, planning as many as nine new or improved models to make their debut before the end of 2010. In addition to the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, other models expected include:

A compact car built by Nissan for Chrysler. Reportedly, the Dodge Hornet concept ? a Scion-like vehicle ? will appear in early 2010, built by Nissan at its Mexican plant. Electric cars ? one, two, three. Recently, Chrysler showed off three pre-production electric models, two of which are based on existing platforms: the Jeep Wrangler and the Dodge Caravan. The third model ? a Dodge sports car ? is a collaboration with Lotus and is likely to be the first of the three to make it to production. Similar to the Tesla Roadster, the Dodge EV will have an all-electric range of 150 to 200 miles and undercut the Roadster’s $98,000 price tag. Hybrid cars ? Chrysler was late to the hybrid game, having just recently launched hybrid versions of its large SUVs, the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango. But, Chrysler plans to aggressively catch up and should have a hybridized version of its popular Dodge Ram pickup truck ready by 2010. Other hybrid models are being explored including for their popular minivans. Nissan again ? If you don’t see a pattern yet, you soon will. Chrysler is once again tapping Nissan to build a car for it, this time a midsize model at one of Nissan’s Tennessee plants. This hook up will allow Chrysler to save money on product planning while allowing Nissan to maximize plant capacity.

Beyond 2010, Chrysler’s fortunes may rely on additional business partnerships, perhaps signaling that the company will become the third leg on the Renault-Nissan stool. Long term, the automaker will need to rely on outside partnerships to ensure its success, a move that can be achieved by expanding current business relationships.

Matthew C. Keegan is a freelance writer who resides in Cary, North Carolina. Matt provides magazine, web content, and article writing services to clients all over the world serving the automotive, human interest, and business communities. Matthew Keegan | Musings is his personal weblog.

Daimlerchrysler’s Windsor, St. Louis Assembly Plant to Produce Chrysler, Dodge Minivan

18 November 2009 | No Comments » | admin

The Chrysler Group has recently announced that the all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country as well as the Dodge Grand Caravan minivans both introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit are going to be produced at the DaimlerChrysler’s Windsor Ontario Assembly Plant and St. Louis South Assembly Plant in Fenton, Mo.

The main objective of the Chrysler Group is to produce several vehicles under same roof and in the process save millions of investment dollars while hastening the availability of the vehicles to the market equipped with the same high quality Chrysler parts that meets the quality levels set by the automaker.

According to Frank Ewasyshyn, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing, Chrysler Group, “These are very important products for the Chrysler Group as we remain committed to the minivan market and maintain our leadership position. Our focus on flexible manufacturing and new investments, adding state-of-the art technology to plant operations, will help us ensure we can meet those demands and build almost anything, anywhere, with improving speed and quality.”

Visiting DaimlerChrysler’s Windsor and St. Louis Assembly Plants

The Windsor Assembly plant is presently housing the production for Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans with the Stow ‘n Go® seating and storage system, together with the Chrysler Pacifica, has enough resources to accommodate the production of two different vehicle platforms. The Chrysler Group has invested $508 million to its Windsor Assembly to provide it with a state-of-the art paint facility which is capable of accommodating the dimensions of at least eleven different body styles. The Windsor Assembly plant is scheduled to operate on the first quarter of 2007. This plant was built in 1928 and at present considered to be one of Chrysler’s largest assembly plants with 4.01 million square feet. The plant is currently employing 4800 people.

The St. Louis South Assembly Plant is another big plant of Chrysler. The automaker invested $1 billion for this plant. Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan minivans (south), and Dodge Ram (1500 and 2500) Standard and Quad Cab Pickup (North) are the vehicles produced in this plant. The St. Louis Plant was constructed in 1959 and has a total area of 2.64 million square feet and the third assembly plant of Chrysler that implements a fully robotic body shop. This gives the St Louis plant the capability of manufacturing multiple types of vehicles on one line. Chrysler’s St. Louis Assembly plant has 3,200 employees presently. Chrysler Group is expecting to make the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country available to US market in the fall of 2007.

Corey Putton is a 28-year old bachelor from Pittsburgh, PA who has been around cars for the better part of his life. He now works online and writes all about his passion: cars. He is also a certified mechanic.